TMS Newly Approved for Teens – Drug Free Treatment For Depression

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation FDA-Approved for Teens 15 & Up

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatments are now FDA-approved for teens ages 15 and older. This gives parents and their teens a low-risk, non-medication depression treatment option to consider that can provide a longer-term solution for teen depression compared to medication options.  

While this depression treatment has been newly approved for teens, TMS has been used to treat adult patients for nearly two decades. It’s powerful enough to fight treatment-resistant depression and safe enough to be the recommended depression treatment for pregnant patients.

Get to know this safe and effective treatment for teen depression, and give us a call to talk to a provider to see if TMS is right for your teen. 

How does TMS work?

When we look at the brain scans of depressed patients, we see low levels of activity in their DLPFC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) compared to the average brain. TMS works by sending electromagnetic pulses into the brain to stimulate specific areas that control our mood. 

A TMS machine works similarly to an MRI machine and results in an increase in brain activity for most patients. Roughly 75% of patients report a significant lift in their mood after completing their TMS treatment series. 

TMS treatments are completed in short 30-minute appointments over a 6-week period. Some patients may require maintenance treatments at a decreased cadence after the initial treatment series.

Why was TMS therapy FDA-approved for teens?

TMS was FDA-approved for ages 15 and up for several reasons, including:

• TMS therapy has been effective in treating adults with depression with minimal side effects. Roughly 75% of adult patients respond to TMS treatment (50% or greater improvement in symptoms). Side effects are temporary and can be minimized with the help of your teen’s TMS technician. Scalp discomfort and headaches are the most common side effects, but they begin to fade as soon as the TMS machine is turned off and completely subside after a good night’s rest. Serious side effects are rare. 
• Unlike antidepressant medications, TMS does not affect other parts of the body. Because no medication is used with TMS treatments, there are no risks that are typically seen with antidepressant medications for teens. And, the electromagnetic pulses only affect the area of the brain that is involved in mood regulation. 
• Increasing research over the years shows that TMS is safe for adolescents. In a recent article, A New Treatment for Adolescent Depression: FDA Approves Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Len Lantz, MD cites several studies that support the safety and effectiveness of TMS for teen depression.
• TMS provides lasting depression relief. The magnetic pulses created by a TMS machine stimulate neuronal activity and growth in the brain. In 2023, Stanford Medical research found that TMS corrects the abnormal flow of electrons in the brain. Whether your teen’s depression is caused by an abnormal flow or low activity levels in the brain, TMS can resolve these potential problems, resulting in long-term depression relief.
• TMS can be safely used in combination with other treatment methods or medications. Since TMS is a drug-free treatment and is completed via a non-invasive procedure, it can be safely combined with medications or other treatment methods. In severe depression cases, TMS can be safely combined with other treatments to improve symptoms rapidly.

Getting Your Teen Help For Depression

If this is your first time seeking help from a behavioral health specialist for your teen, you may have some additional questions. Here are some common questions I receive from teens and their parents at their first psychiatric appointment at our psychiatry clinic in Rapid City, SD. 

Is this depression? 

If you or your child are concerned they might have depression, don’t hesitate to see a medical provider. Depression in teens has become increasingly more common, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Likely, if you are concerned that your teen may have depression, they likely do have diagnosable depression. 

It’s common for parents or even practitioners to mistake teen depression symptoms for typical adolescent developmental changes or “growing pains”, so it’s best to seek help right away because the symptoms have likely been there for a while. Due to delayed diagnosis, teenagers tend to have more severe symptoms than adults when they are first seen by a mental health provider. 

If you think your teen may have depression, schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist to discuss their symptoms. Whether your teenager has a depressive disorder depends on their symptoms, severity, length, and frequency. Note any symptoms your teenager experiences, when they began, and anything that improves or worsens their symptoms to help provide your psychiatrist with the details they will need to make an accurate diagnosis.

The National Institute of Health states that suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15-24. (It’s the number one killer of children ages 10-14.) Treating depression is the number one way to prevent teen suicides. We encourage parents to always take their child’s concerns seriously. The earlier you seek treatment, the better. 

DON’T HESITATE: If you think your child is in crisis or suicidal, call or text the national suicide prevention hotline at 988 immediately.  

My child seems depressed. Did I do something wrong?

It is not unusual for a parent to feel like they did something wrong if their child has a mental health concern. Yet half of the world’s population will have a mental health disorder at some point in their life, and most begin in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood (Queensland Brain Institute).

If your child comes to you with a mental health concern, that is a good sign. That means you have taught your child to recognize when something is wrong and to ask for help when they need it. The same goes if you recognize symptoms first and turn to professionals for help. 

In today’s world mental illnesses are recognized as part of life and no longer carry the stigma they once did. Especially among teens themselves, there is much less of a concern of social isolation if your teen opens up about having a mental health condition. If your teen has a mental health issue, you have the chance to show them two very important lessons: seeking help when you need it and putting your health first.

What are the safest and most effective treatment options for depression in teens?

The best treatment for your teen will depend on their unique symptoms. For example, some patients have difficulty sleeping, which we can address with certain types of depression medications.

Generally speaking, however, TMS is the safest and one of the most effective depression treatments on the market. And, now that it is FDA-approved for teens, TMS is the safest depression treatment available for teens.

Will my child need depression treatment their entire life?

Depending on the treatment that you, your teen, and their medical provider decide, your teen may need depression treatment for years. One of the greatest benefits of TMS treatment for teens is that it can provide lasting relief. After the initial 6 weeks of treatment, some patients will not need any further treatments, while others will require occasional maintenance treatments.

If being tied to an antidepressant medication for years is a concern, TMS may be the best option. Schedule an appointment today to talk to a provider to see if TMS is right for your teen.