16 million American adults suffer from depression.
For those who can't find relief through medicine, a new option called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is becoming a rising star in the treatment world.
Stacey James suffered from depression for years, but then on a whim decided to try TMS.
"I dealt with it off and on since my 20's and now I'm in my 50's and it got worse, anxiety and depression. I wasn't coming out of my house for a year and a half. I cried literally every single day," James said. "Life today? It's good really good, my anxiety is gone."
James said five weeks of almost-daily TMS treatment helped him tremendously. Medical exerts tell us the non-invasive treatment works by placing a small electro-magnet against the left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls emotions. The magnet is left there for around 20-40 minutes. It produces magnetic energy that goes through the skull to the brain and penetrates a couple of centimeters.
The FDA approved the procedure back in 2008, and the local medical experts we talked to say the success rate has helped it take off. 67 percent of people have significant improvement after the treatment, and 45 percent have total remission, according to the experts.
