TMS Therapy: Medication-Free Mental Health Treatment

Research & Clinical Practice Supports:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Bipolar Depression – depressive phase only
• Schizophrenia – especially for auditory hallucinations
• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Dysthymia – Persistent Depressive Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – exploratory use, mostly in adults

Substance Use Disorders:

• Alcohol Use Disorder
• Cocaine Use Disorder
• Opioid Use Disorder – emerging research

 

Key Benefits of TMS Therapy

Research on the success of TMS therapy on treating specific disorders is growing every day, including:

• A 40–50% reduction in anxiety scores ⓘ
• 30-40% of patients with full remission of depression symptoms ⓘ
• A 38% improvement in symptom severity for OCD ⓘ 
• 66% of patients with PTSD experience significant symptom reduction ⓘ

Beyond treatment of the specific condition, many patients report improved mood and a renewed sense of balance in their day-to-day life. They begin to feel more emotionally stable and connected, often for the first time in years.

There’s a noticeable return of motivation too — a desire to re-engage with life. Patients often rediscover an interest in activities they had lost, and feel less sadness or emotional emptiness. These shifts change how people are able to show up in relationships, work, and daily routines.

Physically, many experience better sleep, increased energy, and an overall sense of calm. With that stability comes a decrease in emotional outbursts, allowing them to respond to life’s challenges with greater patience and clarity.

Patients like most that TMS Therapy:

• Is FDA-approved, non-invasive treatment
• Requires no daily medication
• Has few to no side effects
• Is safe to use alongside most medications
• Can improve mood, focus, and motivation
• Has no recovery time — return to normal activities after
• Gives long-lasting symptom relief
• Is covered by most insurance plans

 

What to Expect During TMS Therapy

TMS sessions are calm and quick. Patients typically receive treatment multiple times per week for a month, though each session lasts less than a half hour. Patients may notice small shifts after just a few sessions and more meaningful changes by week 2 or 3.

Your care team will recommend the best type, duration, and frequency of TMS based on your symptoms, medical history, and treatment progress to find what helps you most.

Is TMS Safe?

Yes, TMS is safe and one of the most well-tolerated treatment options available for serious mental health conditions. It’s FDA-approved, non-invasive, and doesn’t involve medication or sedation. TMS doesn’t hurt or give off radiation.

The most common side effect is mild scalp discomfort or lightheadedness during treatment, which usually fades quickly. There is no downtime needed after treatment.

If you’ve tried multiple medications without relief — or you’re tired of side effects — TMS offers a different approach with a strong safety record and promising results.

Who Should Not Use TMS Therapy?
TMS may not be right for people with metal implants in or near the head (excluding dental work), a history of seizures, or certain neurological conditions. Your care team will do a full screening to make sure it’s safe for you.

Indiana Center for Recovery offers more than just TMS. If TMS therapy is not the right fit, you still have plenty of cutting-edge, evidence-based options that can help!

Types of TMS Therapy

Each type of TMS therapy works a little differently — some go deeper into the brain, others act faster, and some target both sides of the brain at once. But, all types of TMS can be adjusted in intensity and frequency to either stimulate underactive areas or calm overactive ones, depending on your symptoms. Your care team will help match you with the right approach and fine-tune based on progress for lasting relief.

Repetitive TMS (rTMS)

rTMS is the most established form of TMS, using steady, repeated pulses to target specific brain areas. It’s especially effective for depression and offers a reliable, well-researched option for those who haven’t responded to medication.

Deep TMS (dTMS)

dTMS uses a specialized helmet-like coil to reach deeper and broader areas of the brain. This makes it ideal for more complex, co-occurring, or treatment-resistant cases.

Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS)

TBS is a newer form of TMS that delivers short bursts of magnetic pulses in patterns that mimic natural brain rhythms — achieving similar results to rTMS quicker (as little as 3 minutes).

Bilateral TMS

Bilateral TMS stimulates both sides of the brain, either one after the other or at the same time. It’s often used for conditions that affect mood and cognition on a broader scale, such as bipolar depression or severe, treatment-resistant depression. It may help when single-sided approaches fall short.

Where To Get TMS Treatment

Indiana Center for Recovery is one of very few facilities in the Midwest to offer advanced mental health treatment options like TMS.

If treatment has thus far been unhelpful and you’re ready to do whatever it takes, we offer inpatient options that people fly from across the country for. Beyond TMS, you get advanced options like ketamine therapy, Genesight testing, EMDR Therapy and Biofeedback.

It’s everything you need to finally feel better.

Patient Experiences

23F receiving TMS for PTSD with co-occurring GAD, panicD, and treatment resistant MDD. in the first 2 weeks of treatment I saw a 50% reduction in panic and generalized anxiety, and after last week my score has gone down a further 20%, meaning I am 70% less anxious than when I started. I use 1/3 less of my as-needed anxiety meds too. It has also treated my depression but since my anxiety was through the roof that’s been my most noticeable difference 🙂

Anonymous

Tried TMS in spring of this year. It changed my life. Now I tell everyone because it’s still not well known and really does work. It really gave me hope. It’s not a miracle. It doesn’t cure all your problems. But, from my experience, it made my depression almost disappear. I now can feel sad without being hopeless and stuck. I feel like I can now concentrate on other issues I have without the depression being such a road block. Life. Changing. Do it! 🙂

Emotional_Way_6238

Overall I’d say TMS was worth it, especially since anti-depressant medications don’t work on me. I went from being rated with severe depression to mild depression. Also noteworthy: my anxiety ratings improved as well which I wasn’t counting on. After I got used to TMS it actually improved my pain levels as well.

Anonymous