Shock therapy health fears

Published on Wednesday 16 July 2008 10:22

THERE are fears about the growing use of shock treatment on mental health patients in Scotland.

The controversial electro-convulsive therapy was more widely used in the 1950s and 1960s, and critics say it causes brain damage and memory loss and has little impact on most mental illness.

However, it was used 4246 times in Scotland last year, up 12 per cent on 2006.

There was a more marginal rise in the Lothians, from 450 cases to 475, although it was still lower than in previous years.