ECT Offers Hope for Depression

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If you or someone you love is living with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), you’re not alone. An estimated 30 percent of people diagnosed with depression do not find adequate relief from antidepressants or traditional talk therapy alone. For many, that can feel discouraging - but there is hope.

One of the most effective treatments available today is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a highly advanced and carefully administered procedure that has helped countless individuals regain stability and quality of life. This month, community members can also learn more about ECT and other mental health treatments through an educational webinar series.

“ECT is the gold standard for TRD despite being highly stigmatized,” says Dr. Muhammad Ali Abbas, one of our webinar panelists. “There is no treatment available in psychiatry that helps the patient as quickly.”

ECT has come a long way since its early use in the 1950s. Today, it is a refined, evidence-based medical treatment performed under anesthesia with close monitoring by trained specialists. Our hospitals at Hackensack Meridian Health, including Carrier Clinic, Raritan Bay Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center, perform more than 5,000 ECT treatments each year, the highest volume in the state, demonstrating both expertise and trust in its effectiveness.

Learn more about ECT by clicking here.

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