Citation

Fink M, Kellner CH, McCall WV. J. ECT 2014; 30(1): 5-9.

Affiliation

From the *Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Stony Brook University, Long Island; †Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; and ‡Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/YCT.0b013e3182a6ad0d

PMID

24091903

Abstract

Suicide is a leading cause of death among psychiatric patients, and a leading cause of death from all causes in people younger than 30 years. The rapid relief of severe depression, mania, and psychosis by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is accompanied by the rapid reduction in suicide drive. Electroconvulsive therapy use is, however, inhibited by fear of electricity, unreasoned prejudice, legislative restrictions, and the limited availability of trained professionals and adequate facilities. This review assesses the experience with ECT in persons with suicide risk and recommends the consideration of ECT in treatment algorithms to reduce suicide rates.

Language: en