Abstract

Electroshock or Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a controversial procedure from an ethical and scientific perspective. Organizations led by users and ex us-ers in the field of mental health have generated a public debate regarding its use, pointing out that it is a severely invasive procedure with harmful effects on the brain. In that context, this article critically reviews the use of this practice in the field of psychiatry. In addition, it describes an overview of the institutional framework in which Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is performed in Chile. Final-ly, it examines the fundamentals and implications of the perspective of human rights for a greater regulation or absolute prohibition of this procedure.