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“Clinical depression has become one of America’s most costly illnesses,” states Mental Health
America, a website that details depression in the workplace. With more than $51 billion in lost
productivity or absenteeism and $26 billion in direct treatment costs annually, the article says
depression has catapulted to one of the most costly diseases, along with heart disease and AIDS.
“Traditional psychotherapy has a poor track record with depression and as do the many antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, Effexor and Zoloft to name but a few. The side effects for so many are intolerable with weight gain, dry mouth, loss of libido, sleeplessness and the list goes on,” said William Shryer, DCSW, LCSW, Clinical Director of Diablo Behavioral Healthcare.
NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy and Treatment, is an FDA-approved
procedure that uses an electro-magnet to stimulate neurotransmitter production — it awakens the neurons. Blackhawk TMS, a subsidiary of Diablo Behavioral Healthcare and Mindful Health Solutions, is the first clinic on the I-680 corridor to use this breakthrough technology, Shryer said proudly.
“TMS seems to work when people have failed to respond to typical antidepressants,” said Shryer. “It doesn’t have any cognitive side effects such memory impairment or sedation. It’s non-invasive and it provides help when medications fail. The remission rates, that is, the cure rates for depression continue to rise, as the use of this new technology is better understood.”
This cutting-edge treatment requires daily treatment of about an hour for up to six weeks, about the same time it takes for antidepressants to become effective if it were swallowed. TMS is ideal for patients who have failed to see improvement on previous medications. The procedure is even safe enough to use on pregnant women, many of whom go on to experience postpartum depression, Shryer noted.
The psychiatrically supervised, painless procedure uses a device about the size of a hair dryer to target the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain known to be underactive in depression sufferers. NeuroStar uses highly focused magnetic pulses to stimulate neurons in this area, causing them to become active and release neurotransmitters or chemical messengers, which is what medications try and do. This is a more focused, risk-free technology.
For more information on Blackhawk TMS Center or NeuroStar, call 925/648-4800 or visit www.behaviorquest.com.
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I think it is productive to have options in depression therapies, and TMS adds to the choices that patients and their physicians have at their disposal. Keep in mind that this is a paid advertisement rather than a journal article, and please research potential new therapies before you try them. In addition, if paying out of pocket is not an option for you, remember to contact your health insurance provider to see if this type of therapy is covered under your plan.
As the advertisement states, not everyone responds to prescription medications and/or counseling, though some respond very well; and not everyone would respond to TMS either. The important thing is to know all of your (many)options, to know that different therapies work for different people, and not to lose hope.
A friend of mine, who lives north of Sacramento, chose TMS to treat her depression. The staff was very friendly and they checked her insurance for her. The insurance covered part of the cost and she paid the rest. However, if the insurance did not cover the TMS treatments there were other payment options available. By the way, she is so thankful and truly happy with her decision to do something about her depression.