Electroconvulsive therapy, a procedure in which electrical currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure, can provide relief from psychiatric illnesses such as major depression and dysthymia. Currently in the United States, depression and dysthymia are becoming a serious problem for today's adolescents. According to Teen Help, “about 20% of teens will suffer from teen depression before they reach adulthood.” (Teen Help) Treatment of adolescents with clinical depression is difficult and involves pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, educational and family interventions. Drugs have a limited role due to their lack of efficacy, their minimal effect on etiological factors, and the frequent noncompliance of adolescents. Treatment with ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) is proven, based on positive clinical studies, to effectively treat depression. ECT ultimately cures the disease quickly with just 3 treatments per week for a month. Unlike drugs, which only start to take effect after a year. Doctors should promote strong therapeutic treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy. The lack of attention to depression has worsened over the years in America. Because of its positive treatment evaluation, electroconvulsive therapy can treat adolescents with depression and dysthymia. Unlike treating depression in adults, medications have a limited role in treating adolescent depression. According to scientific research, ECT can cure depression in about a month: "there is considerable variability in trajectories, but most commonly there is progressive improvement of symptoms within the first week and complete remission within 3 or 4 weeks." (Avery) Adolescents are likely to recover from being noncompliant......middle of paper......n. “Electroconvulsive therapy in children and adolescents: Brief overview and ethical issues” American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. AACAP Ethics Committee, January 1. 2012. Print. April 20th. 2014.Sackeim, H.A., Prudic, J., Devanand, D.P., Kiersky, J.E., Fitzsimons, L., Moody, B.J., ... & Settembrino, J.M. (1993). “Effects of stimulus intensity and electrode placement on the efficacy and cognitive effects of electroconvulsive therapy.” New England Journal of Medicine, 328(12), 839-846.Shorter, E. (2009). History of electroconvulsive therapy. Electroconvulsive and neuromodulation therapies. Cambridge University Press, New York, 167-79.Zhang, Zhang-Jin. “Electroconvulsive therapy improves antipsychotic and somnographic responses in adolescents with first-episode psychosis: a case-control study.” Schizophrenia Research March 6. 2011. Web. 10 April. 2014.