Over 8% of American adults suffer from major depression, but less than half seek treatment for their condition despite the fact that depression can be highly treatable 1. Major depressive disorder (MDD) can have a huge impact on your quality of life, from the moment you wake up in the morning to when you lie down in bed at night. Depression can disrupt social activity, job performance, relationships, and many other factors in your life.
For people struggling with depression, the list of multiple treatment options and types of antidepressants can be overwhelming. Traditional treatment options such as talk therapy and medication don’t always work long-term — especially for individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). For these individuals, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy can present promising, lasting results.
If you’re wondering “Does TMS work long-term,” here are some important considerations that can provide clarity to that question.
Understanding TMS Therapy and How It Can Treat Depression
TMS therapy is a non-invasive, FDA-approved, drug-free treatment that has shown effective results at treating a range of conditions which affect mental health and cognition, including MDD and TRD. TMS often appeals to individuals struggling with depression who have taken antidepressant medications without much success or relief.
TMS works by using gentle magnetic pulses to treat specific areas of the brain known to be underactive in people struggling with depression. Unlike medications — which affect the entire body — TMS therapy treats mental health at the source.
Overview of the TMS treatment process
TMS is an outpatient procedure, which means you will receive treatment at a mental health clinic. During TMS therapy sessions, you’ll typically recline in a private treatment room and relax, read, work, or watch television during treatment. A TMS magnet will be positioned over your head to deliver magnetic pulses that stimulate the prefrontal cortex — the area of your brain that controls mood regulation. Each TMS session lasts about 20 minutes, after which you can promptly return to your day.
How can TMS therapy support mental health?
TMS therapy is FDA-approved to help treat several conditions and mental health-related struggles, including:
- MDD.
- Treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Smoking cessation.
- Migraines and pain management.
Research is also being conducted on how TMS therapy can help other mood disorders, highlighting TMS’s wide-ranging effectiveness at enhancing mental health. These mood disorders and mental health concerns include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Bipolar disorder.
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- Substance use and addiction treatment.
- Eating disorders.
- Parkinson’s Disease.
- Memory loss.
While TMS therapy has shown promising results at treating these conditions and mental health struggles, it is considered an off-label treatment and is not FDA-approved for these psychological issues. Contact Neuro Wellness Spa today for more information on TMS therapy and its off-label uses.
How frequent are TMS treatment sessions?
A standard TMS therapy course involves 36 sessions over nine weeks. During the first six weeks, you’ll attend five sessions per week. In the final three weeks, you’ll complete the remaining six sessions at a reduced frequency. Over time, these sessions help brain neurons establish new communication pathways, potentially relieving symptoms.
While individual responses vary, TMS therapy maintains its effectiveness for subsequent treatment courses if symptoms return, making it a sustainable option for long-term depression management.
What are the side effects of TMS therapy?
TMS therapy has some side effects, but they are significantly fewer and less concerning than the side effects of antidepressants. Unlike medications that affect your entire body, TMS targets the brain directly without passing through the blood-brain barrier.
The most common side effects are mild and temporary as there are no known long-term side effects of TMS therapy, and include mild headaches and mild scalp discomfort. Serious side effects like syncope or seizures are extremely rare.
Related: Can TMS Make Depression Worse? TMS Treatment and the TMS Dip
When Can You Expect Results With TMS Therapy for Depression?
Most patients begin noticing improvements within two to three weeks of starting TMS therapy, and early response within the first two weeks strongly predicts long-term maintenance of benefits. However, timing varies significantly from person to person, with some experiencing gradual improvement throughout the entire nine-week treatment course, while others notice more sudden relief after several weeks. Completing the full protocol is important even after initial improvement to ensure lasting results.
Evidence Supporting TMS Therapy for Long-Term Mental Health Treatment
Several studies provide insight into the efficacy of TMS therapy for sustained remission of various mood disorders — primarily depression. While there is still research to be done to truly understand TMS therapy and its long-term benefits, here’s what the evidence says currently.
Research shows TMS therapy provides lasting relief for depression
Long-term follow-up studies reveal impressive TRD remission maintenance rates for those who underwent a full TMS treatment course. In one major study published by the National Library of Medicine, 75.3% of patients maintained remission at two months post-treatment, with 22.6% still in remission at six months without additional intervention. For patients who do experience symptom recurrence, reintroduction of TMS proves highly effective, as research shows 84.2% of patients who relapsed after initial successful treatment regained mood stability with a short course of TMS. Some patients have even maintained benefits from periodic TMS sessions for up to six years 2.
A four-year follow-up study of medication-free TRD patients found approximately 50% sustained clinically significant responses to repeated TMS courses, with benefits lasting an average of five months between treatments. This promising statistic demonstrates TMS therapy can provide sustained relief even without supporting medication 2.
Despite these reassuring studies, it’s important to remember that TMS therapy is not considered a cure, nor is it designed to fully take the place of medication or talk therapy. An effective care approach will incorporate several comprehensive treatment options for depression for the best results.
Comparing care approaches for long-term mental health treatment
Unlike antidepressant medication — which can involve long periods of trial and error and can take months to experience positive results — TMS therapy improves symptoms in as little as 10 sessions. Furthermore, studies show that solely taking antidepressants or seeking talk therapy may not be as effective when compared to the success rates of TMS therapy without the support of other modalities.
TMS therapy vs. antidepressants for long-term depression treatment
In a study conducted by InformedHealth.org, 50% of people reported depression symptom improvement within six to eight weeks 3. On the other hand, approximately 75% of individuals who completed a TMS therapy course experienced remission in approximately the same time frame. That said, it is not uncommon for treatment approaches to combine TMS therapy and medication.
TMS therapy vs. talk therapy for long-term depression treatment
Research on the benefit of talk therapy for managing depression symptoms shows that 41% respond positively to psychotherapy 4. However, 50% to 60% of respondents in a study published by Harvard Medical School showed a “clinically meaningful response” to TMS therapy sessions 5. It’s important to remember that TMS therapy can be used in conjunction with medication and talk therapy, and both care approaches can support a depression treatment plan that includes TMS.
Related: Is TMS a Hoax?
TMS Therapy as a Long-Term Treatment for Depression
In general, most people will experience long-term mental health relief from TMS treatment. If you complete a full course of TMS, many find relief from depressive symptoms for a year or longer. TMS offers hope for those who have tried multiple treatments and did not experience satisfactory relief or full remission from their condition.
TMS is also highly effective for the treatment of MDD when used in conjunction with other treatments, like psychiatry, talk therapy, and medication. Most patients find their symptoms continue to improve when they receive multiple therapy modalities for their condition.
Factors that influence long-term success of TMS therapy
TMS therapy is a powerful treatment for depression that can help you achieve full remission — but it is not a universal cure. Many mental health conditions are chronic, and the length of remission depends on many factors including:
- Diet and exercise.
- Therapy and ongoing medication management.
- Severity of illness.
- Lifestyle.
- Quality of sleep.
- Stress management techniques.
- Social support networks.
- Genetic factors.
- Environmental stressors.
- Previous response to treatments.
The goal of mental health treatment is to achieve relief and management of your symptoms while developing sustainable strategies for long-term wellness.
Related: A Mother’s Story About TMS Therapy for Teen Depression
How Neuro Wellness Spa Can Promote Long-Term Healing From Depression With TMS Therapy
At Neuro Wellness Spa, our expert team of psychiatrists, therapists, and TMS specialists work collaboratively to provide comprehensive depression treatment. We understand that each patient’s journey is unique, which is why we offer personalized care plans that may include medication management, talk therapy, and TMS therapy.
Our compassionate care team specializes in treating TRD, providing hope when traditional approaches haven’t delivered the relief you deserve. With prompt scheduling from our responsive admissions team, you can begin your treatment journey without unnecessary delays.
What sets us apart is our integrated approach — your psychiatrist, therapist, and TMS technicians communicate regularly to ensure your treatment plan evolves with your progress. If you’re struggling with depression that hasn’t responded to medication alone, our team can help determine if TMS therapy might be the breakthrough you’ve been seeking. Contact Neuro Wellness Spa today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward lasting mental wellness.
References
- Major Depression. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
- Mantovani, A., Pavlicova, M., Avery, D., Nahas, Z., McDonald, W. M., Wajdik, C. D., Holtzheimer, P. E., George, M. S., Sackeim, H. A., & Lisanby, S. H. (2012). LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF REPEATED DAILY PREFRONTAL TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION (TMS) IN TREATMNT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION. Depression and Anxiety, 29(10), 883–890. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.21967
- Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). (2024, April 15). Depression: Learn More – How effective are antidepressants? InformedHealth.org – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361016/
- Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., Noma, H., & Furukawa, T. A. (2021). The effects of psychotherapies for depression on response, remission, reliable change, and deterioration: A meta‐analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 144(3), 288–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13335
- Stern, A. P., MD. (2020, October 27). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): Hope for stubborn depression. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation-for-depression-2018022313335