Vlogger Dodie Clark on BBC Radio 5 Live, sharing her experience of TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) therapy for DPD.
DPD stands for Depersonalisation Disorder, a mental health condition which Dodie has suffered from for a couple of years, which leaves her feeling spaced out and disconnected from the world. It has also caused increasing depression and anxiety.
Dodie allowed BBC Radio 5 Live to accompany her for a treatment at the Smart TMS clinic in South Kensington, where her treatment was videoed.
Video on Twitter
BBC Radio 5 Live shared a video of Dodie’s treatment on Twitter:
Vlogger Dodie Clark – @doddleoddle – has decided to show herself trying a rare new treatment for her mental health issues pic.twitter.com/VkYk8aeYOB
— BBC Radio 5 live (@bbc5live) July 25, 2017
DPD: Depersonalisation Disorder
Dodie explains her experience with the condition:
“I have a condition called depersonalisation or DPD, derealisation, it goes under many names. That basically means that I feel spaced out a lot of the time. I feel like I’m not really here, like I’m living in a dream. I can’t really open my eyes wide enough or see things properly and it’s caused me to have depression and anxiety as well. I noticed suicidal thoughts creeping in and that was definitely a point when I was like ‘OK, I need some help.’.”
Dodie’s depersonalisation disorder treatment took place at Smart TMS in London.
TMS uses electromagnetic pulses to target the specific area of the brain thought to be causing the problem. Dodie explains how treatment is administered;
“She places the coil on the part of the brain that it’s going to be, sort of, prodding.
“At first, I was quite panicked by the whole situation, because it’s quite freaky – like something’s prodding your brain and making your face twitch when you don’t want it to.
“A lack of control can be quite scary, but now I’m just so used to it. It’s like when someone hits your knee and your leg jerks, it’s fine.
“I reflect back to my past self and I see someone so happy and ignorant to mental health issues, where I’m ‘just eat some cake, go run, go on a bouncy castle’ and I wouldn’t want her to see me doing this now, but it’s OK. It’s completely human and this is just something that happens.
“So I’m hoping that this will help; I’m hoping that this will work.
“It can be quite scary to be so vulnerable online, like, I’m going to upload a video of my face twitching on a bed, which is kind of creepy. But I think because I have this audience, I have the potential to show people that there’s no shame in any of this – there’s no shame in mental health or seeking treatment at all and you have to do what’s best for you.”
TMS Treatment and the NHS
The NHS only offer TMS treatment in Northamptonshire and Camden & Islington NHS trusts for patients with severe depression. It is not widely available in the UK.
TMS Treatment for DPD
Smart TMS are one of the few UK clinics to offer TMS treatment for depersonalisation disorder. The treatment can be expected to improve associated depression and anxiety too.
Treatment is currently available in the Company’s London clinic based in Knightsbridge, but Smart TMS have plans to expand the treatment with additional clinics in Birmingham and then Manchester and Bristol.
Media Links
More on the BBC Radio 5 Live website:
[av_button label=’Vlogger: I’m trying magnet treatment to help with depersonalisation’ link=’manually,http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0593jkq’ link_target=’_blank’ size=’large’ position=’left’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ av_uid=’av-2hizg9′]
The feature appeared 24th July 2017.
Dodie is a vlogger with millions of followers online. She hopes showing the video of her treatment will raise awareness of mental health issues.
TMS Treatment
at Smart TMS, London
Smart TMS offer treatment for depression with Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy (rTMS) in their London based clinic and have plans to open further TMS Treatment Centres in the UK during 2017.
SMART TMS CLINICS
Smart TMS is a specialist provider of TMS treatment in London. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation therapy (rTMS) is a technological breakthrough in the treatment of depression with a variety of further potential treatment applications including DPD. It is a non-invasive treatment for depression which uses magnetic impulses to work on areas of the brain affected by depression and has the approval of NICE.
CONTACT US
For any queries or to book an appointment, please contact us:
Tel: 0345 222 5678
Email: info@smarttms.co.uk