Anxiety

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. It’s a normal part of life and can help us deal with stressful work or life situations. In cases like these, the anxiety resolves fairly rapidly.

But what about when the anxiety doesn’t go away? That can be overwhelming and can make it impossible to get through the day.

Many treatments exist for anxiety, such as medications, therapy, and lifestyle changes. Yet sometimes these don’t work… or in the case of anxiety drugs, can have dangerous side effects.

Our expert team at BrainCare Performance Center in Carlsbad, California, offers alternative treatments for anxiety: rTMS and MeRT®. They’re drug-free, non-invasive, and have brought relief to many patients who haven’t found success with other methods.

What Is An Anxiety Disorder?

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.

How rTMS and MeRT® Work to Treat Anxiety

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. [link to rTMS page]
• 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. [link to MeRT® page]

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.

“I had degraded to the point of not being able to leave my home because of panic attacks and severe anxiety. I could not hide from this feeling, and no medication could numb it. It was living in despair and physical pain every day without reprieve—that is until I was able to get treatment. I underwent MeRT® for two months with total symptom resolution. Now I can function again at work and can spend much-needed time with my family. I have my sense of well-being back and a clarity of thought I haven’t had in many years.” – US Army Veteran

What to Expect When You Come In for Anxiety Treatment

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.

Is Our Anxiety Treatment Right for You? Answer These Questions:

• 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.