For Loved Ones - Active Path Mental Health in OR and WA

Medication and Talk Therapy Aren’t the Only Options

Millions of Americans live with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. And many deal with unmanaged symptoms, either because medication and talk therapy have failed to adequately help, or because they remain undiagnosed. Active Path is here to help.

If you’ve noticed a loved one is suffering from the effects of depression or OCD, TMS therapy may be able to help. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an FDA-cleared non-invasive treatment option for people with treatment-resistant depression or OCD. It’s a safe and effective treatment for depression and/or OCD with minimal side effects and no known effects on cognition or sleep.

“I would say you’ve got nothing to lose. And everything to gain. And I think you’ll be surprised at what it can do for you.” – Todd, TMS Patient

Starting or Restarting the Conversation on Mental Health

Someone living with a mental illness may not immediately notice that they aren’t experiencing relief from medication. Or they may start to believe that no treatment will work for them. Your loved one may be suffering with unmanaged symptoms of depression or OCD, or they may be unhappy with the side effects of medication.

So how do you start a conversation that your loved one may want to consider TMS, therapy or both?

Try following these tips for having a mental health talk:

  • Be sure your loved one knows you want to have an important conversation.
  • Anticipate that they may get upset.
  • Express that you care about them.
  • Use “I” statements to express your concern about their mental state.
  • Remind them that alternative treatments exist that are safe and have minimal side effects.
  • If therapy is the next step, help find a professional and schedule the first appointment.
  • Offer to go with them to the appointment even if your loved one refuses to attend.

Help your loved one recognize if they could have depression with the following self-assessment:

woman looking at camera

How to Talk About TMS Therapy

When discussing treatment options with your loved one, it’s important to remember that there is no single treatment that has been proven to work for everyone. Antidepressants may help many people, but some people experience no benefits or cannot tolerate their side effects. TMS therapy is an alternative treatment that can help people who have not achieved satisfactory improvement from antidepressants.

It may help to share the personal experiences of other patients who have used TMS therapy. Read reviews and quotes from our patients.

What Patients Are Saying

Quote 1

“It was transforming. I feel like my battery has been recharged. I’m able to live my life more fully again. I wish it was offered to me as a treatment option years ago.”

Quote 2

“I wish I had this available years ago. I could have started to live life a long time ago. Best thing I’ve ever done for myself.”

Quote 3

“You are not alone. These people will help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Quote 4

“It has, so far, been life changing for me. I am figuring out how to live as a non-depressed person. After a lifetime of struggle.”