Many people are just starting to notice and appreciate some of the revolutionary methods for mental health treatment recently developed and approved in the last 20 years – namely, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). But, while deep TMS is helping people all over the world with managing symptoms of treatment-resistant depression and other mental health issues, there are many myths that surround this treatment. Therefore, providing people who may benefit from this treatment with wrong information. And, keeping them from taking advantage of this therapy in order to help to manage symptoms of treatment-resistant depression and other mental health issues.
In this article, we identify and address the myths that surround deep TMS therapy so that the truth may be revealed about this life-changing treatment. This way, hopefully, more people are aware that the negative stigmas and myths that surround this helpful therapy are untrue. And, consider whether or not TMS may be the right tool for them to use in their journey towards mental wellbeing.
There’s a myth spreading that TMS is expensive and no one can afford it because it’s not covered by insurance. But, since TMS is recognized as an effective therapy and FDA approved, many insurance companies do cover the cost or some of the cost of this therapy. Furthermore, if you find that your health insurance provider doesn’t cover the cost of therapy sessions, there are mental health facilities that allow you to pay out of pocket and even offer payment plans to allow patients to pay off the cost of treatment over time. Finally, in comparison with taking years of antidepressant prescription medications or other types of treatment, TMS is actually not that costly.
“The placebo effect” is a medical term that insinuates that symptom relief from treatment is all mental – as if a patient using TMS is experiencing symptom relief only because they believe they are. However, this is far from the truth. In fact, according to studies, TMS is proven to relieve symptoms associated with treatment-resistant depression. There is even research that proves that the effects of TMS are long-lasting, painless, and immediate. Anyone who denies that TMS therapy works to relieve symptoms of depression in people who have tried other forms of depressive treatments hasn’t taken a look at the peer-reviewed studies and clinical trial analytics.
One of the most harmful stigmas associated with TMS is that it works by shocking the brain using electricity, much like vintage psychiatric treatments including electroshock therapy (which have proven to be ineffective). However, TMS doesn’t shock the brain at all and is both painless and noninvasive. Essentially, TMS works by using magnetic coils to send magnetic impulses into the brain which can stimulate brain neurons that aren’t firing on their own, which can be the reason that traditional treatments aren’t working for people living with depression.
Now that you know the truth about deep TMS, you can decide if it’s something that’s right for you. If you struggle with depression but have tried traditional forms of depression treatment like antidepressant medications and/or talk therapy but haven’t gotten the symptom relief you want, TMS may be a good tool for you to utilize. Delray Brain Science offers outpatient therapy for people struggling with treatment-resistant depression, including TMS sessions. Find out more about how we can help on our website today.
