TMS Therapy

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or mental health concerns, it can be tough to know where to turn. Seeking professional help in the form of a treatment program can be a game-changer. At NuLife Behavioral Health, we’re able to offer top-of-the-line services in addiction recovery and mental health treatment to clients in Massachusetts. We’re especially proud to provide cutting-edge services in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a revolutionary non-invasive technique that serves clients with a variety of ailments. Call 888.568.2057 or message us online to speak to a qualified staff member and get your questions answered. 

What Is TMS and What Does It Do?  

TMS is a technique dating back to the mid-1980s and should not be confused with the frightening electroshock treatments of much earlier. This non-invasive technique requires no pharmaceutical component, and clients are conscious throughout the experience. In fact, their real-time response helps therapists administer TMS most effectively. 

In a TMS session, a client sits in a comfortable chair with a TMS device resting against their head. This device stimulates the brain using magnetic fields, creating a sensation clients generally say feels like tapping. Sessions are given about five times a week for four to six weeks. Clients usually notice reduced symptoms in just a few weeks after beginning treatment. 

How Does TMS Help with Mental Health Treatment? 

TMS is effective because it stimulates underactive brain regions associated with mood. It is thus particularly effective in working with clients suffering from depression. This is especially true in cases where depression has shown little or no response to conventional treatment methods. Beyond this, TMS is also shown to be effective in working with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

Importantly, TMS is most effective when administered as part of a larger treatment protocol. Clients generally also work on developing effective coping skills in one-on-one or group therapy and may receive dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as well. The highly effective DBT combines cognitive-behavioral approaches such as self-regulation and training to distinguish the inner from the outer world with present-moment awareness and distress tolerance. 

Benefits of TMS for mental health clients include: 

• High success rates: TMS is a pioneer therapy model with a very high success rate, especially in treating depression.
• Safety: Because it has minimal or no side effects and is generally easy to tolerate, TMS is considered a very safe treatment option.
• Non-invasive: No anesthesia or sedation is needed.

Can TMS Really Help with Addiction Treatment? 

At an accredited treatment center like NuLife, we understand that substance abuse rarely exists in a vacuum. Rather, it’s often, if not always, related to an underlying mental health condition. We thus practice dual diagnosis, simultaneously treating clients with substance abuse and mental health concerns for an approach that acknowledges the whole person. 

That being said, it only makes sense to treat mental health symptoms through techniques like TMS when working with addiction recovery. The specific benefits to clients in recovery include: 

• Decreased withdrawal symptoms: One very common symptom of withdrawal is depression, which TMS can significantly mitigate through brain stimulation. 
• Reduced risk of further addiction or drug interaction: Because TMS has no pharmaceutical component, clients can enjoy a much lower risk during the vulnerable period of detoxification from substance abuse. 
• Less intense cravings: TMS has been shown to significantly reduce cravings in those undergoing withdrawal and recovery from addiction.