Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Medication-Free Mental Health Treatment

What Is TMS Therapy?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a safe, FDA-approved treatment for people struggling with mental health issues — especially when traditional medications haven’t worked.

It’s a non-invasive, drug-free option that uses gentle magnetic pulses to help reset brain activity, often improving symptoms in just a few weeks.

FDA-Approved Supported TMS Use

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – Especially treatment-resistant depression
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Smoking Cessation
Migraine (with Aura)

Research & Clinical Practice Supported TMS Use

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

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:

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.

1 You sit in a comfortable chair while a small magnetic coil is placed on your head.

2 Your medical team will adjust the machine until you feel a light tapping or clicking on your scalp.

3 The device sends gentle magnetic pulses to target specific areas of your brain.

4 You remain awake and alert the entire time with no sedation or recovery time needed.

5 Sessions usually last about 20–30 minutes.

6 Your care team tracks your progress closely and adjusts as-needed.

Impact on Brain Activity

TMS can either increase or decrease activity, depending on the frequency used.

For depression, TMS delivers high-frequency pulses — typically 10–20 Hz — to underactive regions like the left prefrontal cortex.

This boosts activity in areas responsible for mood regulation, motivation, and decision-making, helping lift emotional numbness and improve energy over time.

For anxiety, PTSD, addiction, or OCD, TMS delivers low-frequency pulses — usually around 1 Hz (or 1 pulse per second) — to overactive areas like the right and medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex.

This gently reduces brain activity in those regions, helping reduce urges, racing thoughts, and emotional overwhelm. By tailoring the frequency and target area, TMS offers a personalized approach to balancing neural activity across different conditions.

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.

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 TMS is NOT For

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 it’s not the right fit, you’ll still have access to cutting-edge, evidence-based options like Spravato® Ketamine Therapy, Biofeedback, EMDR, and GeneSight® testing to take the guesswork out of mental health medication. We’ll help you find what works best for you!

Yes, Treatment Is Covered By Insurance

Treatment here is usually in-network, so any cost to you is as low as possible — sometimes even zero. No one will be notified if you reach out. And, there’s no commitment to get answers.

Verify Your Insurance

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.