Other Treatments for Depression

We are commonly asked “What are other treatments for depression?” If medications aren’t effective, and they are helping with depression, then what are other treatments for depression? If medications are ineffective, therapy can utilized to help with depression (CBT – cognitive behavioral therapy, IPT – interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy, behavioral activation).

If therapy is not helping or only helps a little bit, and you find yourself still feeling depressed, there is ECT – electroconvulsive therapy, TMS – Transcranial magnetic stimulation, IV ketamine (this is a medication, but not typically prescribed in a normal outpatient clinic). There are very invasive options such as Deep Brain Stimulation or Vagal Nerve Stimulation which require surgery.

Most people, even those who are very depressed, do not wish to undergo elective surgery for their depression or undergo ECT which have potential side effects including permanent memory loss. IV ketamine is promising, but longevity of this treatment is in question.

Since we are a TMS clinic, we of course feel that TMS is a great “Other” treatment for depression if medications and therapy is not working for you. It does not require anesthesia and has no risks of memory problems unlike ECT. You can drive after treatment or go back to work. Essentially, you can carry on your normal day without interruption other than the time it took for you to come to TMS treatment. It has shown to be effective to treat major depressive disorder and is FDA cleared and most insurance companies will cover TMS treatment provided a prior authorization is obtained prior to treatment.

If you have any questions, we invite you to take a look at our FAQ located here. If you are interested in becoming a patient with us at Front Range TMS, please contact us here, and we’d be happy to try to help you meet your mental health goals.