10 Facts About Innovative Depression Treatment That Insists On Putting You In The Best Mood
Innovative Depression Treatments
Many people suffering from depression find it difficult to find a treatment that they can take. Some experience an inability to respond to medications or have intolerable side effects.
Table 2 shows that intrinsic health benefits of a more effective coverage are huge. The discounted value for depression is $399 billion and for anxiety disorders $169 billion.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
TMS uses a magnet field to deliver brief pulses of current to certain brain regions that appear to be overactive in depression patients. The treatment is non-invasive and doesn't require anesthesia. It is also highly efficient and well-tolerated when compared to antidepressant drugs.
A person is able to receive TMS by sitting in a chair similar to dental chairs. A trained technician puts an instrument with a magnetic coil on the forehead. The coil is able to pulse quickly and one may hear a clicking sound or feel tapping sensations on the scalp. Each magnetic pulse (measured in hertz or Hz) is known as a "pulse(also known as a "pulse"). The frequency of pulses can vary from low (1 pulse every second) to high (10 per second).
The treatment isn't painful, but the magnetic field can affect cells in the outer layer of the brain. It depolarizes the cortical neurons and the transynaptic effects can affect deeper regions of brain that are involved in mood. For example, higher-frequency TMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can boost mesolimbic neurocircuits, which regulate emotional responses.
TMS can be utilized as an alternative to psychiatric medication, and some insurance plans cover the treatment. It's important to check with your insurance provider to find out what benefits your specific plan covers.
In clinical studies, TMS produced significant and sustained improvements in depression symptoms versus a placebo. During the TMS treatment course the patient can undergo up to 30 sessions over a couple of weeks. Patients with severe depression may require a more prolonged course of treatment.
Some of the newest TMS treatments employ low-frequency pulses, which is less likely to trigger side effects like seizures. Although the procedure is considered to be experimental but it's a promising therapy for people who don't respond to antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
ECT helps to rebalance the brain's natural chemical balance. It is one of most effective and safest treatments for depression. It can also be used to treat other mental health disorders such as schizophrenia.
The ECT procedure is carried out by medical professionals and is performed in a separate room at the hospital or an outpatient treatment center. Prior to depression treatment plans will be administered to ensure you don't feel any discomfort. The ECT team will connect monitoring equipment to monitor your heart rate blood pressure, oxygen levels and brain waves. You will receive a muscle relaxant that will keep you relaxed and a mouth guard to safeguard your teeth. Two discs of metal are placed on your head, one each side or in your forehead. The anaesthetist will then give you a shot of medication that will put you to sleep.
You will be woken up in the ECT room. A member of the ECT staff will be able to answer any questions you have. Before you are treated, you will be asked to sign a consent form. You may find it difficult to comprehend all the information when you're given information about ECT. It is best to have a relative or a friend with you. You must be given at least 24 hours to consider the treatment prior to having to make a decision.
During the procedure, you'll have brief fits or seizures that last between 40 seconds to 2 minutes. The ECT doctor will alter the amount of electric pulses you get based on your response. You may experience short courses of ECT typically 6-12 sessions, twice a week.
It is not clear what exactly ECT works. It appears to trigger the release of certain chemicals that allow brain cells to communicate. It also appears to alter the way certain parts of your brain develop.
ECT is extremely effective in treating severe depression, suicidal ideas and catatonia that is secondary to depression and other mental health disorders. Studies show that half of patients who undergo ECT get better and stay well for at least a year. It is particularly beneficial for those who haven't responded to medication and other psychosocial treatment.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an operation which involves implanting electrodes into the brain. The electrodes are attached to small devices that transmit electric pulses into the area of your brain that controls symptoms. The pulses could help reduce your symptoms and increase your quality of life. DBS can treat a variety of conditions which include movement disorders like essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, and psychiatric conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. It can also reduce seizures in people with epilepsy. It can also help treat extreme pain caused by brain and nerve disorders.
DBS is a highly effective treatment for many patients suffering from TRD, and it can be combined with other treatments, such as ECT. It is important to note that not all patients will benefit from DBS. Certain patients don't see any improvement in their symptoms, while others may experience worsening of their depression. This non-response may be caused by a combination factors that include patient-related factors, like personality traits, or psychiatric comorbidity, as well as clinical factors like a misdiagnose or a suboptimal DBS target.
Researchers utilized a machine learning algorithm to classify changes in LFPs observed during intraoperative DBS. The results indicated that an improvement in depression symptoms was correlated with changes in beta power. These findings suggest that DBS can be used to predict the effects of antidepressants. This theory needs to be tested by more research.
Although DBS is a well-established treatment for movement disorders and a growing number of psychiatric illnesses but it is not widely known as an effective depression treatment. The FDA has approved DBS to decrease seizures in some patients suffering from epilepsy that is difficult to treat. Moreover, studies are ongoing to determine whether DBS can be used to treat depression.
It is recommended to discuss the DBS procedure with a neurologist prior to undergoing it. Your neurologist will evaluate you and recommend the best treatment option for you. The doctor will inform you of the advantages and disadvantages of DBS. Additionally, you should ask about any tests or preparations that you may need before the procedure. You may require a blood-test, imaging and other tests prior to the procedure.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most common kinds of psychotherapy and has been proven effective in a variety of different outcome studies. It is typically utilized as a treatment on its own but it may be used in conjunction with medication in some instances. CBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps you develop a positive attitude towards the negative attitudes and thoughts that are contributing to depression. It is based on the notion that the way you perceive and react to situations is more important than the situation itself. It is an extremely active type of psychotherapy and is focused on solving problems and finding and changing the maladaptive thinking patterns.
The purpose of CBT therapy is to help you be your own therapist. It does this by helping you change the way you think and behave. It employs exercises and home sessions as well as outside of sessions to help you learn new skills. CBT focuses on current issues and problems and not on past experiences or root causes. However, it does take a certain amount of information about your history to understand and tackle issues in the here and now.
CBT is typically a short-term treatment, lasting between 6 to 20 sessions. It is an empirically based therapy and its duration is determined by the extent to which you are reaching the goals you that were set at the beginning of the therapy. It is a highly intensive and demanding therapy that demands a high level of commitment and hard work from you.
There are a variety of other cognitive behavioral therapies that could be beneficial for you, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, which teaches you to take positive actions even when you experience negative thoughts or feelings as well as dialectical behavior therapy, that is designed to deal with self-injury and suicidal thinking and interpersonal psychotherapy, that focuses on resolving relationships that contribute to your depression.
There are many exciting new treatments coming up that promise to be game-changing for people with depression. There are some that are already in use, such as deep brain stimulation, in which surgeons implant electrodes in your brain that send painful zaps that alter the electrical activity causing your symptoms. Many other advancements are still being studied, including the development of a personalized treatment for depression. This could eliminate the need to trial and error to discover the best treatment for you.