Paris Jackson reveals she underwent ‘painful’ electroconvulsive therapy amid struggles with her mental health
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
Paris Jackson has opened up about her mental health struggles and revealed she underwent ‘painful’ electroconvulsive therapy after going through a ‘conveyor belt of medications’.
The 28-year-old, who is the daughter of Michael Jackson, has been open about her mental health issues and substance abuse.
In the years that followed, Jackson sought help at five different institutions and tried various medications.
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During a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, Jackson said that she felt as though she had ‘tried everything’ when she came across electroconvulsive therapy - or EVT.
EVT involves sending an electrical current through the brain and can help to relieve symptoms of some mental health problems.
She shared that she decided to give it a go after feeling ‘very, very close’ to attempting to take her own life.
Speaking about her experiences with EVT, Jackson said her doctor told her that ‘it's not as barbaric as it used to be, they use general anaesthetic. You're knocked out when they shock you’.
She continued: “You go in, you got your hospital gown, they knock you out, strap you down, put a bite guard on your mouth, electrocute you.
“It helps with the neuroplasticity in your brain. If I’m not mistaken, it still is the leading most effective form of depression treatment.
“I did nine sessions in three weeks.”
However, she said the first few sessions were ‘painful’ as the medics carrying out the procedure were still getting to grips with the correct dosage of pain medications to give to help.
When asked if it was painful, she replied: “The first couple of times it is because they're still figuring out how much, you know, Tylenol or Toradol to give you afterwards.
“The first time I woke up, and it was the most sharp pain I have ever experienced inside of my head. It’s soreness from getting electrocuted.”
She also said it came with ‘gnarly side effects’ including memory problems.
Jackson continued: “I definitely had days completely not in my head at all. I'd have friends visit me and I don't remember even seeing them. I don't remember them coming by. I have evidence that a friend came by because she brought me a bag of vapes. This is before I quit vaping.
“But I don't remember her being here at all. I don't remember the conversations we had. You know, amnesia is one of the primary side effects of that.”
Jackson said that although she saw results with the therapy she ultimately decided to stop after discovering that she would need to keep up with the treatment throughout her life.
She shared: “Then there was a discussion of like, well you're either going to be on these two medications for the rest of your life or you're going to have to come back once a month and continue getting shocked for the rest of your life.
“And I'm like, ‘that's not going to f**king work for me’.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Claire Reid