Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mental health disorder that affects nearly 21 million adults in the U.S. at the very least. It causes those who have it to feel chronic low mood, lethargy, and loss of interest in their favorite activities. Dealing with depression can be overwhelming, especially when your attempts to have your symptoms treated prove unsuccessful. Some people with MDD fail to get relief from at least two trials of antidepressants. This is called treatment resistance. However, there is one form of treatment that may be helpful for depression. Are you struggling with treatment resistance? Learn here why transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy is a breakthrough in the treatment of depression.
What are the benefits of TMS therapy?
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy offers a number of benefits:
- It reduces the symptoms of severe depression — One of the greatest benefits of TMS therapy is that it is effective at reducing the symptoms of, treatment-resistant depression. If your symptoms have interfered with your quality of life and your ability to function daily, TMS can alleviate some of your symptoms so that the quality of your life can begin to improve.
- It causes minimal discomfort — Another perk of TMS therapy is that it won’t cause any significant discomfort during your sessions. It’s not invasive. It doesn’t require anesthesia like other types of brain stimulation therapies do.
- It causes minimal side effects — Just as it causes minimal discomfort during your sessions, you’re not likely to experience any significant side effects after your sessions. The most common side effects of TMS therapy for depression include headaches, light sensitivity and scalp discomfort.
Why is TMS therapy a breakthrough in depression treatment?
Here are some of the most common reasons why TMS therapy has been deemed as a breakthrough:
- It helps treatment-resistant depression symptoms — TMS therapy is an advanced form of depression treatment. It helps people with treatment-resistant depression. When other forms of treatment such as antidepressants prove ineffective, TMS can provide some relief.
- It addresses depression at its core — TMS therapy doesn’t just treat the symptoms but targets the problem at its core. The magnetic pulses sent to the brain during each session actually address the core of your disorder by creating new connections in the brain.
- It’s highly effective according to research — TMS therapy has also shown that it can be highly effective for treating depression. In fact, 79% of patients experienced a 25% reduction in depression symptoms, and 56% experienced a 50% reduction in depression.
- It’s a noninvasive treatment technique — TMS therapy doesn’t require the use of any anesthetics or needles. Patients can return to normal activities immediately.
- It creates changes in the brain — TMS increases activity levels in regions of the brain that were previously hypoactive. This can create lasting benefits that extend beyond the duration of treatment.
- It’s gentler than other brain stimulation therapies — TMS is also a great option for depression treatment because it is a gentler form of brain stimulation therapy. Alternative brain stimulation treatments, like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), are known to require anesthetics and induce seizures. TMS does not require anesthetics and has much milder side effects than ECT.
Let Active Path be the provider to help your treatment-resistant depression
Major depressive disorder can be hard to manage even before you begin treatment. When you learn that you’re treatment-resistant, it can feel even harder to grapple with. However, there are new breakthroughs in the treatment of depression. One example is TMS therapy. It can help you better your relationships with others, function with greater ease and improve your quality of life. Our Active Path Mental Health team can treat your mental health disorder at its root. That way, you can begin to experience relief from your symptoms. We specialize in TMS therapy, esketamine treatment and talk therapy.
Active Path Mental Health is proud to say that patients can receive treatment from locations in both Oregon and Washington. The team members at each one of our locations are dedicated to helping patients recover from their mental health disorders. But don’t just take it from us, take it from our patient reviews.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
