photo prompt © J. Hardy Carrol
Nurses chased Carla round the room. “Take the pill Carla” one of the nurses hissed but Carla was frightened. She knew what happened. The nurse’s long arms shot out and grabbed her, pinning her so she couldn’t resist as the pill was forced to the back of her tongue and water poured down her throat. Twenty minutes later she was terrified, the beast was chasing her then she lost consciousness as her limbs began to twitch.
“I am never having that again,” Carla told the doctor a few days later.
“No you don’t have to. We have a new electric treatment.”
Thank you to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers and J.Hardy Carrol for the use of the photograph.
The canopies on the ride reminded me of apparatus applied to the head (in movies) that alter the mind from there I was taken to this story. It was found that depression was eased by seizures and initially to induce these they used a drug called Metrazol. The unfortunate side effect of this drug was that just before the seizure started an immense terror was felt by the patient. So much so that once experienced patients would do anything not to go through it again. Hence another way a causing seizures was sought and ECT became the treatment of choice despite the fear that it too generated.
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
From one monster to another!
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Indeed
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Chilling!
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They thought they were doing a humanitarian act. Yes chilling.
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Out of the frying pan…
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Absolutely
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From terrifying pill to electrifying electric treatment…
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Yes. Thanks for dropping by and reading.
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Vividly written, Irene. “The nurse’s long arms shot out and grabbed her,” conveys such a lot about how powerless and terrified Carla felt, even before the drug took effect.
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Thanks Penny. The arms of the ride prompted that line but yes she was frightened before the pill, terrified afterwards and we can only guess how she was after ECT.
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Dear Irene,
Unique and powerful. I’ve known two people who’ve undergone ECT and what it did to them was terrible. Good story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. It may ease depression but what it does to the memory – I’d stay well clear as it sounds like your friends would now wish. Cheeers Irene
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Terrifying in its realism. I’m thankful that ECT is rarely used these days, and is much more accurate in reaching the area of the brain that needs treatment. Still, scary stuff.
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They are also much more humane with it these days doing it under anaesthetic and giving muscle relaxants prior to the procedure but I don’t know that the side effects are any different.
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It’s a choice between evils, though. Severe depression is awful, and to be free of it might even be worth some memory loss.
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Yes that is true. Carrie Fisher elected to have ECT on a regular basis as it made her feel better and able to function in the world. Depression is a debilitating afflction.
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There seems little hope for Carla. Very different take on the prompt, well done.
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Thank you Iain.
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…like a scene from a horror movie! Nice one Irene.
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Thanks Keith.
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Well written, but… The things we do to people when we are trying to “help”. I think we are getting better at treatment. At least I hope we are.
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I hope so too Trent.
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It’s a terrifying thing to be at the mercy of nurses and doctors sometimes.
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And at other times a good place to be.
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That was so powerful and so well done. And thanks for the explanation… I was wondering how the fairground photo had prompted it.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you Susan. Yes it was a bit left of field but the arms of the ride and the head cap did it for me. Cheers Irene
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I like where the prompt took you. It’s lovely to see a tangential interpretation. Well done.
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Thanks Sandra. The photo is to thank for the direction it took me. Cheers irene
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a few shocks might help but ongoing kills the memory and so much more .. sadly it’s used too often – very well written!
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Thanks Kate. I worked at one hospital where I assisted in the procedure (agency nursing) – never again.
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yes, I’ve met a few ladies with fried brains, and is a few too many!
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I feel the things we have done to treat mental sickness is like torture… I had never heard about that pill, and just imagine that ECT is better is chilling…
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For so long it was thought that the mentally ill were possessed by demons. I think we have come along way but so much further to go. Yes the doctors that they were performing a humanitarian act in changing to ECT. I wonder what they might think now.
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Medicine has taken a long time to come up with cures that are anything near effective, especially when it comes to mental health issues.
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Sadly true.
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What an original… and horrible (not the writing, the “treatment”) take on the prompt, Irene!
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Thanks for reading Dale.
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I find this quite shocking. 🙂
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LOL
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My God, that was such a powerful story. And what a unique lateral take!
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Thanks Anurag.
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A unique take on the prompt and wonderfully written. I feel sad for the patients who have to undergo it.
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Thanks for reading Moon. Yes it is a no win situation for those needing it – what is worse debilitating depression or some memory loss. They have made the procedure considerably easier on the patient now.
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Did Metrozol also kill off portions of the brain?
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In your hands, this story is very well written. Psychosis and mental instability have not been well understood. Controlling behavior was the goal for so many decades and people suffered endlessly and needlessly. Being sent to a sanitarium was being drive to a pit of abuse. I think understanding the way the brain works is in its infancy. As a nurse, Irene, you must cringe at the barbaric ways mentally ill people used to be treated. Even now with some progress, a long way still to go.
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You’re right Sharon. People didn’t understand it and therefore it created an aura of distrust and ignorant reactions (as do any situations that aren’t understood by the masses). I do think in the early days it was barbarism at its worst but now and often a way of getting rid of people that were a pest. I always think of Van Gough who showed us that torment through the paintings he did at the sanitarium he was in. These days I think doctors and nurses are trying their hardest to be humane and do the right thing by the patients but as you say our understanding of the brain is in its infancy.
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I love compassionate nurses. I’m sure they were not chasing her for amusement. Carla got a bum deal.
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No they were doing it with good intent but sometimes even compassionate nurses and doctors don’t know.
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I liked seeing where this prompt took you.
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Thanks Ted.
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Harrowing – and a really interesting take on the photo. Well told too!
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Thanks Anna.
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Doesn’t sound like a good solution. Well done.
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Thanks Sascha.
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Terrifying story because there is such a strong element of truth in it.
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Thank you for this comment. I’m glad it had the ring of authenticity to it (as it was based on truth) and was therefore the more powerful for it.
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First I must thank you for pointing out the link on my blog that didn’t work – I’ve fixed it now, so you can find my book on Amazon 🙂 Your story made me really uncomfortable, it’s so true to life.
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You’re welcome and thank you – uncomfortable is good.
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Scary stuff!
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Absolutely.
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My Mom used to go to a psychiatric hospital a lot when I was a very young child.
Paranoid schitzophrenia she told me once. I suppose I could say more about her
but this is about your story.
I think these were experimental treatments. Sadly, meds haven’t been improved either. Two out of three of my daughters have bi-polar. I wonder about this being passed on. Quite a controversially hidden subject you were able to write from this photo. BRAVO …!!!
Isadora 😎
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That must have been a difficult childhood Isadora and I feel for your children with bi-polar. It is a difficult condition to live with but I believe they have made great advances with drug treatment. The most inspirational speaker I have ever listened to suffered bipolar and she told us of how when she felt well she stopped taking medication and of the manic phase followed by depression. She is now a upper level manager and goes on speaking tours to raise awareness of the condition. I’m sorry if my story caused you distress but mental illness is something that we tend to avoid and unfortunately this prompt triggered it for me.
Cheers Irene ❤️
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You took the prompt to a whole different level! Nicely done. As Isadora said, “BRAVO!”
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Thanks Alicia. Much appreciated.
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