Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation – A Way Back
2022
JAMES WEAVER: With depression comes a lot of isolation.
You don't want to be around other people.
I tried a lot of types of therapy--
talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapies,
medications.
It took them five or six different medications
to find one that stuck, and they were still
wanting to increase it.
I was also self-medicating with alcohol--
the depression, the anxiety that PTSD was destroying my life.
MARIA WEAVER: It's been a struggle for me
to watch him go through this, but to watch it kind of chisel
away at who I knew him to be.
JAMES WEAVER: This was really the first opportunity
I had to try something that would
undo the actual physical damage to my brain because
of the traumas.
I was hoping for anything that they could do for me.
What I got was way beyond that.
LAUREN MARASA: At Sutter Center for Psychiatry,
we are very invested in our patients and their families
and their outcomes to live their life to the fullest.
TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
During treatment, a magnetic coil
generates an electromagnetic field
that essentially turns on the neurons
and causes them to fire in areas of the brain that
are considered underactive in depression.
TMS is a very good option when patients
with clinical depression have not
responded to traditional medications or psychotherapy.
James came to us after having experienced a variety of trauma
in his life and career.
During the course of his treatment,
we were able to reduce his antidepressant
from 70 milligrams, which was very high doses, down
to 20 milligrams.
JAMES WEAVER: The doctor was doing a very aggressive
medication reduction.
And when I felt no side effects from it,
that was truly the first indication
that I had that it was working.
One of the things that I noticed was
that I wanted to be around people again.
MARIA WEAVER: To see that shine come back
and watching it slowly come back and seeing glimpses
of who he was and who I know him to be,
I can't even describe it.
JAMES WEAVER: I would absolutely recommend this treatment
to anyone suffering from any kind of depression or anxiety.
It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
You don't want to be around other people.
I tried a lot of types of therapy--
talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapies,
medications.
It took them five or six different medications
to find one that stuck, and they were still
wanting to increase it.
I was also self-medicating with alcohol--
the depression, the anxiety that PTSD was destroying my life.
MARIA WEAVER: It's been a struggle for me
to watch him go through this, but to watch it kind of chisel
away at who I knew him to be.
JAMES WEAVER: This was really the first opportunity
I had to try something that would
undo the actual physical damage to my brain because
of the traumas.
I was hoping for anything that they could do for me.
What I got was way beyond that.
LAUREN MARASA: At Sutter Center for Psychiatry,
we are very invested in our patients and their families
and their outcomes to live their life to the fullest.
TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
During treatment, a magnetic coil
generates an electromagnetic field
that essentially turns on the neurons
and causes them to fire in areas of the brain that
are considered underactive in depression.
TMS is a very good option when patients
with clinical depression have not
responded to traditional medications or psychotherapy.
James came to us after having experienced a variety of trauma
in his life and career.
During the course of his treatment,
we were able to reduce his antidepressant
from 70 milligrams, which was very high doses, down
to 20 milligrams.
JAMES WEAVER: The doctor was doing a very aggressive
medication reduction.
And when I felt no side effects from it,
that was truly the first indication
that I had that it was working.
One of the things that I noticed was
that I wanted to be around people again.
MARIA WEAVER: To see that shine come back
and watching it slowly come back and seeing glimpses
of who he was and who I know him to be,
I can't even describe it.
JAMES WEAVER: I would absolutely recommend this treatment
to anyone suffering from any kind of depression or anxiety.
It's not going to be easy, but it's going to be worth it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
After years of medication for his depression, James turned to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for a way to start feeling better. With the help of the Sutter Center for Psychiatry, he was able to lower his dosage for antidepressants.
Discover Similar Stories
Choose a service topic below to read more stories like this one.
Your Mental Health Matters
Talk to someone who cares. Our mental health providers are here to support you.