Finding Hope for Treatment Resistant Depression with TMS

How Magnetic Brain Stimulation Treats Depression at the Source

By Tracy Karnitz, TMS program coordinator at Ascension St. Elizabeth
5/11/2022

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a national movement to raise awareness about, and break the stigma surrounding, mental health.

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, nearly 450 million people worldwide are living with mental illness. Less than a third of them, however, seek treatment. Living through a global pandemic the last two years has only exacerbated our mental health crisis, leaving millions of Americans facing new or worsening anxiety and depression.

Despite the use of standard and historically effective treatments like medicine and talk therapy, however, some see their depression and anxiety return or worsen. When this happens, it’s called treatment-resistant depression. Although it may sound frightening, there is hope for those who are experiencing persistent depression and anxiety symptoms.

One such hope is found in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS is a safe, non-invasive, well-tolerated therapy that provides significant reductions in depressive symptoms. It is not electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and does not have systemic side effects often seen with medications.

The therapy treats depression at the source by measuring the precise area of the brain that is underactive in people living with depression. Magnetic pulses are administered to stimulate the areas thought to regulate mood.

What to expect with TMS

TMS is an easy, in-office treatment that takes as little as 19 minutes and is administered five days a week for four to six weeks, depending on an individual’s treatment plan.

• A person receiving therapy will sit comfortably in the treatment chair as a small, magnetic coil is positioned on their head.
• The coil delivers rapid magnetic pulses, which are often described as a tapping sensation on the scalp, to the targeted areas of the brain.
• The person remains awake and alert during treatment. No anesthesia is required.
• Because there isn’t an effect on alertness or memory, people can resume normal activities immediately.

How successful is TMS?

Ascension St. Elizabeth launched its TMS program in May 2021 and it's been well received by patients and their families. 84 percent of patients report little to no depression after completing therapy.

One such patient, a 32-year-old, completed TMS in December 2021 and said she noticed an improvement in symptoms within two weeks of treatment. She had more energy, slept better and was no longer irritated by little things,

“I can actually do life and not feel anxious or depressed about it.”

There is hope

Thankfully, while anxiety and depression are on the rise, so is a willingness to talk about mental health.

A 2020 national survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults age 18 and older saw 81 percent of those surveyed affirm that, as a result of the pandemic, it's more important than ever to make suicide prevention a national priority. 52 percent of respondents also said they feel more comfortable talking about mental health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact the National Suicide Lifeline at 800-273-TALK or HopeLine Text SelfService by texting HOPELINE to 741741. You are not alone.

There are many community resources available to help address chronic stress and mental health, including care options at Ascension Wisconsin. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’re here for you if you need us.

For more information about Ascension St. Elizabeth’s TMS Clinic, visit ascension.org or call 920-831-1533.

About the Author

Tracy Karnitz leads the TMS program at Ascension St. Elizabeth in Appleton, coordinating the care and treatment of 14 patients per day. Tracy recognizes the importance of caring for the whole person – mind, body and spirit, to help them achieve better mental health.