Transcranial magnetic stimulation, also known as TMS therapy, is a revolutionary treatment for clinical depression, among other conditions. This noninvasive procedure involves using magnetic fields to stimulate the specific part of the brain known to be inactive or underactive in patients with clinical depression.
Clinical depression is a mental disorder characterized by an array of symptoms that, when severe, can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s life. Most people have experienced extreme sadness, but that feeling usually comes from or is affected by the circumstances around them and is usually short-lived. For example, the death of a loved one could cause someone to enter a short-term depressive period. For many people with clinical depression, the symptoms come on without warning and seemingly without cause. To receive a diagnosis of clinical depression, one must experience at least five symptoms for two weeks or longer. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the most common symptoms include:
Topics: Depression, Postpartum Depression, TMS, SAD, PTSD, clinical depression, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), depression symptoms, depression treatment, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Antidepressants, Psychotherapy, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety, OCD, CBT, DBT
Hundreds of studies have been conducted over the last 25 years on depression and recovery. Depression, not to be confused with sadness, is a condition that is lasting and almost paralyzing to those afflicted. The National Institute of Mental Health website notes that sadness is something everyone experiences as a normal emotion that passes with time. Depression, on the other hand, is an illness that you cannot simply “snap out of.” It is persistent and can interfere with daily life. Medical research shows that clinical depression is a much more serious issue that widely vary in severity and type from person to person. Additionally, studies show that mental health problems are very common. For example, in 2014 one in 25 Americans were living with a serious mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or major depression.
Topics: Depression, TMS, PTSD, clinical depression, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), depression symptoms, depression treatment, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Antidepressants, Psychotherapy, memory disorders, mild dementia, cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment
Many people confuse Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This is understandable. Both are forms of brain stimulation used to treat depression, but this is where the similarities end. While ECT uses an electrical current to stimulate the entire brain, TMS uses a magnetic field to stimulate a particular part of the brain. These differences help account for the different side effects of the two treatments, according to Karl Lanocha, MD, Psychiatrist and Director of TMS Education at TMS Health Solutions. Below is a little information about ECT and TMS..
Clinical depression, also known as major depressive disorder (MDD), manifests itself differently in everyone. Some of us are genetically prone to experiencing the disorder during our lifetime. Others experience clinical depression as a result of traumatic events or stressful school, work, or personal environments. Changes in brain chemistry and hormones can also cause the onset of clinical depression episodes.