Anxiety refers to the anticipation of a particular concern of the future. It is a natural reaction to specific stressors that could very much benefit you in some situations. It keeps you on your toes and it makes you pay more attention to your surroundings. Having anxiety is a common mental disorder that affects nearly 30% of adults. But anxiety disorder can be treated which in turn helps people live normal productive lives.
For you to be diagnosed with any form of anxiety disorder, your fear or anxiety should be:
- Out of proportion to your current situation or it is not age-appropriate
- And it hinders your ability to function normally
On the other hand, anxiety disorders are conditions wherein you have worries or concerns that does not seem to go away. Sometimes, it even gets worse over time. Your performance at work, at school, or even in your relationships can even be affected by the symptoms.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD, Panic Disorder or PD, and Phobias are the three most common anxiety disorders.
Whatever causes anxiety is still unknown, although certain factors like brain biology, chemistry, genetics, stress, and the environment are contributing factors.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
- Hard to control anxious thoughts and beliefs. This anxiousness makes you tense and restless and even interferes with your regular routine.
- Physical symptoms include a rapid or pounding heartbeat, unknown pains and body aches, shortness of breath, and dizziness.
- Noticeable behavioral changes, like avoiding activities you used to love.
Like any other health problem, anxiety disorder requires treatment. A lot of progress has been made in the last few decades in treating mental health conditions. Your health care provider will tailor a treatment plan that will work for you, which is possibly a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
Anxiety medication does not cure your anxiety disorder, but it can improve your symptoms and help you manage them to function better. But if all else fails, as they say, your health care provider might suggest TMS therapy for you.
What Is TMS Therapy For Anxiety
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, known as TMS for anxiety, may be a safe, effective, and non-invasive option for people with depression that has not improved with medications. TMS creates a magnetic field to induce a small electric current in a specific part of the brain; the current comes from the magnetic field created by an electromagnetic coil that delivers pulses through the scalp.
TMS Therapy or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy is accepted to be the future for treating anxiety, depression, and OCD. Whenever you feel anxious, there is an increased nerve cell activity in the prefrontal cortex, and TMS Therapy reduces the activity in that particular region.
If you have anxiety or depression, your health care provider will recommend medication and psychotherapy before even considering TMS anxiety. But, you can be a good candidate for TMS if you:
- Have used multiple anti-depressants without results
- Have experienced adverse side effects with the anti-depressants you used
- Are a child or a teenager
TMS Therapy is a great option when you are young because you are more prone to developing adverse side effects from anti-depressants.
Types of TMS
- [rTMS] Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or rTMS has been studied and used to treat anxiety, depression, and other disorders for over 20 years. rTMS was approved by the FDA last 2008 as a treatment for medication-resistant depression.
An rTMS session usually takes around 40 minutes without being sedated or the use of anesthesia. An electromagnetic coil is held against the front part of your scalp over an area of your brain that regulates your moods, anxiety, and depression.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or rTMS has been seen to be effective either as a stand-alone treatment or if paired with anti-depressants.
- [dTMS] Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or dTMS stimulates your deeper brain regions.
H coils are used during dTMS; these are H1 coils approved by the FDA for depression and are designed to target multiple parts of the brain, unlike rTMS, which focuses on just a particular part. These coils are four centimeters large and are added beneath your skull’s surface. Like rTMS, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is advised to be used as a treatment option if you have already tried other medication and treatments for your anxiety, depression, or even OCD.
20 Tell-Tale Signs You Should Consider TMS For Anxiety
Going through occasional anxiety is normal, but if you are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, that is different. People with anxiety disorders have intense, excessive, obsessive, or persistent fear or worry in their day-to-day life. This interferes with their daily routines, which sometimes makes them feel worse.
Everyone’s feelings are valid and different, and not everyone with anxiety disorders has the same symptoms. However, here is a list of mental symptoms of anxiety that you should look out for:
- Uncontrollable over-thinking
- Racing thoughts
- Feeling panicky or fearful of an “impending doom”
- Irritable
- Heightened alertness
- Changes in appetite
- Dissociation
- Having trouble with sleep
- Wanting an escape
Here are some physical symptoms of anxiety that you should look out for as well:
- Sweating
- Heavy, fast breathing
- Blushing or hot flushes
- Shaking
- Dry mouth
- Hair loss
- Lack of energy
- Fast heartbeat
- Stomach aches
- Dizziness and Fainting
There are many ways you can help yourself cope with the symptoms of anxiety disorders and one of the best cure for anxiety is TMS Therapy. You are, of course, encouraged to learn stress management techniques and even meditate as these are helpful. Online or in-person support groups can create an opportunity for you to share your experiences and coping strategies and even learn a few tricks from the other participants. Learn more about your condition. Research, research, research!! Help your loved ones understand your condition better; avoid caffeine, as it worsens your anxiety, and always check with your doctor.
If you have any questions regarding different disorders or TMS Therapy in general, do not hesitate to contact us. Roots TMS has experienced clinicians and case management teams that will help you throughout your journey of finally living again. Please message us at info@rootstms.com or call us at 562-268-5813.