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Rochester Holistic Psychiatry has momentous news: We can now offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)! Our NeuroStar equipment has just been cleared as
safe and effective to use for our patients with OCD. We could not be happier. For a long time, using TMS to treat OCD was a rare option, used mostly in experimental therapy. NeuroStar can boast being the first FDA-approved TMS equipment made for major depressive disorder (MDD), and this is a huge step forward.

OCD is one of the more common mental health conditions

How to Prepare for Your TMS Session 

So, you’ve been to your general physician to talk about your depressive symptoms. They’ve ruled out  non-contributing factors, made recommendations, and referred you to mental health professionals like  a psychiatrist, possibly a therapist too. The diagnosis is in: MDD, or major depressive disorder. The  journey has been hard. You’ve tried several medications, and they either never worked, have stopped  working, or the side effects were too bad to continue. Therapy and social support (family, friends,  groups) can be excellent and produce good results, but

Pros and Cons of ECT and TMS, Part 1 

We get a lot of questions about how brain stimulation and neuromodulation work, and we celebrate  that. We want to make sure that our patients are informed at every step of the process, from the initial  call to treatment to follow-up. Always ask us anything you want to know. Today, we want to discuss  electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) versus transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We’ve mentioned some  key differences, but the next thing is to talk about how those differences manifest.  

Always remember, your mileage

TMS and Parkinson’s Disease 

We offer TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) as an FDA-approved treatment for MDD (major  depressive disorder), but studies are underway all the time to determine what else could be done with  TMS to help patients with a multitude of disorders. Parkinson’s disease is one of these disorders being  studied.  

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder. This means that it includes cell death in the brain  and/or spinal cord. Over time, this leads to problems with physical and mental function that manifest in  many different ways. Symptoms develop gradually, which

Pros and Cons of ECT and TMS, Part 1 

We get a lot of questions about how brain stimulation and neuromodulation work, and we celebrate  that. We want to make sure that our patients are informed at every step of the process, from the initial  call to treatment to follow-up. Always ask us anything you want to know. Today, we want to discuss  electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) versus transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We’ve mentioned some  key differences, but the next thing is to talk about how those differences manifest.  

Always remember, your mileage

Pros and Cons of ECT and TMS, Part 2 

Today, we’re continuing our discussion of the pros and cons of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and  transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). We’re often asked about the nature of brain stimulation and  neuromodulation, and what naturally follows is wanting to know about the pros and cons of ECT and  TMS. This is vital for the conversation about what will work best for the patient.  

Pros of ECT  

− ECT is currently approved to treat more conditions than TMS is. ECT be used effectively on  conditions like bipolar

What is Bipolar Type 1?  

We talked about general bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) in a recent post, but we  need to narrow down the types of bipolar disorder and describe each of them. There are 4 kinds of  bipolar disorder. Some sources say there are 3 kinds, but research is progressing, and we want to be as  specific as we can to cover our bases.  

Today, we’d like to talk more about bipolar disorder, which we’ll call BD. In general, BD is characterized  by unpredictable periods of mania and

What is Bipolar Type 1?   

We talked about general bipolar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) in a recent post, but we  need to narrow down the types of bipolar disorder and describe each of them. There are 4 kinds of  bipolar disorder. Some sources say there are 3 kinds, but research is progressing, and we want to be as  specific as we can to cover our bases.  

Today, we’d like to talk more about bipolar disorder, which we’ll call BD. In general, BD is characterized  by unpredictable periods of

How to Get More Energy When You Have Depression

We treat patients with MDD (major depressive disorder) and other depressive disorders at Rochester  Holistic Psychiatry every day. A common question we get is, how do I get more energy when I have  depression? It’s not surprising. After all, some of the common symptoms of depression are lethargy, lack  of energy, feeling tired, or having trouble with the executive function needed to get moving.  

Getting more energy isn’t just about feeling more alert. With the experiences and accomplishments that  come with it, feeling

 What to Expect from a TMS Visit 

TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) is still a fairly new treatment, and many people are unaware of its existence. We often get asked what people can expect from a TMS session. After all, a metal coil that dispenses electromagnetic pulses seems scary, like the harmful shock treatments of decades past. You can put your mind at ease in that regard, as TMS treatments are completely benign. Here is what you can expect in a TMS treatment session. 

For your treatment, you recline in a chair. We