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A gentleman named Mike writes in with a question about recommended medical treatment.  Mike has been diagnosed with severe depression and he reports that the psychotropic medications prescribed to him have not worked well.  His treating psychiatrist is now recommending electroconvulsive shock treatment (ECT), but Mike does not want to undergo this treatment because of possible side effects and risks.

If Mike refuses this treatment, or if any claimant refuses to undergo treatment recommended by a treating doctor, will Social Security consider that as non-compliance?  Will refusal to agree to treatment hurt one’s case?  In the following video, I try to answer this question.