Breakthrough Anxiety Treatment at BrainCare Carlsbad

An anxiety disorder is when feelings of worry or fear become so strong and persistent that they start interfering with daily life. Unlike normal anxiety, which is a temporary response to stress, an anxiety disorder causes ongoing and overwhelming anxiety even when there's no immediate danger or specific reason. This can make it hard to work, study, socialize, or enjoy everyday activities.

Some of the most common anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — Persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life, such as health, work, or social interactions, even when there’s little or no reason to worry.
• Panic Disorder — sudden and intense panic attacks that include symptoms like heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, and a fear of losing control.
• Social Anxiety Disorder— an intense fear of social situations where one might be judged, embarrassed, or scrutinized by others.
• Specific Phobias — these include acrophobia (fear of heights), aerophobia (fear of flying), agoraphobia (fear of leaving home or being in open spaces), and dozens more.

It’s also common to have anxiety and depression at the same time. In fact, nearly half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, our treatments (rTMS and MeRT) can reduce symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

Anxiety changes your brain. It’s directly associated with low nerve activity and neurotransmitter levels in specific brain areas. Our treatment uses gentle magnetic stimulation, guided by sophisticated brain mapping (EEG), to relieve your anxiety symptoms.

• rTMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, improving symptoms of anxiety. Read more about rTMS here.
• MeRT, on the other hand, is a personalized form of treatment that tailors the approach to your unique brain wave patterns. Read more about MeRT here.

MeRT and rTMS use magnetic impulses to stimulate the underperforming brain areas and restore normal nerve activity. As your brain function improves, so does your anxiety.

When you come in for anxiety treatment, we begin with thorough evaluation of your condition. Then we perform sophisticated diagnostic tests followed by a tailored treatment plan.

1. During your first appointment, we perform a qualitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) to map your brainwaves and identify imbalances in brainwave activity. We also perform an electrocardiogram (EKG) to measure your brain-heart coherence.
2. At your second appointment, your provider reviews your test results with you and discusses your treatment plan. If you decide to move forward, we schedule your first two weeks of rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation).
3. After every two weeks of treatment, we perform another qEEG and EKG to see how your brain is responding. If we see improvements, we then book additional treatments in two-week intervals.

• Have you taken any medications for your anxiety?
• Do you have trouble tolerating the medications you take?
• Are the side effects of your current anxiety treatment more significant than the benefits?
• Have drugs or psychotherapy been ineffective in treating your anxiety?
• Does your anxiety impact your ability to work, study, or socialize?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may be a great candidate for rTMS or MeRT treatment.

Contact our New Patient Coordinator today for a free consultation and find out if our anxiety treatment can help you.