ECT
n. uncountablen. Stands for electroconvulsive therapy. A medical treatment where a small amount of electricity is passed through the brain to help people with very serious mental health problems. It is usually done while the patient is asleep.
n. Abbreviation for electroconvulsive therapy. A psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in patients to provide relief from mental disorders. Usually reserved for treatment-resistant depression or catatonia.
The doctor suggested ECT for the patient's severe depression.
After several medications failed to improve his condition, the medical team discussed the potential benefits of ECT.
Modern ECT is performed under general anaesthesia and muscle relaxants to ensure the procedure is safe and to minimise the physical risks associated with the induced seizure.
Often used as an uncountable noun for the procedure itself, though 'an ECT session' or 'ECT treatments' are used for specific instances.