The document discusses electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), describing it as a treatment involving electric shocks to induce seizures and alter brain activity. ECT is used as a last resort for severe mental illnesses that have not responded to other treatments, such as severe depression, mania, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Risks include side effects from anesthesia and the seizures. The document outlines the ECT procedure and indicates that most patients begin noticing improvements after around six treatments, though the specific way it helps is unclear.