There are nearly 17 million adults in the United States alone that have experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the incidence of depression and anxiety has escalated. Although awareness is improving, it still has a long way to go.
Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression (and often referred to as treatment resistant depression), is more than just a feeling of sadness. In fact, depression is a serious illness with multiple symptoms that can have a significant impact on both your mental and physical health.
Published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM-5 explains that a diagnosis of depression requires at least five (5) or more of the below symptoms in the same 2-week period. Symptoms include:
Sadly, medications do not always help, and often cause other debilitating symptoms due to debilitating side effects. Long-term use of psychiatric medications can also cause undesired, permanent side effects, as well as horrible withdrawal symptoms when trying to titrate off of them.
When medications have been ineffective, or for those who do not wish to take medications, TMS can be a safe and effective alternative that offers long-term relief.