If you’re considering TMS therapy for depression, anxiety, or OCD, you might be wondering what a typical treatment plan looks like. Here’s a simple breakdown of what to expect from a standard course of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)—a safe, non-invasive, and FDA-cleared option for mental health treatment.
After the initial TMS mapping session, which helps identify the precise area of the brain to stimulate, TMS treatment usually starts with daily sessions. This means five days a week for four to six weeks. After this acute phase, many patients continue with a tapering schedule—usually two treatments per week—for up to 12 more weeks.
Each daily TMS therapy session lasts about 18 to 20 minutes when using conventional TMS settings with an H1 coil. Most people begin to notice symptom improvement after two to four weeks of daily sessions.
Some individuals are late responders. Even if there’s no noticeable improvement during the first four weeks, it doesn’t mean the treatment isn’t working. In fact, research shows that 72.7% of people who didn’t respond during the daily treatment phase experienced significant relief during the twice-weekly continuation phase with the H1 coil (Yip et al.).
If you’re looking for a medication-free treatment for depression, anxiety, or OCD, TMS therapy might be a powerful option to consider.
