NeuroStar® TMS Therapy
FDA-cleared, non-medication depression treatment
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(855) 940-4867
Now is a great time to get help for depression. Here are 8 reasons why
Daniel Hageman
While we are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be thinking now is not the time to explore options for treatment-resistant depression. But we believe you deserve to feel better, and we have eight reasons why you shouldn’t wait to get the help you n
While we are weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be thinking now is not the time to explore options for treatment-resistant depression. But we believe you deserve to feel better, and we have eight reasons why you shouldn’t wait to get the help you need.
1. Depression hurts. You probably know that depression can hurt your emotions, but did you also know that it can cause physical pain and suffering ? Depression is known to cause chronic joint pain, limb pain, back pain, gastrointestinal problems, tiredness, and sleep disturbances. If your depression goes untreated, these physical symptoms can actually make your depression worse.
2. Depression interferes with relationships. Interpersonal relationships are some of the most cognitively intensive tasks people can engage in. Long-term friendships or romantic relationships require a variety of emotional regulation and cognitive framing skills. When you’re depressed, your communication can become cloudy and your patience can shorten, leading to unnecessary relationship demise.
3. Depression is bad for your overall health. Depression is associated with an increased risk of diabetes , heart disease , some cancers, and an overall increase in mortality. In fact, it can drastically decrease life expectancy by a decade or more, and 30 percent of patients with treatment-resistant depression attempt suicide at least once during their lifetime.
4. Depression can influence the development and wellbeing of children of depressed parents. Families are complex systems where each person in the family can impact everyone else. One parent suffering from depression can impact the parenting style of the other parent. A parent with a history of depression can cause an increase in the risk of emotional and behavioral problems in their children.
5. Depression increases the risk of substance use disorders. Often when someone is depressed, they will turn to alcohol or drugs to feel better, which can lead to a substance use disorder. The cost of excessive alcohol use or illicit drug use can be catastrophic, interfering in all facets of a person’s life, and often resulting in serious legal consequences. Also, while people may temporarily feel better during intoxication, the continued use of substances can exacerbate underlying symptoms of depression.
6. Depression can affect work performance . Depression can cost the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars per year. Approximately half of that is associated with work absenteeism and poor work performance. Pushing through the symptoms of depression is like building a house with a broken arm—without treatment, your work will not be anywhere near its best.
7. Depression is associated with an increase in utilization of medical services. Because depression is associated with worsening of other medical conditions, patients with depression have increased use of medical services including the emergency room. Besides the cost burden, now, more than ever, depression should be treated in an outpatient setting to reduce the risk of accessing the emergency room—it’s less expensive, less resource-intensive, and safer during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, anyone who has a mental health emergency should access emergency medical services.
8. Get help if you have depression. Depression is not a weakness but a real disease that requires medical treatment. Fortunately, many treatment options are available for depression, including the non-invasive, FDA-cleared, non-drug option of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS therapy. Greenbrook TMS is here for you. Get help for your treatment-resistant depression today by scheduling a consultation with a member of our care team.
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A recent study compared the effects of TMS therapy and Antidepressants. TMS therapy provided more relief from patients depressive symptoms compared to Antidepressants.
You may feel isolated and alone when you have clinical depression, and depression also affects your relationships with family and friends. While the primary focus of your treatment is to improve your mental health, it’s also essential to understand your loved ones may experience their own issues as they try to support you. An understanding of how depression affects relationships can help everyone maintain healthy connections and navigate problems. Here are some of the ways depression may affect the people in your support network.
We’ve all heard the common health-related misconceptions or myths-- chocolate causes acne, carrots will improve your night vision, and cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis. Subscribing to these particular myths is relatively harmless, but other health-related misconceptions can have far more serious consequences. This is the case for depression—the myths surrounding it can prevent people from getting the help they need. This is the case for depression—the myths surrounding it can prevent people from getting the help they need. Because untreated depression can have a serious physical and psychological impact, it’s imperative to have the right information in order to make the best decisions for yourself and for your health. Here are 5 common misconceptions about depression, and the facts behind them:
Starting any medical treatment for the first time can leave you with questions, especially if you’re looking forward to the benefits it may bring. It’s no different when you’re preparing for your nasal esketamine treatment. Your previous mental health treatments may have consisted solely of taking antidepressants at home or visiting a therapist’s office for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), so nasal esketamine is probably a new treatment experience for you. If you're wondering what it's like to start nasal esketamine and get ready for your first session, keep reading. Getting Started with the Nasal Esketamine Treatment As with any new treatment, you’ll first talk to your primary care provider or psychiatrist about whether nasal esketamine is a good fit for you. Alternatively, you can schedule your esketamine nasal spray consultation with a treatment center (such as Greenbrook) that has certification by the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). At Greenbrook's REMS-certified nasal esketamine treatment centers, our Greenbrook-affiliated psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners will review your medical history and also conduct our own assessment to help determine whether nasal esketamine treatment is right for you. Certain conditions, including blood vessel disease and a history of psychosis, may make treatment a risk for you. Make sure you discuss all previous and present conditions with your doctor or nasal esketamine provider before beginning treatment. If the medication is deemed a good fit, you’ll receive your prescription from the Greenbrook-affiliated provider. Your Greenbrook Care Team will put together a personalized care plan for the weeks and months to follow. Keep in mind that you will need to take a standard (oral) antidepressant along with your nasal esketamine treatment. There are two important regulations to note when it comes to preparing for treatment: Each treatment is followed by a mandatory two-hour observation period. This means you will need to plan to stay at the center for at least two hours following your self-administration of the esketamine nasal spray. You cannot drive during the rest of the day after treatment and must arrange for transportation. These regulations are mandatory. It may be helpful to sit down and plan out several weeks’ worth of transportation once you know your treatment schedule. In addition, if you’re wondering what to bring for the treatment, we recommend entertainment such as an audiobook or playlist of favorite songs and a pair of headphones. You may want them during the two-hour observation period. What to Expect During Nasal Esketamine Treatment On the day of treatment, you’ll need to stop eating any food two hours before your appointment and stop drinking all fluids 30 minutes before you come in. Your Greenbrook Care Team will confirm that you are prepared for the two-hour observation period and that you have a ride home. You’ll get the opportunity to practice using a “trainer sprayer” that mimics the real nasal esketamine sprayer but does not release any medication. The Care Team will encourage you to use the restroom and set up your preferred environment in your private treatment bay or room. Some patients like reduced lighting, for example, while others don’t request light adjustments. You’ll complete a depression scale before each treatment session. Your Greenbrook provider will confirm that the dose kit is yours, show you how to administer it, and then hand it to you. Each sprayer contained 28mg of Spravato esketamine nasal spray. Patients usually start with two sprayers (56mg) and soon increase to 84mg (three sprayers) per treatment. But, your dosage maybe vary. Should you be left with a metallic taste by the spray, the Care Team will offer suckers to help make the flavor dissipate. After your dose, you’ll be encouraged to lie back in your comfortable recliner. While most patients enjoy a quiet setting, Greenbrook is prepared to accommodate patients with a more animated reaction to the medication. You may feel sleepy, dizzy, mildly dissociated, and/or nauseated during treatment. Greenbrook's Care Team is readily available if you need assistance. How to Prepare for after your Nasal Esketamine Treatment Most side effects begin to wane in the second hour of observation, but if you’re wondering, “Is it safe to drive immediately after nasal esketamine treatment?” the answer is a resounding no. In addition to the mandatory ride home, you will need to block off time to rest and let side effects fully dissipate. This extended rest period is especially important in the first weeks of treatment when you’ll have treatment twice a week. Do not drive or operate machinery of any kind until the day after treatment. Just take it easy, relax, and take care of yourself. If you’re unsure what activities you can do or should avoid during this time, talk to your Care Team for more information. While side effects tend to dissipate completely after a good night’s sleep, many nasal esketamine patients begin feeling relief from depression symptoms within hours of their treatment. Other Tips in Preparing for Your Nasal Esketamine Treatment At Greenbrook, we make every effort to schedule your treatment in the afternoons or whenever it is most convenient for you. We encourage you to see each treatment session as an opportunity to relax and take care of your mental health. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your doctor or the Greenbrook Care Team. At Greenbrook, we’ll help you feel at ease when preparing for each treatment session. Schedule A Free Consultation To get started with nasal esketamine, schedule your free consultation today.
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