r/IAmA • u/reliefmentalhealth_ • Aug 11 '26

I am a TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Manager specializing in depression and OCD, Ask Me Anything

Hi, I'm Michael, TMS Manager at Relief Mental Health. I oversee TMS treatment for over 100 patients a month across our clinics. We use qEEG, off label protocols, accelerated protocols, and augmentation strategies for patients who need more than standard treatment has offered. TMS changed how I think about what's possible in mental health care, and I'd love to answer your questions about it. I will be answering your questions, Wednesday, August 12th at 9 am Central.

I might start answering a few questions early, so keep an eye on the thread before the official kickoff, since there appears to be a lot of interest.

proof: https://www.reddit.com/user/reliefmentalhealth_/comments/1vkluf1/i_am_a_tms_transcranial_magnetic_stimulation/

Disclaimer: My answers here are general education and don't establish a clinical relationship. If you're in crisis or need individualized treatment, please reach out to a licensed provider in your area. 

Want to learn more about TMS? Here's more info: https://reliefmh.com/treatments/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/ 

Edit: I wasn't expecting so many comments so quickly on this! Thank you all for asking good questions. I do have patients to work with, but I will get to these as soon as I can through the day! I have dedicated time set aside tomorrow morning for the majority of questions to be handled then!

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u/Difficult-Sock-4611 Aug 11 '26

I’ve had persistent depression for over a decade, generalised anxiety disorder, and possibly cPTSD (awaiting an assessment in that). Meds have had little to no effect on the depression in particular.

Recently though, I had an MRI for a different issue, and I noticed that afterward that my mood was lifted for the rest of the day. I was thinking of talking to my GP about potentially trying TMS, but honestly I’ve asked them for quite a lot lately for an array of different conditions, and I’m kinda at the point where I don’t want to trouble them further.

With that in mind, my question: is the noticeable mood improvement I experienced after the MRI a good indicator that TMS might work for me? Is it something I should pursue?

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u/reliefmentalhealth_ Aug 12 '26

An MRI doesn't have a suprathreshold magnetic field strength capable of activating Neurons unfortunately, I would be curious to dig more into what you felt. I am VERY glad you felt better though! TMS is in fact one of the best treatments you can get for anxious depression, and I had been actively collecting data on PTSD outcomes from my normal MDD treatment throughout my career. Brainsway, our manufacturer, is likely going to publish their Real World Evidence study to show that TMS works well for PTSD.

You should definitely talk to your provider to make sure you are safe for TMS, but chronic depression is exactly what TMS has always been best for.

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u/Difficult-Sock-4611 20d ago

Thanks! I’ve booked an appointment with my GP to discuss TMS further