Some Psychiatric Disorders Address with TMS Treatment

TMS is a non-intrusive method of improving depression symptoms. It uses magnetic fields that trigger nerve cells in your brain. Psychiatrists use it when standard treatment methods are not effective anymore. Many psychiatrists also use it on other psychiatric disorders. The following provides the analysis of how TMS can help these disorders.

PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)

This condition shows itself when the patient witnesses or experiences it. The patient has nightmares, anxiety, and flashbacks of the event. Episodes may become uncontrollable. Psychiatrists turn to TMS if other treatments for this condition do not work. It stimulates the prefrontal cortex. This treatment works with cognitive therapy, and the effects of TMS last for six months.

GAD (generalized anxiety disorder)

Patients with GAD cannot stop worrying. There is always a feeling of helplessness and anxiety about the mildest situation. These patients often see worry as a preventive measure against bad situations. To them, not worrying is placing one’s self at risk. Any situation can trigger headaches and stomachaches.

Mild to moderate anxiety still allows patients to function well in society. It allows them to keep jobs and maintain relationships. Avoiding stressful situations is a constant for them. Turning down opportunities is also a way to keep the disorder at bay.

A patient who has GAD shows excessive worry about several things. It is a condition that increases the activity in the prefrontal cortex. TMS treatments target this area of the brain and reduce its hyperactivity. If treatments do not provide improvements anymore, psychiatrists give patients TMS sessions. Patients who complete the sessions usually get better.

MDD (major depressive disorder)

Patients who have MDD tend to develop TRD (treatment-resistant depression). Standard psychotherapy and antidepressants do not improve symptoms of TRD. When this happens, psychiatrists subject patients to TMS sessions. Each one lasts for five minutes to half an hour a day, five days a week, for one and a half to two months. This treatment is non-invasive and does not involve hospitalization. The FDA approved TMS for depression in 2008.

Bipolar disorder

This condition causes elevated mood swings. The patient who has bipolar disorder has depression and hypomania. These mood swings can affect the patient’s way of life. Episodes may occur several times a year or on rare occasions. Standard treatment includes psychotherapy and medications. If patients resist these treatments, psychiatrists move on to TMS.

Autism

Children with low functioning autism cannot speak well, sound and look different. Those with high functioning autism behave and look more like neurotypical children. To help children with autism, psychiatrists resort to TMS, which is non-intrusive. After 10 sessions, children tend to show dramatic improvements. There is an improvement in social and communication skills. The young patients also show fewer repetitive movements and less anxiety while communicating.

Schizophrenia

This is a serious mental condition. The affected individual cannot interpret reality normally. It is a combination of delusions, disordered thinking, and hallucinations. This often prevents the person from functioning properly. Patients with schizophrenia need long-term treatment. Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for:

·Hallucinations

This symptom involves hearing or seeing things that do not exist. This can affect a person’s daily routine.

·Delusions

These are untrue beliefs that have no basis in reality. Examples are thinking that the world is about to end or that someone is in love with the patient.

·Abnormal motor behavior

This can show as sudden agitation. It also includes bizarre posture, resistance to instructions, excessive movement, and lack of response.

·Disorganized thinking

This manifests in speech. The patient puts together words that do not go together. Other people cannot understand what the patient says.

·Negative behavior

This shows through a lack of emotion. The patient also makes little to no eye contact. The person lacks the ability to feel pleasure.

In this disorder, patients have an abnormal way of interpreting reality. Patients exhibit delusions, disorganized thinking, irrational behavior, and hallucinations. These symptoms tend to be debilitating. Taking antipsychotic medications is the primary treatment. Psychiatrists use TMS to treat the symptoms that standard treatments cannot ease.

TMS can help improve the symptoms of various psychiatric disorders

Patients who do not respond to standard treatment modes tend to go through a series of TMS sessions. This new and non-invasive treatment does not involve surgery or medications. Patients benefit from this treatment because it has no serious side effects. A slight headache occurs after each session, but it can stop with rest and pain relievers. Speaking with your psychiatrist can help tailor-fit your TMS sessions.

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