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Alka has been married to her husband for nearly 30 years. 18 Months after getting married her husband had a severe episode of depression and was later diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder. He has been treated with ECT several times and they both consider it one of the only things that help during his worst episodes.
Alka works for the civil service, lives with her husband and describes her ethnic background as Indian.
Dafydd first felt his wife was clinically ill' after she retired. After a stay in an inpatient ward, she was offered ECT. His wife didn't respond to antidepressant medication, but responded to ECT. She continues to have ECT once a month as an outpatient.
Dafydd is a retired researcher, has five children and lives with his wife and two dogs. He describes his ethnic background as Welsh.
David has cared for his partner for many years. Nearly 20 years ago she was offered ECT and David decided she could have this as he was told this was a last resort treatment. David felt she didn't benefit from it at the time and years later she still suffers from memory problems.
David is 52, lives with his partner and has children. He is a full time carer and describes his ethnic background as White British.
Mandie became severely depressed and found that anti-depressant medication did not work for her. She felt unsupported by the NHS and had a long wait for talking therapy. Mandie considered having ECT when nothing was working, but she decided against it.
Mandie is married, works as a business coach, has two children and described her ethnic background as White British.
Tristan's wife had her first major episode of depression after the traumatic birth of their first child. She was admitted to hospital following an overdose and was soon offered ECT, age 33. Although at first she responded dramatically to ECT, she relapsed 6-10 weeks later. Tristan's wife is now recovered and they have had another child together.
Tristan is a paramedic, and lives with his wife and two small children. He describes his ethnic background as White British.
Julian experienced a lot of stress when he was 40 during a marital breakdown and family illness. He felt no emotion and felt that antidepressant medication did nothing for him. Julian requested to have ECT as he felt increasingly desperate for something that might help. Initially he improved quickly, but then went downhill two weeks after his ECT had finished.
Julian is medically retired having worked in defence electronics. He is divorced and has a son. He describes his ethnic background as White British.
Lorraine and Annie's mother had her first major episode of depression when she was in her early 40s. Later, when she was in her 70s, she became very unwell after her husband and son died within a few months of each other. She was given anti-depressant medicines and tranquilisers but was then offered ECT. Lorraine and Annie agreed to try it. They now think that ECT led to a big improvement in her well-being.
Lorraine, age 52, works as a cleaner and lives by herself but close to their mother. Annie (Lorraine’s sister), age 50, works as a nursery supervisor, is married and has...
Helen had ECT in 1970 aged 17.. She had an unwanted pregnancy and was admitted to an old Victorian hospital where she had ECT. In retrospect she realised she had had puerperal psychosis (severe mental illness after childbirth). Helen suffered for many years with the side effects of ECT, psychiatric medication and mental ill health. She has now recovered her sanity and has improved physical health.
Helen is a retired civil servant, is divorced, lives by herself and has two children aged 43 and 20. She describes her ethnic background as White British.
David had always experienced depression but when he was in his early 40s his depression got much worse and he had a breakdown. He was admitted to hospital and was offered ECT, age 43. David had 20 ECT treatments which lifted the depression in a way that antidepressants never had. He is however still looking for work.
David lives by himself, is currently unemployed and describes his ethnic background as White British.
Jenny had a difficult childhood and lost her father when she was four. Latterly she had a very stressful working life and was admitted to hospital to have ECT following a suicide attempt. She felt ECT had a buffering effect, but - like antidepressants made no significant impact upon the depression she experienced.
Jenny is a retired consultant and is married with four children. She describes her ethnic background as Anglo-Irish.
