New Depression Treatment Available In Oklahoma

Doctors say the pandemic has magnified many mental health challenges, including depression.

There is now a new way to treat clinical depression, and you can only get it at a handful of places in Oklahoma.

"It's called transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS for short," said Dr. Geetika Verma with SSM Health. 

This is a non-invasive procedure helping those fighting treatment resistant depression.  

This is something Dr. Verma has wanted for her patients for a long time.

"We know depression causes dormancy or decreased functions of certain brain sections. With this treatment, we give magnetic stimulation to specific brain parts to become more active," said Dr. Verma.

It gives relief to patients, and for one patient, she got her sense of humor back. 

"From the old medications to the new medications, they just never did the trick," said Lisa Shockley. 

But now, Shockley found a new trick by trying this product out with 36 treatments, 18 minutes each, changing her mindset to thriving and not just surviving.

"If you’ve been depressed for 50 years, you can do better the next 30, you still have a life to live," said Shockley.

"Their lifestyles are better, their quality of life is better, they are more engaged with their family and loved ones, doing better in school," said Dr. Verma. 

Patients say they are most thankful for not having side effects after using this treatment.

Most insurance companies are covering the depression treatment, making it more accessible.