Can TMS Help Relieve My Teen’s Depression Symptoms

Depression is a severe mental health disorder that affects millions of people every year. Unfortunately, teens are one of the many age groups that depression affects, and it may be hard for them to deal with their feelings.

If your teen is living with severe depression and medications or therapy haven't helped, don't lose hope. An up-and-coming treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation shows a lot of promise in treating depression among many age groups, including adolescents.

Dr. Elia R. Gonzalez-Rodriguez and her team provide TMS therapy for depression and other mental health conditions at her practice, Pacific Phoenix TMS. Dr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez is an experienced psychiatrist providing TMS, ketamine therapy, and other treatments for anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

How TMS therapy works

Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS therapy, is a noninvasive treatment that utilizes magnets to influence the electrical impulses in the brain. It doesn't involve any medications, is painless, and has minimal side effects.

During a TMS session, Dr. Gonzalez-Rodriguez places a magnetic coil on your head and points it to the area of the brain she's targeting. She gives you earplugs to drown out the tapping sound of the magnet, which can be quite loud.

Once treatment starts, you recline in a chair and sit still while the magnet works. You may feel tapping on your head but shouldn't feel any pain. You're completely awake and alert during the session, which lasts about 30 minutes.

After treatment, you can go about your typical day and activities. TMS begins working by influencing the electrical impulses in the brain to create new neural pathways in areas that work on feelings, mood, and emotions.

Most people require at least five treatments a week for at least a month, sometimes six weeks. You may begin to feel the effects after a few treatments, with optimal relief after the entire course of therapy.

Teens and depression

Depression certainly doesn't discriminate amongst age groups, meaning teens and adolescents are at just as high a risk as adults, if not more. Teens may have worse symptoms because their hormone levels are already causing mood swings and other significant changes in their lives.

Some teens are more at risk than others for developing depression, and they include those with:

• Other mental health issues like anxiety
• Family history of depression
• Chronic illness or disease
• Childhood trauma
• Learning disabilities
• Low self-esteem or poor coping skills
• A dysfunctional household
• Family issues or problems

It's sometimes difficult to tell if your teen is dealing with depression because they may not want to share their feelings. However, depression in teens is much more than just sadness and feeling down – it's a real issue that may lead to suicidal thoughts and other mental health problems.

Is TMS the answer for my teen?

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is an excellent option for people living with treatment-resistant depression – but does it work for teens? The good news is that TMS therapy is a fantastic option for teens because it produces fewer side effects than medications and is noninvasive.

You can put your mind at ease because the FDA has approved the NeuroStar TMS system as the first and only one for adolescent patients 15 to 21. It's a breakthrough in depression therapy for teens with symptoms that don't subside with other treatments.

If you want the facts, you can rest easy knowing that 78% of teens in a study of NeuroStar's TMS system showed significant improvement in depression symptoms when paired with antidepressants.

The treatment is also highly safe and effective, with minimal side effects. After treatment, your teen may notice a headache, tingling, or lightheadedness that should subside quickly after we remove the coil. However, they should have significant improvement in their symptoms almost immediately.

Call Pacific Phoenix TMS today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez-Gonzalez for your teen, or request a consultation on our website.