TMS as a “life-changing” treatment for depression

Aaron T. recalls the moment when the world seemed brighter, and the fog he had been living in began to lift, giving him a glimpse of what to expect after treating his depression.

“I feel like, for the first time, I am in touch with myself, and I am finally able to figure out who I am,” Aaron said.

Aaron, like many others, tried different medications before finding one that treated his depression symptoms. However, after decades of success, his medications stopped working, and he began searching for a new treatment regimen but seemed to end up with prescriptions for four medications that did nothing to spare him from the depression he felt each day.

“I would try a medication, it would stop working, and then my doctor would just add another one to it,” Aaron said. “I just thought this is crazy. Why am I taking all these pills?”

He delved into research on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and actively sought out a provider that offered deep stimulus TMS, eventually connecting with Rosecrance Therapies to embark on his TMS journey. He learned about TMS, a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of major depression. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, TMS usually is used only when other depression treatments haven’t been effective.

Eager to begin his treatment, he advocated for initiating his sessions before the Thanksgiving holiday. Despite his strong desire to expedite the process, he had to force himself to remain consistent and attend each appointment.

“Even though I wanted to begin, in the back of my mind, I was still thinking I was not going to make it to my appointment every day,” Aaron said. “But then I keep putting one foot in front of the other; we got through Thanksgiving, we got through December, and I kind of shocked by myself for going in every day to do it.”

Two weeks in, he felt like the way he interacted with the world was different. He began to feel again and wasn’t just making it through the day. His mood was improving, and he was seeing the world as a brighter place, even when things had fallen dark after sunset.

“I had already begun noticing when I was driving home that it was so clear, the night wasn’t so dark anymore, and I wasn’t looking through foggy lenses. I started noticing a difference and kept to the schedule.”

Aaron has found TMS to be “life-changing.” Not only have those closest to him noticed a difference, but he also sees a change in himself. He reacts to things differently and has a different perspective on the world.

“It really is like a rebirth,” Aaron said.

He may not feel the same level of despair as he did when he first came to Rosecrance Therapies, but he knows he still has a lot of work to do. While he is focused on whittling down his self-improvement to-do list, he knows that he must continue to put the work in to maintain his mental health.

“I think everyone has their own journey, and we all need to do what’s best for us and what makes us feel better,’ Aaron said. “I have a ton of issues, and I’m going down my list and know I need to maintain, but TMS has been a game-changer for me.”