Letter from Laurie Flynn

Dear Dr. Arons:

I am writing to express NAMI's dismay about the statement released by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) entitled "Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Involuntary Treatment, and Related Issues."

As you know, there are widespread efforts led by Scientologists and other anti-psychiatric groups underway throughout the country to ban ECT as an available treatment and to criminalize the prescription of ECT by physicians treating individuals with severe depressive illnesses. These groups ignore the extensive, uncontroverted evidence in the scientific literature that ECT is both safe and effective as a treatment for severe depression. Consequently, it is critically important that any statement coming from CMHS must focus on medical aspects of ECT and avoid the "politics" of ECT.

Regrettably, the Center has ignored these important medical issues and has instead chosen to focus on involuntary treatment in its statement. While involuntary treatment is an important subject, it has little to do with ECT, since this treatment is generally provided only on a voluntary basis. By failing to address the central medical issues, the Center has done a fundamental disservice to those individuals who can benefit from treatment with ECT. It has also legitimized, by implication, the ideological and non-scientific arguments raised by those who would seek to ban ECT even for those who desire it.

NAMI therefore urges the Center to reconsider its decision to release this statement. In its current form, the statement serves only to reinforce the anti-treatment efforts of the scientologists and other groups dedicated to denigrating psychiatric treatment. This is most inappropriate for the federal agency charged with overseeing services for persons with severe mental illness.

Sincerely,

Laurie M. Flynn
Executive Director

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