'Feeling Joy Again': ECT Brain Stimulation Therapy Restores Ashley's Well-Being
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) helped relieve Ashley's bipolar depression so she can enjoy life again.
Ashley learned at a young age to recognize the symptoms of bipolar depression. So when she was 16 and began experiencing anxiety and depression, she visited a doctor who prescribed the antidepressant Zoloft.
The drug relieved her symptoms, and she went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Penn State and a master’s from the University of Delaware and start her career as a speech pathologist. In January 2024, her life was disrupted when depression took hold of her once again.
It wasn’t until she found brain stimulation therapy that Ashley found long-term relief.
“It has allowed me to feel joy again. I can function in daily life,” said Ashley, of Moorestown. “It’s literally a miracle.”
Searching for Lasting Help for Depression
It’s common to change antidepressant medications. Ashley started Lexapro—a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI—but it only worsened her symptoms, leaving her unable to work.
Seeking intensive care, she spent a month at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. But after a month, her symptoms did not subside, and she returned home.
“I would just sit and stare at the ceiling all day. I was so skinny, I had no appetite,” she said. “I was miserable. All I could think about was dying.”
Desperate for help, she checked herself into the Menninger Clinic in Houston, where doctors adjusted her medication and introduced her to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
ECT ‘Turned My Life Around’
ECT uses electrical pulses that induce a brief seizure in the brain, stimulating changes that can improve mood and alleviate symptoms. Performed under general anesthesia, treatments last about five minutes, with two or three sessions per week for several weeks.
Back in South Jersey, Ashley continued ECT at Virtua. She started with treatments three times a week and has progressed to a maintenance plan of only monthly sessions. She continues to see a local psychiatrist who monitors her medication as part of her therapy.
“I still have bad days here and there, but the difference is I can still function,” she said. “I know they are going to pass.”
“Ashley is dedicated to her treatment and feeling better,” said Tyler Veterano, DO, a Virtua psychiatrist and medical director of interventional psychiatry. “Now able to wean down the frequency of her ECT treatments, she’s working and socializing again, maintains her bright outlook, and continues to thrive.”
Currently a sought-after nanny in Moorestown, Ashley hopes to return to her job as a speech pathologist. She’s open about her journey in hopes of helping others. She encourages people to be active participants in their health and seek treatments that best work for them.
“ECT has turned my life around. I felt like I had tried so many things. If you struggle chronically, meds don’t always do the job,” said Ashley. “Dr. Veterano asks all the right questions and has a great bedside manner. He listens and remembers what I say.”
Can ECT Work for You?
If you’re struggling with chronic depression and haven’t seen relief from traditional therapies, electroconvulsive therapy may help. Learn more about ECT here or call 609-914-6550 to request a consultation.
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