Shock (2007)

"Shock" explores one of the most controversial treatments in medical history - electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT or "shock therapy." Through candid and intimate interviews with patients, doctors, and other experts, the film explores the myths, mysteries, and realities surrounding electroconvulsive therapy, a medical procedure used, most effectively, in treating severe clinical depression. ECT works by inducing seizures in a patient through electrical impulses to the brain. How and why it works is still a medical mystery, but in a growing number of psychiatric cases where drug therapies are ineffective or risky, it is the only treatment that helps. One such case is Kitty Dukakis, wife of the three-term Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis. For over 20 years, Kitty battled her severe depression with every medication and treatment available. But it wasn't until she tried electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, that she began getting her life back for good. Ms. Dukakis as the centerpiece of this story will share her personal and emotional struggles with depression, her decision to try ECT as a last resort, and her feelings about and experiences with the procedure. The purpose and effectiveness of ECT, and the controversies surrounding it, are told from the point of view of patients who have undergone the treatment, as well as doctors, critics, cultural historians, and other experts. Its shameful past, its promising future, its damaging effects and near-miraculous benefits are all explored, leaving the viewer to ultimately decide the value of this controversial treatment.