Medication and Talk Therapy -Ongoing Depression Treatment After TMS

TMS, or transcranial magnetic stimulation, uses painless magnetic pulses delivered via a coil inserted on the scalp to activate the brain's neurons and neurotransmitters, the molecules responsible for transmitting chemical impulses throughout the brain. TMS depression treatment works by stimulating and augmenting the generation of depleting activity and neurotransmitters in brain regions connected with sadness and emotions.

How TMS Works

TMS therapy aims to increase synaptic connectivity across different parts of your brain to better control emotions. This effect is frequently achievable after a single course of non-invasive TMS therapy, which has few adverse effects. Patients with treatment-resistant depression have a high response rate to it as well. Researchers have been looking at TMS to see whether it has favorable long-term outcomes with single treatment sessions, which may seem too good to be accurate and cause some patients to fear that the results will not stay.

While brain imaging may reveal structural alterations, studying the subjective experiences of several individuals and objectively quantifying their progress remains a significant research challenge. Medical personnel needs tools to assist them in assessing the severity of a diagnosis and tracking the patient's response to therapy. Medical professionals use the resources both before and after treatment to record outcomes. TMS may be an excellent alternative treatment for patients whose depression has not responded to medicine.

Ongoing treatment after TMS

Although transcranial magnetic stimulation successfully reduces or eliminates depressive symptoms, no reassurances exist. Researchers are still studying the long-term effects of TMS as a depression treatment, although psychiatrists advise complementary depression treatment approaches.

Talk therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy might be helpful during and after transcranial magnetic stimulation, even if it was not helpful before TMS. Talk therapy can help patients avoid the mental loops contributing to a cyclical mood drop.

Antidepressants

Although antidepressants may not have worked before TMS, they may help keep the patient's mood stable now that it has improved. Medications may help maintain the patient's improvement after TMS therapy by decreasing the likelihood of relapsing into depression. Taking antidepressants and TMS therapy may boost the effectiveness of both treatments.

Lifestyle changes

Maintaining a regular sleep-wake schedule, exercise routine, and dietary habits both during and after TMS treatment is essential. All of these steps are beneficial to one's health. These are helpful, but only in moderation. Rigorous exercise and dietary restrictions will not enhance the long-term benefits of TMS therapy.

Final note

TMS is one of the most effective treatments for treatment-resistant depression. Unlike pharmaceuticals, the TMS treatment process has no maximum treatment time or frequency limits. Some individuals benefit most from more extensive first courses for optimal results, while others need follow-up treatments only when their symptoms return. If you see that your depression symptoms are returning, you must visit the psychiatrist as soon as possible. The more successful you are at maintaining your health and warding off despair, the brain's wellness pathways will be robust.

TMS therapy has shown positive effects on mental health, and these improvements may and do last for many individuals after treatment has stopped. Nonetheless, there are numerous potential determinants of long-term benefits that scientists have yet to explore fully. In addition, the degree to which you respond to depression treatment depends on various factors, including talk therapy, drugs, lifestyle modifications, age, personality, and level of treatment resistance.

Contact our office to learn more or schedule an evaluation appointment to determine whether TMS therapy is right for you.

Request an appointment here: https://nycpsychiatricassociates.com or call NYC Psychiatric Associates at (917) 391-0076 for an appointment in our New York office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Depression Treatment in New York, NY.