Claire Eastham’s blog ‘We’re All Mad Here’ features TMS and depression.
Claire Eastham is an award-winning mental health blogger who has shared her own experience of anxiety and panic attacks with a witty and engaging style which has attracted thousands of subscribers. She is also a best-selling author and her book ‘We’re All Mad Here: The No-Nonsense Guide to Living with Social Anxiety’ has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
Her article ‘TMS & Depression’ considers Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as an alternative to traditional treatments for depression.
Claire explains her interest in the treatment, saying:
“To say that I have a keen interest in mental health research is an understatement, sometimes I think it borders on obsession. In particular, I’m interested in the various treatments available for anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Nothing is off-limits when it comes to reading material.
“The standard treatment options such as, antidepressants (SSRI) medication and talking therapy are well-known. You try the meds for a few months and wait to see improvement. The side effects can be brutal and vary depending on the person.”
Although Claire writes primarily about anxiety, she has also experienced depression with two particularly intense episodes which although short, she says still ‘left a scar’, so she was intrigued to find out more about Smart TMS’s treatment.
She says:
“When I first read about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, I was nervous. Years of horror stories associated with ECT sprang to mind. But to clarify, unlike ECT, this treatment is completely non invasive.”
What is TMS?
Claire explains the scientific principles behind Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatment:
“A highly concentrated magnetic charge, produced by a treatment coil, applied to the head, which turns on and off very rapidly. These magnetic fields are the same as those produced by an MRI scan. The treatment coil is applied to the area of the brain most associated with depression, (the left frontal cortex). Unlike ECT, it only reaches between 2-3 centimetres into the brain. So in other words, you’re not zombified for an hour after the treatment is finished.”
In layman’s terms, she clarifies:
“They put this device on your head and position it next to the part of your brain that’s associated with low mood. Then a wave of magnetic energy is pumped into the brain in short spurts. The aim of this current is to increase activity in the brain, activity that’s associated with good mood and positivity. Basically, there isn’t enough going on in the left frontal cortex, and TMS wakes it up.”
She concludes that the prospect of treating depression with TMS is potentially very exciting for those that suffer with the condition, saying:
“To read the word ‘remission’ used in the same sentence as mental illness blew me away. It’s not something that enough people even consider.”
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Read Claire’s article in full at https://www.allmadhere.co.uk/2018/05/30/tms-depression/
TMS for Depression
Find out about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation – a medication-free for treating severe depression:
Smart TMS Clinics
Smart TMS was established in 2015, providing TMS treatment at their original South Kensington/Brompton Cross centre in London. The company opened a second clinic in Birmingham in September 2017 and also has an established base in Northampton. The first Irish clinic was opened in Dublin in October 2017.
In 2018, Smart TMS has opened two further locations in Manchester and Bristol.
CONTACT US
For any other queries or for patients wishing to book an appointment at one of our UK clinics, please contact us:
- Tel: 0345 222 5678
- Email: info@smarttms.co.uk
Irish patients may contact Our Dublin Clinic direct on:
- Email: info@smarttms.ie
- Tel: 353 (01) 254 2514
- Website: www.smarttms.ie