Bloom rTMS

Our Treatments

rTMS for Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety

Life naturally comes with its ups and downs, and it’s normal to feel anxious from time to time. However, if you find that anxiety is overwhelming and consistently disrupts your daily life, it could be a sign of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)—a condition that is surprisingly common (1). Although GAD is widespread, many individuals find themselves resistant to first-line treatments (2), which can significantly impact their well-being and quality of life.

Standard treatments for GAD typically involve psychotherapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and antidepressant medications, including SSRIs and SNRIs. Despite the effectiveness of these approaches, about 40% of individuals may not find relief with these traditional methods (2). This highlights the need for innovative treatment options to address the unique needs of those who do not respond to conventional therapies.

Recent research has revealed promising advancements in alleviating symptoms of GAD, such as persistent worry, restlessness, irritability, fatigue, sleep disruptions including nightmares, issues with concentration and memory, as well as muscle tension leading to headaches and jaw pain (2). These studies further indicate significant clinical improvements in symptoms commonly linked to anxiety, including depressed mood, heart palpitations, elevated blood pressure, excessive sweating, and digestive issues. Additionally, the findings suggest that combining medications with repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) yields superior results compared to medication alone, enhancing overall treatment efficacy (3).

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive, highly effective treatment that uses electromagnetic impulses that pass easily through the skull to stimulate abnormal brain activity without any systematic side effects or downtime.

  1. Parikh, T. K., Strawn, J. R., Walkup, J. T., & Croarkin, P. E. (2021). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyab07
  2. Cox, J., Thakur, B., Alvarado, L., Shokar, N., Thompson, P. M., & Dwivedi, A. K. (2022). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for generalized anxiety and panic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Clin Psychiatry, 34(2), e2-e24
  3. Cui, H., Jiang, L., Wei, Y., Li, W., Li, H., Zhu, J., … & Li, C. (2019). Efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for generalised anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis. General psychiatry, 32(5).
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