Anyone have a spouse undergoing ECT treatment or yourself?

I did try this two years ago. It helped a little, but I'm not sure if it was just this or the antidepressant I was taking at the time. I'm not sure it really helped me and it was very time consuming. Cymbalta was the antidepressant I took, but developed an allergic reaction so I had to stop taking that med. IF this helps him, great, but if not, have you thought about psilocyban mushroom therapy or ayahuasca therapy? There are many studies that show it's effectiveness and long lasting results for severe depression. They use it often for people who are dying and it even helps them out of darkness and accept their fate so they can enjoy the time they have left. I'm not sure where you live, but Oregon has clinics. If ECT doesn't work, I would seriously consider having your husband take a trip so to speak!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/17504/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2022/02/psilocybin-treatment-for-major-depression-effective-for-up-to-a-year-for-most-patients-study-shows

@yaduhyaduhsquawk, welcome. I can imagine that you are experiences many emotions from concern to hope as you wait for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT treatment) to start for your husband next week. You many find these related discussions helpful as you prepare:

- ECT Success https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ect-success/
- Experiences with Geriatric ECT https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/experiences-with-geriatric-ect/
- Has anyone used ECT Therapy for depression?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/depression-8/

@yaduhyaduhsquawk (love the choice of username, by the way), I also hear in your post that you're concerned about your own mental health. For that reason, I added your discussion to the Caregivers support group as well. Caregiving takes a toll.

As you prepare to support your husband on this next chapter of hope, waiting and seeing, how are you taking care of yourself? Have you told your doctor that you need support?

Thank you for the very helpful information! I have some reading to do! Yes, I just reached out to my doc about 10 days ago. She is working with me to help me stay on the right track. Thank you for inquiring.

Good luck with the ECT therapy. My husband is severely depressed also, started in October 2023. He won’t even consider any therapy. He thinks he failed at life and this is his punishment. I feel your pain and know what you’re going through. It’s like watching someone you love die. It’s a hard place to be. I hope you both get good results. I will be thinking of you.

See if he will try psilocybin treatment. Works wonders and the research backs it up. It's not long, drawn out therapy, talking about everything your mother did wrong. I'm not sure where you live, but I do know Oregon offers tons of options.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/research-news/17504/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2022/02/psilocybin-treatment-for-major-depression-effective-for-up-to-a-year-for-most-patients-study-shows

@tstrepy
You DO understand! It truly is like you say and no amount of love, support and/or encouragement helps. As a spouse/partner/caregiver it is so frustrating. I feel like we are missing out on our lives and the lives of our growing family. It doesn’t seem to mean the same to a depressed mind. Time is spent in bed, with minimal movement and no initiative or desire to improve. Thank you for helping me feel alittle less alone ❣️🙁

I wonder if you have seen the post regarding a John's Hopkins study on the use of psychedelic mushrooms for depression. It is a call for volunteer participants. There is also a wealth of information on the ways psychedelics are being used in clinical settings for depression, anxiety, alcoholism, etc.

My husband did ETC at Stanford a couple years ago. He has probably had depression his whole life but being a workaholic, kept it a bay. Once he retired in 2016 it really came on. First there was the denial. Then that it really wasn't that bad. I watched as our relationship deteriorated because he really doesn't participate in much physically, emotionally etc. He had tried an outpatient 2X a week class. While there, it was successful but the minute he quit going slid back into depression. He's done private therapy, couples therapy, CBT. Then the ETC. I kind of felt he chose that because it was still a passive way of treatment. It must not have been easy. I had to take him, pick him up twice a week, a 30 minute drive one way. Honestly I didn't notice a difference at all. I'm sorry I don't have better news to report. This is my first time looking at the depression site. I just started coming on for some pulmonary issues of my own. I will certainly look into the caregivers thread and maybe do some research into the psychedelics. I've heard of them being used but haven't read up on it. Thanks for the info.

I understand how you must of felt, Trying to work out your self what to do for you hubby can become mind blowing when all you was trying to was Help him. I know this because my own little wife doe not know what to do with me I know she means well, but I am so stress out fighting my Cancel for the last 15 months. I just don't know what to do & if my wife just does something ever very small things I jump up and down like a nuts case, Why I don't real know that myself. I never use to be like that until I got Cancer. So what I do now is lock myself in the Cp room all day & now my wife feel is is the blame for my stupid behaver as well, Don't take any of the blame at all for what happen between you and your Happy it was not your fault & they was nothing you could have done to change that . I hope this bring you some peace of mind Ok Take Care

I am 72 and so depressed and just started ECT yesterday. I feel it is my last hope. I feel bad for all the people who have to deal with me.