TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – 13 News Mornings anchor Tyler Butler is sharing his personal experience with a lesser-known depression treatment that uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate brain activity.
Butler, who has dealt with major depressive disorder for almost 20 years, recently completed five weeks of transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, at Family Care Center in Tucson. The treatment involves daily sessions five days a week for roughly six weeks.
“Over the summer I had one of these periods of a depressive episode that lasted for a month,” Butler said. “Typically it has lasted for two weeks, it happens a couple times a year. Fine. But with this being a month, it was like okay. I can’t keep living like this.”
How TMS works
TMS uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate neurons in specific parts of the brain, according to Dr. Stephanie Marks, Tucson clinic director for Family Care Center. The treatment does not involve electric shock.
“We’re using a magnet to send pulses to areas of the brain that are not communicating effectively,” Marks said. “By using TMS, we are using your brain’s innate ability to heal itself.”
The first visit involves mapping to identify the area of the brain that requires stimulation. Treatment takes about 20 minutes, with the majority focusing on the left side of the brain to help with depression and a few minutes on the right to regulate anxiety.
“Over time, the culmination of pulses is what is going to allow your brain to renegotiate the way it communicates,” Marks said. “To ensure that depressive symptoms decrease and anxiety symptoms decrease.”
Treatment effectiveness and timing
The FDA-approved treatment is 90 percent effective in reducing symptoms for at least one year, according to Marks. The treatment requires a significant commitment of five days a week for roughly six weeks.
Marks said nine in ten Americans experience some level of stress during the holiday season, which can magnify depression and anxiety symptoms.
“The holidays do bring up some unpleasant emotions for the majority of Americans,” Marks said. “That’s not necessarily a holiday problem or a you problem; it’s just how we’re programmed.”
Personal results
Butler said the treatment has been effective for him when combined with therapy and medication.
“The night we taped this story last week, for the first time in a very long time, I thought to myself, ‘I love my life,’” Butler said.
He encouraged others dealing with depression to explore treatment options.
“I don’t want people to be sitting out there dealing with this, living with this, and thinking this is just the way it is,” Butler said. “It doesn’t have to be that dark depressive tunnel you’re stuck going down all the time. There are other things to try.”
Family Care Center can help patients with insurance questions and work with employers to accommodate treatment schedules.
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