As you know, one of my interests is personal development.  I recently came across this article about a new treatment for depression that I thought was interesting and wanted to share:

In today’s stressful world, depression is becoming ever more prevalent. Whether genetically predisposed, or life-event related, the unfortunate fact is that depression affects 1 in 10 people in the UK. Often depression might initially manifest in the form of symptoms such as insomnia, or upset stomach, and will ultimately cause people to stop feeling joy in their life.

There are a number of anti-depressant drugs that help people in overcoming the very common problem of depression. For some, this medication proves a perfect remedy, helping combat symptoms, which can include anything from a total lack of appetite and energy, (or compulsion to over eat,) high levels of anxiety or stress and unbearably dark moods.

Of course, talking therapies can help too and are becoming more and more common. At times, a short period of therapy will suffice, for others it’s much more of a long-term solution that can take years to help overcome deep-rooted issues or trauma. There are many different types of psychotherapies to consider. However for some, a satisfactory level of recovery isn’t ever achieved, and wellbeing fluctuates depending on life’s changing circumstances and challenges.

In these cases the question remains, how can I permanently overcome Depression?

Perhaps therapy has been tried but failed, or progress is too slow. Maybe anti-depressants have left you feeling numb, and present you with negative side effects such as decreased sex drive, weight gain, or fatigue. For such ‘treatment resistant Depression’, it’s worth considering repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or rTMS.

rTMS is a ground-breaking treatment for depression.

Unlike antidepressant medication, rTMS has no side effects, so it’s great for those who simply can’t tolerate the physical consequences that go hand in hand with prescribed drugs. It is pain free and a relatively simple process whereby magnetic stimulation is applied directly to a pre-determined position on the patient.

The human brain is inherently an electrical organ that functions through the transmission of electrical signals between nerve cells. rTMS treatment works with your body’s natural processes by simply increasing the number and frequency of such transmissions. It employs magnetic energy to stimulate an area of the brain that regulates mood.

On average, five 30min sessions are needed per week, over a course of 4 weeks. Consultants regularly see results in the first fortnight, and are reporting incredibly positive results in those who have otherwise lost hope in recovering from the debilitation condition.

Research has shown that a large proportion of patients who were previously unresponsive to antidepressants saw a significant improvement in their depression when treated with rTMS, and 1 in 3 patients saw a complete recovery.

 rTMS treatment is currently available only from The London Psychiatry Centre on Harley Street in London. It is an expensive treatment but if you can afford it, it can potentially offer life changing benefits.