The Mental Health Commission is concerned a vital form of treatment has become 'stigmatised based on Hollywood movies'.
Electro-convulsive therapy involves small electric currents being passed through a patient's brain.
According to a new report, 396 residents had the treatment in 2008, dropping 29% to 282 in 2018.
However, John Farrelly, the commission's chief executive, said ECT is still very effective in many cases.
He said: "I think most people, when you think of ECT or electro-compulsive therapy, think of people receiving shocks. It's come on a long way from there, where something is monitored by a doctor and an anaesthetist.
It is a very professional medical intervention. It is something that is offered and works.
"We would definitely think, and we hope that this report will give out the facts so that something like this and people who do receive it aren't stigmatised
Mr Farrelly added it still has a place in modern healthcare, saying: "80% of people who receive ECT improve from it and do well from it.
"We absolutely appreciate that some people may have bad experiences, but actually more importantly for us is ECT has become stigmatised based on Hollywood movies and what people think ECT is, as opposed to what it actually is and that it offers quite a number of people a lot of hope to stay well."
