Of all the revelations Paris Jackson shared during her intense one-on-one interview with podcaster Jay Shetty, one of the most surprising was when she said she previously received ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), also known as “shock treatment.”
The 28-year-old explained she received nine treatments in a span of three weeks following a suicide attempt, with the goal of curing her depression.
The cover of the indie folk songwriter’s sophomore album “Happiest Day of My Life” was inspired by the fact that she “actually did do ECT.”
She recalled, “I feel like there is something that I got from each experience” before revealing that during the attempt on her life that led to the treatments, she “got very close” to succeeding. “Like centimeters away.”
Why Did Paris Jackson Have Shock Therapy? The Starlet Explained on Jay Shetty Podcast
Paris says her psychiatrist suggested the treatments, promising, “It’s not as barbaric as it used to be. They use anesthetic. You’re knocked out when they shock you.”
Describing the experience, she said first patients have to replace all metal piercings with plastic. “You go in, you got your hospital gown, they knock you out, strap you down, put a bit guard in your mouth, electrocute you.” Paris then suggested the shock “helps with the neuroplasticity in your brain” and hailed it as “the leading most effective form of depression treatment.”
However, it is not without critics. Renowned Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr. Peter Breggin warns on his website that the treatment has been shown to cause brain cell death and scattered hemorrhages during testing on large animals.
Paris says she resorted to the controversial procedure after feeling like she had “tried everything” including “the conveyor belt of medication, five different institutions, CBT, DBT, and EMDR.” She listed several different treatments styles she tried, such as somatic, experiential, and more.
She even once received a procedure she described as “a shot of lidocaine into a collection of nerves in your neck” that is supposed to “help with PTSD and kind of reset your nervous system.”
“Therapy’s been an incredible tool. I feel like I’ve taken bits and pieces from all of these institutions that I’ve been to,” she reflected, reminding Shetty she’s been to a total of five different institutions after hitting her 5-year sober milestone because she realized she was “not okay” despite her abstinence from heroin and alcohol.
Paris said her mental health struggles began around age 8, when she felt a “chronic loneliness” at time, despite being “surrounded by love.”
She says the feeling has been a “throughline” across her life, and she believes its played a part in her alcoholism, drug addiction, depression and anxiety.
She recalled, “I didn’t know what it was. I just know that it sucked. It sucked bad. And just having like unmanageable thoughts and feelings.”
Paris Jackson Started Sober Journey in January 2020
On January 7, 2025, Paris announced she was 5 years sober after describing herself as “an alcoholic and a heroin addict.”
She wrote, “today marks 5 years clean & sober from all drugs and alcohol. to say that i’m thankful would be a poor euphemism. gratitude hardly scratches the surface. it’s because i’m sober that i get to smile today. i get to make music. i get to experience the joy of loving my dogs and cat. i get to feel heartbreak in all it’s glory. i get to grieve. i get to laugh. i get to dance. i get to trust. i feel the sun on my skin and it’s warm. i’ve found that life keeps happening regardless of whether i’m sober or not, but today i get to show up for it.”
