A treatment is not evidence-based if there is nothing in place to reliably replicate positive outcomes outside research settings. ECT providers should tell their patients they have no idea how to reliably give ECT optimizing therapeutic benefits while simultaneously minimizing cognitive side effects. The ECT providers should be telling families and policy makers this, too. They have literally never tested modern ECT devices in Placebo controlled trials--though these devices are 4-6x more current than the old ones. Let that sink in. In other words, my doctors gave me and my family information to make an "informed treatment choice" based on trial data from a medical device 4-6x weaker than the Thymatron System IV. Worse, doctors cannot guarantee that what they did to me, won't happen to someone else without dosing protocols based on safety testing using modern devices specs. To all the psychiatrists saying "it's unethical to withhold treatment" I only have one thing to say... It's only unethical to withhold treatment when the risks are known and the ability to reliably replicate positive outcomes is in place. The ethics of opperating a medical device which generates either 800 or 900 mA bipolar current for 8 seconds without formal subspecialty training in biophysics of electrical field disbursement or histopathology of electrical injury is far more unethical than withholding a "Treatment" that results in brainstem injury, progressive respiratory ataxia, and dysautonomia. My psychiatrist reassured my parents that ECT was the "safe and effective" "gold standard" for my catatonia without disclosing "the best way to administer ECT with regard to optimizing therapeutic benefit and simultaneously minimizing cognitive side-effects is not known." Nor did they disclose that they had no idea how to help if I was injured and that it would be our responsibility to find medical care for injury. Perhaps we should talk about medical ethics surrounding Patient abandonment when serious adverse events require rehabilitation and ongoing medical care for injuries caused by treatment? (Before ECT, I didn't use a wheelchair, speech generating device, or ventilator. But ECT's injuries can be continuing and progressive--depending on the type of injury. Turns out microvascular ruptures leave iron deposits which rust, causing secondary injuries that just keep spreading. #AuditECT