With so many mental health treatment options available, it is easy to get overwhelmed when you are navigating which treatment is best for you.
You have many choices when you want to treat your major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or anxious depression, including medication, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy. Learn more about New Jersey Neurostar Advanced TMS therapy vs. other treatments.
To discover more about your treatment options, including NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy, schedule an appointment with board-certified psychiatrist Dr. David Sikowitz at The TMS Center of New Jersey.
NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy has some advantages compared to some of the most popular treatments for depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxious depression.
Medication, particularly antidepressant medication, is the most common treatment for MDD and OCD. When used correctly and as prescribed by a clinician, medication can positively affect patients with mental health disorders. Medication can effectively relieve symptoms such as low mood, fatigue, and changes in appetite. Medication is generally safe for patients when used as prescribed.
However, medication does not always work for every patient. Sometimes, medications can take months to take effect. Many patients struggle with the challenge of unpleasant side effects, such as GI issues, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. Some patients are treatment-resistant and achieve no results from their medications.
One common treatment for MDD and OCD is psychotherapy, more commonly known as therapy. In psychotherapy sessions, patients can explore the root causes of their challenges and discover solutions they can use in day-to-day living.
Psychotherapy offers numerous benefits. It is noninvasive and has no side effects, and it can be accessed by patients of all ages and physical conditions. It may allow you to improve your relationships, social skills, and learning skills.
However, like medication, psychotherapy is not for everyone. For most patients, therapy will not necessarily resolve their condition immediately. It can take months or even years for patients to experience any progress. Psychotherapy can be very expensive, especially if you are not covered by insurance or if you don’t have a strong insurance plan. Unlike medication and physical treatments like TMS therapy, psychotherapy does not treat the symptomatic causes of your mental health condition.
ECT is a medical procedure performed in a clinical or hospital setting. This brain-stimulating treatment involves a licensed practitioner applying an electrical current to induce a controlled seizure in patients. When performed as intended, ECT is safe, even for pregnant women.
ECT has a wide scope of treatment applications for mental health. It is FDA-approved to treat a range of mental health conditions over and above MDD and OCD, including schizophrenia, mania, and bipolar disorder. It is commonly used as a treatment when medications are not working or ineffective or when patients are in a state of very low function (catatonia). With anesthesia, ECT can be virtually painless.
ECT does come with some side effects that can be intolerable. Patients may experience temporary memory loss from their ECT treatment. Some serious side effects associated with ECT include nausea, headache, jaw ache, and muscle ache. ECT is not suitable for patients who are ineligible for anesthesia. Finally, ECT treatments can be hard to schedule if you have a busy lifestyle. Following the treatment session, patients will require at least an hour of recovery time, and many ECT treatment plans involve three or more sessions per week.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a more recent innovation in mental health treatments and has been FDA-cleared since 2008. NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy is the #1 physician-recommended TMS treatment for major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and major depressive disorder with anxiety.
New Jersey NeuroStar TMS therapy offers several benefits vs. other treatments, including:
However, NeuroStar is not suitable for all patients, including children under the age of 15, patients with a history of seizures, or those with certain brain implants.
At The TMS Center of New Jersey, we recognize that mental health treatment is highly individualized and respect that our patients require customized care. Many of our patients seek care from our expert clinicians after experiencing limited or no success with traditional treatments, including medication, psychotherapy, and ECT.
If you are a qualifying adolescent (15-21) struggling with depression or an adult patient struggling with major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or major depressive disorder with anxiety, you may have more success with New Jersey NeuroStar Advanced TMS therapy vs. other treatments. Start exploring this innovative treatment option by scheduling a consultation at the TMS Center of New Jersey today.
