Beattie had two ECT in 1970 and 1975. She thinks that ECT should be banned and cannot remember a seven-year period after having it. She now takes no medication and lives with her family. Beattie does mental health work and is involved in group advocacy for mental health service users, and will be teaching knitting and crochet in a drop in setting. She is involved with a user group, sits on a committee and interviews panel members.

When Steve first met his wife, over 30 years ago, she had already had ECT for depression. During various periods of depression, she had ECT when nothing else worked. Only recently has Steve described himself as a carer' and says that there are long periods in between episodes of depression where his wife is well.

John was clinically depressed when he went into hospital 12 years ago, age 54. He had eight sessions of ECT that lifted him out of depression. He is diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder but now has less highs and lows and is on Lithium, which helps.

Although Enid has always experienced periods of sadness, she only became very depressed after retirement. She was treated with ECT aged 73 and has found it helpful for a short period of time. Enid feels that depression should be considered an illness like any other.

Tracy experienced postnatal depression after having a miscarriage. She then had postnatal depression after her second daughter. Although she had ECT over 20 years ago she still experiences problems with her memory of that time. She wouldn't recommend ECT to anyone, and found it didn't help her depression.

Kathleen had a couple of episodes of depression when she was in the UK, which were treated with anti-depressants. She moved to Canada and then was admitted to hospital on several occasions. Kathleen had 2 courses of ECT as an inpatient (24 and 18 treatments) and one outpatient maintenance ECT treatment.

Sheila was always against ECT because she used to help out in an ECT suite 20 years ago. However, when her husband experienced problems she found out more information about ECT and thought it may help him. Now she doesn't feel it has helped him very much but has seen it benefit others.

Carys daughter was given ECT when she was 19 sometime after she had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Carys felt that ECT did her no good but has seen it help other people. She is still struggling to get good support for her daughter 21 years later.

Yvonne had a difficult relationship with her mother and experienced abuse as a child. Aged 18 she was admitted to a hospital and eventually received ECT, which she did not want to have. In hindsight, although she found ECT frightening, she thinks it was the start of her recovery.