TMS treatment for depersonalisation disorder

Depersonalisation disorder – sometimes called derealisation disorder, DPD or DPDR – is a difficult condition that’s often misunderstood, but TMS can help.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is an innovative approach to treating DPD. It’s a non-invasive therapy that uses magnetic pulses to calm the areas of your brain associated with depersonalisation symptoms.

Depersonalisation disorder is notoriously difficult to diagnose, as the symptoms can often be mistaken as other conditions. Each sufferer will experience different symptoms, which can often leave you feeling like you're sleepwalking through life.

Symptoms of DPD can include:

• Feeling as though the world around you is unreal
• Feeling as though you are watching your life in a film
• Feeling disconnected from parts of your body or your emotions
• Seeing objects distorting or changing in appearance

Studies show that DPD could affect one person in every 50 in the UK, though many people struggle to get a diagnosis. With little understanding of DPD in modern psychiatry, treatments are few and far between – in fact, there are no approved treatments for the condition in the UK.

Research has shown that Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can reduce the symptoms of DPD.

How does TMS treatment work for DPD?

TMS is a non-invasive therapy that uses a repetitive magnetic pulse to stimulate the area of the brain that controls your emotional reactions and regulates mood.

A course of TMS treatments for DPD involves up to 30 sessions, split into courses of 10 sessions, which take place over a period of three to six weeks. Each treatment lasts 30 minutes, and some patients are able to have more than one session a day.

With no anaesthetic, no medication, no need for hospitalisation and no recovery time, this non-invasive treatment uses a repetitive magnetic pulse to stimulate the parts of the brain that cause depersonalisation and derealisation symptoms.

What our patients say

Life until now has been truly horrific for me and in the months since I had treatment, I've been able to start putting my life on the track I always thought it would be on. I was apprehensive but rTMS was the best thing I could have done.

Miss K

For so long, I couldn't get a diagnosis that covered all of the symptoms I was living with, never mind a treatment that could treat them. Finding out my condition had a name and discovering a treatment that helped me to feel like I was back inside my body is amazing. Thank you Smart TMS

Mr B

I used to feel like I was watching my life like a show in the theatre. I couldn't remember what it was like to have feelings but slowly I have begun to feel less out of body, which has let me feel periods of happiness, pride and anticipation.

Mrs O

Continuous Care

As DPD is typically a difficult condition for psychiatrists to treat, once you go into remission with Smart TMS, we recommend maintaining the improvements with one of our aftercare packages.

The Continuous Care aftercare package recommended for patients treated for OCD is:

Smart TMS On-Demand: Become a member of our Smart TMS On-Demand scheme, entitling you to exclusive discounts on treatment, should you feel that you need it at any point following your treatment.

Your aftercare will be tailored to your symptoms, so your clinician may suggest alternative treatment programmes.

Have you had TMS treatment for OCD at another clinic? Smart TMS can offer you maintenance therapy, too!

Learn more about Continuous Care

Is TMS right for me?

DPD is treatable, and Smart TMS can help.

Most people are suitable to receive TMS treatment.

To help you make up your mind about treatment, our practitioners offer pre-arranged clinic visits to answer any questions you have and show you the TMS machine.

If you would like to arrange a clinic visit, call the team on 0345 222 5678.