Reasoned discourse or a holy war: postscript to a report on ECT

The author points out that both favorable and unfavorable opinions regarding the value of electroconvulsive therapy have become entrenched in the absence of adequate data. These opinions are discussed in relation to the training, experience, and personal orientation of the psychiatrist. The inability of some psychiatrists to tolerate uncertainty is held responsible for their denial of the validity of alternative methods of treatment. The author recommends that psychiatrists tolerate a certain amount of ambiguity and uncertainty: postponing closure may lead to the conclusion that treatment styles (including use of psychotherapy and ECT) are not mutually exclusive.