Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation offers hope

For Veteran living with depression  

For Army Veteran Shirley Benoit, the battle with depression lasted more than a decade.

Medications didn’t work and the side effects often made things worse. When she began Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy at VA, she finally found relief.

“It was doing something for my depression,” Benoit said. “Now I’m doing the maintenance. It really has helped, even with my back pain.”

Benoit served a combined 17 years with the Army National Guard and on active duty, holding roles in combat medicine, supply, engineering, recruiting and administrative support. She first began TMS treatment at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center in Ohio in 2010, when the therapy was just being introduced as an alternative option for Veterans who had not responded well to medication or counseling.

After just four weeks, Benoit noticed a change. “I could tell something was working,” she recalled.

Now a traveling Veteran who spends time in Ohio and Florida, Benoit also continues her maintenance treatments at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville. She credits her care team, led by Dr. Milankumar Nathani, psychiatrist at the Malcom Randall VAMC, for making each visit a positive experience.“Dr. Nathani and his staff, their patience, their professionalism, the way they handle me, I know that I’m important,” she said. “They listen. They are compassionate about me and the way I feel.”

How TMS treatment works

TMS is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain linked to mood regulation. It’s typically recommended for Veterans diagnosed with major depressive disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, particularly when medications or traditional therapy haven’t provided sufficient relief.

During treatment, Veterans sit comfortably in a chair while a magnetic coil is placed against the scalp. The device delivers gentle tapping sensations for about 20 to 30 minutes, five days a week, for four to six weeks. Many patients begin noticing improvement after just a few weeks.

Unlike other medical procedures, TMS requires no surgery, anesthesia or needles, and it has few to no side effects. Patients remain awake throughout the session.

For Veterans like Benoit, the benefits go beyond symptom relief, they represent a return to hope.

Veterans interested in learning more about TMS can speak with their VA mental health provider to see if the therapy is right for them.

This article was originally published on the VA North Florida/South Georgia Health care System site and has been edited for style and clarity.