In neoclassical theory, large negative shocks cause unemployment in the short run, and the larger the shock, the larger the unemployment. As a result, large shocks can lead to grave social problems, political unrest and, in the worst cases revolution.

The Balcerowicz Plan (Polish: plan Balcerowicza), also termed “Shock Therapy”, was a method for rapidly transitioning from an economy based on state ownership and central planning, to a capitalist market economy. Balcerowicz, the Polish minister and economist Leszek Balcerowicz, the plan was adopted in Poland in 1989.

Shock therapy is intended to cure economic maladies—such as hyperinflation, shortages, and other effects of market controls—to jump-start economic production, reduce unemployment, and improve living standards.

The shock therapy ruined the economies of Russia and east European countries. The value of the Russian currency, ruble declined considerably. People lost all their savings because of high rate of inflation. The collective farms disintegrated leaving people without any food security. Russia began to import food.

ECT does not change a person’s personality, nor is it designed to treat those with just primary “personality disorders.” ECT can cause transient short-term memory — or new learning — impairment during a course of ECT, which fully reverses usually within one to four weeks after an acute course is stopped.

In the United States, ECT treatments are generally given two to three times weekly for three to four weeks — for a total of six to 12 treatments. Some doctors use a newer technique called right unilateral ultrabrief pulse electroconvulsive therapy that’s done daily on weekdays.

If electroconvulsive therapy doesn’t work, the next step could be deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a depression treatment that is currently considered experimental.

We know that depressed patients often begin to respond after the first treatment and progress to wellness with 6 to 12 treatments. There is considerable variability in the trajectories, but most commonly there is progressive symptomatic improvement within the first week and complete remission within 3 to 4 weeks.

Electroconvulsive therapy is effective in the acute treatment of major depressive disorder patients associated with anxiety symptoms. Anxiety symptoms improved less than depression symptoms during acute electroconvulsive therapy.

It may promote changes in how brain cells communicate with each other at synapses and it may stimulate the development of new brain cells. ECT may flood the brain with neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which are known to be involved in conditions like depression and schizophrenia.

A great deal of research has been performed pertaining to the neuroplastic effect of ECT in patients with MDD. Moreover, significant modulations in volume of brain substructures such as hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus and medial and inferior temporal cortex have been reported with ECT.