電痙攣療法產生於1930年代。1934年,由L. Von Meduna在匈牙利首次運用于臨床。L. Von Meduna觀察到兩位同時患有癲癇的精神病患者,在癲癇大發作之後,精神病症狀有明顯的好轉;於是採用一種叫cardiazol的藥物人工引發癲癇大發作治療精神病。但是由於cardiazol的毒副作用,這項技術很快被放棄。1938年義大利神經科醫師和他的助手繼承了前人的經驗,並改進了技術,採用電流引發癲癇大發作,並用於精神疾病的治療上,取得較好的療效[44]。
電療法在小說、歌曲及電影中經常出現,而且大部份都是負面的表現。
大部份反對電療法的觀點多是受到1975年的電影《飛越瘋人院》(One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)之影響,這是一部翻拍自肯·克西的小說,而這位作者在小說中的描述,多是他在1960年代參觀精神病院的片面經驗所集結虛構的情節。這電影中主要強調醫護人員用電療法來懲罰不合作的精神病患。
在電影《移魂女郎》(Girl,interrupted)一片中,安潔莉娜·裘莉(Angelina Jolie)飾演的角色因為害怕將被電療而逃離精神病院。
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