The start of a new year often brings a sense of possibility. Social media fills with messages of transformation, motivation, and fresh starts. For some, this can feel inspiring. For others—particularly those living with depression—the pressure of a “New Year, New Me” mindset can feel overwhelming or even discouraging.
At Smart TMS, we believe the new year can still be a meaningful time for reflection and hope—but in a way that is realistic, compassionate, and grounded in evidence-based care.
Depression is a complex mental health condition that affects mood, motivation, energy levels, sleep, and concentration. It is not a lack of willpower, positivity, or effort. During January, many people notice a worsening of symptoms, which can be influenced by several factors:
Reduced daylight and cold weather, which can disrupt circadian rhythms and mood-regulating neurotransmitters
Post-holiday emotional comedown, following periods of social intensity or expectation
Financial and work-related stress at the start of the year
Heightened self-comparison, particularly when exposed to unrealistic goal-setting narratives
For individuals with depression, this time of year can feel less like a fresh start and more like an uphill climb.
The idea of self-improvement is not inherently harmful. Setting intentions, reflecting on values, and identifying areas for growth can be positive and empowering. However, the problem arises when change is framed as:
All-or-nothing
Immediate
Based on external pressure rather than internal readiness
A measure of personal worth
For someone experiencing depression, these expectations can intensify feelings of failure, guilt, or inadequacy. If motivation is already low, ambitious or rigid goals may feel impossible to achieve.
That said, when approached gently, the new year can offer an opportunity—not for reinvention, but for realignment.
When living with depression, goals should support wellbeing rather than add pressure. Helpful goal-setting often involves:
Small, achievable steps (e.g. improving sleep routines rather than “fixing” everything)
Process-focused goals instead of outcome-focused ones
Flexibility, allowing goals to adapt as energy and mood fluctuate
Self-compassion, recognising that progress is rarely linear
Examples of supportive goals might include:
Prioritising mental health appointments
Reaching out for professional support
Building one consistent daily routine
Exploring new treatment options
Sometimes, the most important goal is simply to feel better—and to accept help in doing so.
One of the core symptoms of depression is difficulty imagining a positive future. This can make forward planning, hope, or excitement feel inaccessible. Importantly, this does not mean the future is bleak—only that depression affects how the brain processes expectation and reward.
Evidence-based treatments aim to address these underlying brain changes, helping individuals gradually reconnect with motivation, pleasure, and hope.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is increasingly searched for online under terms such as TMS for depression, TMS for anxiety, and TMS for bipolar disorder—reflecting growing awareness of its benefits as an evidence-based mental health treatment.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, evidence-based treatment for depression. It works by using magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain involved in mood regulation—areas that are often underactive in depression.
TMS offers a range of well-established benefits, often referred to as TMS benefits, including:
TMS is:
Non-invasive and does not require anaesthesia
Drug-free, with no systemic side effects
Clinically proven for treatment-resistant depression
Well tolerated, with most people able to continue daily activities as normal
For individuals who have not responded adequately to antidepressant medication or talking therapies, TMS for depression can offer a new pathway forward. Research also supports the use of TMS for anxiety symptoms when they co-occur with depression, and TMS for bipolar depression when delivered within appropriate clinical guidelines.
Rather than asking someone to “try harder” or “think differently,” TMS addresses the neurological patterns that make depression so difficult to overcome.
At Smart TMS, we encourage a more compassionate view of the new year—one that focuses on support, evidence-based care, and realistic hope. As a specialist provider of TMS for depression, TMS for anxiety, and related mood disorders, our focus is on helping people feel better using safe, clinically supported treatment options.
A new year does not require a new version of you. Sometimes, it simply offers an opportunity to explore new ways of feeling better.
If depression has been holding you back, or if January feels particularly heavy this year, you do not have to face it alone. TMS may be a helpful option as part of your mental health journey.
The goal doesn’t have to be transformation. It can simply be progress.
If you would like to learn more about TMS or explore whether it may be suitable for you, please contact the team at Smart TMS and we will be happy to help.
World Health Organization (WHO). Depression Fact Sheet
NHS. Clinical Depression Overview
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Depression in Adults: Treatment and Management
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression
O’Reardon et al. (2007). Efficacy and Safety of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Acute Treatment of Major Depression