SS - Kyle's Scene

We wanted a scene where we are using Electroconvulsive Therapy on someone as we felt this is an interesting style of therapy that would look good in a scene and freak out the audience.

Here is some research into Electroconvulsive Therapy:

ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) is a treatment that involves sending an electric current through the brain to trigger an epileptic seizure to relieve the symptoms of some mental health problem.

ECT is mainly used if you:

• have severe, life-threatening depression
• have not responded to medication or talking treatments
• have found it helpful in the past and have asked to receive it again
• have severe postnatal depression

It may sometime be used if you:

• are experiencing a manic or psychotic episode which is severe or is lasting a long time
• are catatonic (staying frozen in one position for a long time; or repeating the same movement for no obvious reason; or being extremely restless, unrelated to medication)

It may also be used when it is important to have an immediate effect; for example, because you are so depressed that you are unable to eat or drink, and are in danger of kidney failure.

No-one is sure how ECT works, but it is known to change patterns of blood flow in the brain, and also change the way energy is used in parts of the brain that are thought to be involved in depression. It may cause changes in brain chemistry, although how these are related to symptoms is not understood.

The ECT Accreditation Service (run by the Royal College of Psychiatrists) reported on a survey of 78 ECT clinics in England and Wales in 2012-2013. This reported the results of 1895 courses of treatment in 1789 people:

• improved (‘minimally’, ‘much’ or ‘very much’): 1712
• no change: 113
• worse: 28

We wanted to have Kyle go through ECT due to the fact that his character refuses to speak and so we created a scene where we shock him but it doesn't help the situation. We felt that the scene alone was kinda lacking in effect so we created a movement piece to show his struggle and the painful ECT.