10 Myths and Facts About Shock Therapy

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A controversial treatment

By Tammy Worth

When most people think of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, they imagine a strapped-down patient writhing in pain. (Probably thanks to the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.)

And many regard it as an outdated, barbaric treatment no longer in use.

In fact, ECT is still in use, and why and how it's used may surprise you. Here are some common myths and facts about the procedure.

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