TMS Effective For Reducing Suicidal Thoughts

Suicidal thoughts are an unfortunately common symptom affecting millions of people worldwide, with mental health disorders like depression often acting as a catalyst. Recently, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for individuals grappling with suicidal ideation. This non-invasive procedure has shown remarkable efficacy in alleviating the burden of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts, offering a glimmer of hope to those who desperately need it.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that uses magnetic fields to stimulate neurons in the brain. In short, TMS works by modulating neural activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with mood regulation. By targeting these brain regions, TMS therapy aims to rebalance neural circuits, offering relief from the debilitating symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts.

Several studies have explored the effectiveness of TMS in addressing suicidal ideation. Research has shown that individuals who received TMS treatment experience a significant reduction in suicidal thoughts compared to those who underwent a placebo procedure. 

In order to measure response to TMS treatment at Inspire TMS Denver, we use patient self-reported rating scales to determine severity of symptoms. Patients rate their symptoms before, during, and after TMS treatment. The specific rating scale we commonly use is the PHQ-9 scale. This scale contains a series of statements and asks the patient to rate a symptom on a scale of 0-3 (0 being not at all, 1 being several days, 2 being more than half the days, and 3 being nearly every day). One such symptom is, “Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way.” In our clinic, we examined our patient’s response to this question as a measure of TMS efficacy for suicidal thoughts.

After treatment, there was an average 82% decrease in report of suicidal thoughts compared to prior to treatment.

Additionally, 69% of patients who reported suicidal thoughts before treatment reported none after treatment (0 on the PHQ-9), and 92% of our patients ended with a “1” or less.

TMS continues to be a promising option for patients struggling with depression, and significantly reduces suicidal thoughts based on randomized control trials and real world results. We are seeing great results in our clinic for reducing suicidal thoughts. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about TMS treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling with imminent suicide risk, please call or text to 988 - the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.