Starting a new treatment can be an anxious experience for anyone. At Sydney TMS we totally understand this and to make our treatment a little easier we strongly encourage patients to bring along a close support person. If your friend or loved one is beginning TMS therapy with us here at Sydney TMS, we have listed a few tips to assist you in supporting them. If you have any further questions or need some advice, feel free to contact us on 1300 177 144.
Educate yourself on Sydney TMS.
TMS is short for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. It is a treatment for depression that involves the use of magnetic fields to stimulate the brain. TMS assists the brain without the need for any medication or surgery, and there is no need to stay in hospital because all of our therapy sessions take place in our medical clinic. The sessions last under an hour and patients can carry on with their day as usual after their session. For more information about Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation please visit https://www.sydneytms.com.au/what-is-transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/
Be Understanding.
Whilst you may not fully understand what your friend or partner is going through, the best thing to do is support them and ask them to help you understand what they’re feeling. Feeling alone is common for person with depression and anything that combats that feeling, will help minimise it.
Ask if you want to accompany them to their sessions.
At Sydney TMS patients are with staff members at all times but patients are also invited to bring someone to accompany them to their sessions. Whilst this is not a requirement, the idea of having someone there might be comforting for the patient and make them feel less anxious. It doesn’t take long before our patients realise how friendly the treatment actually is and after a few sessions most of our patients find they can manage on their own but its always nice for them to know that someone cares enough to be there for them.
Encouragement
Attending all the sessions is also really important if the treatment is to be given the best chance of success for the patient. We recommend you support in any way you can to encourage your loved one to get to every session. We also recommend that patients continue with their current medications and maintain a healthy routine so that we can monitor the treatment progress.
Show compassion.
There are going to be good days and bad days. Encourage your loved one to focus on self-care, whether this is enjoying some gentle exercise, going out for a meal or even just reminding your friend or partner that you care about them. It’s important to remind them to be gentle on themselves during this time. Getting outdoors and going for a nature walk might be a good outing you can recommend during your spare time.
Be conscious of language.
There is a stigma that surrounds mental health and by doing what you can to discourage this stigma can help your partner. For example, communicate calmly and with open mindedness to your family member or friend. Create a safe place where you both can discuss your thoughts and feelings. If they are speaking negatively about themselves try to bring the conversation back to the positive things they do well or positive situations.
Look after yourself
Often the people who show support and care are selfless people and often forget about themselves when a loved one is going through difficult times. Remember to look after yourself first of all as its important that you are healthy and well. Maintain your own healthy routine with a healthy diet and fit in exercise where you can. It’s important that you are your best self when helping others through a difficult time.
The old saying goes actions speak louder than words, so during difficult times you really don’t need to say much, it’s more important to be there in person and in conversation during difficult times.