To say COVID-19 has brought a disruption to our lives is an understatement. Communities across the country have been trying to facilitate working from home, social distancing, lockdowns while juggling childcare needs and virtual school. It has not been easy for many. We have added stressors to our daily lives that we never anticipated.
We’ve had to restrict our movements, our interactions with others, and have had to be hyper-vigilant about our movements. After months of practicing social distancing, the isolation has begun to take effect on the psyche of many Americans.
And many, understandably, are not ok.
Sometimes nonchalantly referred to as “Covid Depression,” many are feeling its heavy burden. For many who had not previously experienced symptoms of depression (let alone mental illness) it may feel like an isolating and frightening time.
But what about those who were already suffering from chronic depression? Depression affects millions of people over the world. Many people were treating their symptoms with talk therapy and medication. Most have found that the COVID-19 restrictions have heightened the body’s depression and anxiety.
The pandemic has triggered a mental health crisis for many.
The constant financial anxieties, isolation from loved ones, and worry about personal health have undoubtedly taken its toll. Persistent worry about making ends meet and not being able to rely on traditional support systems like friends and family, those suffering from depression have found their symptoms magnified and their typical methods of coping, failing.
When the symptoms are getting worse, it is important to reach out to a mental health professional to help you explore options. Prior to the pandemic, many struggled with treatment resistant depression. The pandemic may have transformed those feelings into an unending pit of despair. Treatment resistant depression has become even more terrifying for them.
It is critically important to reach out to a mental health professional when you find yourself struggling. If your traditional treatment methods like talk therapy and medications have not worked, it may be time to look for a more innovative option.
And that option may be transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. TMS targets inactive brain regions (that are directly responsible for mood) with magnetic pulses, stimulating brain cells and improving brain function.
This allows for the nerves to revive and grow. These pulses allow for mood enhancing signals to be sent through the body, providing relief from stubborn depression. TMS therapy directs a concentrated magnetic field to precise locations of the brain to lift the clouds of depression. It also encourages the brain to create serotonin to improve mood and relieve symptoms.
Consulting with a psychiatrist about this innovative treatment can help determine if you would be a good candidate. This progressive treatment has provided hope to many looking for relief from their stubborn depression.
TMS therapy requires several treatments in an office for a period of time. While TMS has demonstrated it can alleviate depression, and unintended benefit (in the age of COVID) is that the patient is provided a change of scenery with visits to the office.
While we do not know how long the social and emotional ramifications of COVID (and its restrictions) will last, the important thing is not to ignore your symptoms. Your mental health matters.
Reach out to a mental health professional for an evaluation today.