An important and powerful book about electroconvulsive therapy and its comeback.

For more than twenty years, Kitty Dukakis battled severe depression with every medication and treatment available. But it wasn't until she tried electroconvulsive therapy- ECT-that she began getting her life back for good. Written with award-winning medical reporter Larry Tye, Shock is both the personal story of how ECT dramatically changed Kitty Dukakis's life as well as a captivating look at the science behind ECT, the controversy surrounding it, and the history of its intriguing rebirth in this country.

Shock explores the stigma afflicting ECT-still a treatment that many hospitals do not administer-and debunks long-held misconceptions about how it is performed. Though some continue to view ECT as a dangerous, even barbaric, procedure, as this book explains there is no scientific evidence to suggest that ECT damages the brain. It can cause side effects like memory loss, but they generally are not far-reaching or long-lasting, especially when newer, lower-impact techniques are employed. In fact, the U.S. surgeon general and the National Institutes of Health agree that for severe depression ECT is safe, and often more effective than antidepressants or psychotherapy.

An eye-opening and powerful book about one of the most contentious medical treatments in history, Shock demystifies ECT and brings to life-through Kitty Dukakis's moving account -its impressive capacity to heal. For the millions who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses, it offers real information, practical guidance, and hope.

For more than 20 years, Kitty Dukakis battled severe depression with every medication and treatment available. But it wasn't until she tried electroconvulsive therapy--ECT--that she began getting her life back for good. Written with award-winning reporter Larry Tye, "Shock" tells how ECT dramatically changed Mrs. Dukakis's life, and offers a captivating look at the science behind ECT, the controversy surrounding it, and the history of its intriguing rebirth in this country.

For more than 20 years, Dukakis battled severe depression with every medication and treatment available. This is the story of how after electroconvulsive therapy--ECT--she began getting her life back.

Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, is a well-known and much-loved public figure. She revealed her ongoing struggle to overcome depression and her accompanying addictions to alcohol and pills in her 1990 memoir, Now You Know.

Larry Tye is a journalist, and spent fifteen years at the The Boston Globe. He has won numerous awards, including recognition from the Associated Press. The author of three previous books, he has taught journalism at Boston University, Northeastern, Tufts, and Harvard, and now runs a Boston-based fellowship program for medical journalists.