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The naysayers told John Elder Robison, “You must be nuts! I would never do that, that’s crazy.”
That was the reaction, among some, to his participation in experimental brain therapy called TMS or transcranial magnetic stimulation. But after decades of feeling like a social misfit — misreading or missing other people’s emotions due to Asperger’s syndrome, diagnosed at age 40 — he was suddenly able to sense others’ feelings.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is known to be a safe, noninvasive, treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), but how does cost compare with that of pharmacotherapy?.
Dr. Davila and Awakenings KC continue to stay as up to date as possible in mental health care. We recently subscribed to the journal Brain Stimulation. Editor- in- Chief, Dr, Mark George, the one of the pioneers of clinical use of transcranial magnetic stimulation who Dr. Davila trained with in the Medical University of South Carolina Charleston is a leader in the field. Dr. Davila looks to his research and information to stay up to date on all things brain stimulation. We will continue to strive to provide the best care possible!
A recent interview from NPR shows how one man’s life changed for better and worse after undergoing TMS for Autism. It brings to light how TMS saves lives and isn’t only for people suffering depression.
Unlike some, Mark George didn’t believe that electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression amounted to torture, but he did think the seizures at the heart of the treatment were unnecessary. When he said so at a national psychiatric conference in 1994, his colleagues kicked him to the curb to join the anti-ECT protesters. Justice was served last fall, when the Food and Drug Administration approved George’s far gentler alternative—transcranial magnetic stimulation. In an international trial, depressed patients who hadn’t been helped by drugs improved markedly after four weeks of daily, 40-minute TMS sessions. Two more weeks doubled the rate of relief.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3/29/16
Contact: Bob Davis, [email protected], 301-547-4112
ASAM Applauds Important Step by Obama Administration and Calls for Increased Congressional Pressure to Expand Treatment Access
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chevy Chase, MD, March 29, 2016 – Today, President Obama announced additional public and private sector actions to help address the devastating prescription opioid and heroin epidemic. The President announced that The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a new proposed ruleto increase the current patient limit for qualified physicians who prescribe buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction. The proposed rule will increase the patient limit from 100 to 200 patients for physicians who have been trained and waivered for over a year to prescribe buprenorphine. Furthermore, the proposed rule recommends adherence to nationally recognized evidence-based guidelines and includes ASAM’s National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use.
We are looking to expand our team with PRN clinical staff who hold a LCPC license. If you are interested in joining an expanding practice and getting to enjoy rewarding work, we can’t wait to hear from you. Please send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]. We will be in contact for interviews as early as this week.
Last Tuesday, a new FDA approved TMS treatment chair was delivered to the office. Cleared by the FDA in August 2015, Magventure’s Magvita was an obvious choice for the advancement of our ever growing facility. Similar to our two other machines, patients will visit the office five times a week for treatment of major depressive disorder, PTSD, or Postpartum depression symptoms. Magvita provides opportunity to learn more about the exciting field of brain stimulation and will provide new opportunities to treat different off label psychiatric conditions. In the near future we hope to offer treatment for anxiety, substance abuse, and much more. We look forward to the future!
Depression now affects over 350 million people worldwide and that’s what we consider an epidemic. Now we know the stigma surrounding mental illness is improving day by day, but are we moving fast enough? Generations before the Millennials often took a quieter approach to dealing with MH and Depression. They would secretly attend therapy, maybe pick up some anti-depressants from their Primary Care Physician, or self medicate. Our Generation has already chosen to take small strides and stand with those suffering. From the semicolon project to forums devoted to a sense of community within those struggling, I believe we, as a young upcoming generation, have quite a bit of power in the way the mental health care system functions. Let’s face it, at one point or another nearly all of us will fight off some sort of depression or anxiety disorder. We are doing great, but here is where I am lost, why aren’t we talking about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?
We are so excited to hear that, this week, Addiction medicine is now recognized as a medical subspecialty. I am a diplomat of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and cant wait to see the strides that will be made in addiction therapy in the years to come. Please click the picture for the full article from The American Board of Addiction Medicine.
