May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an initiative that started in 1949 to address the challenges that millions of Americans face living with mental health conditions.
According to a recent statistic from the National Institute of Mental Health Disorders, an estimated 26% of American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
Unfortunately, it’s also estimated that nearly 50% of those affected do not seek treatment, and instead struggle in silence. Some people feel uncomfortable talking about their mental illness, while others don’t even realize they have a mental illness to begin with.
At Coastal Carolina Internal Medicine PA, our team wants to emphasize the importance of talking about your mental struggles. We can help you find anxiety, OCD, and depression treatment in Jacksonville, NC. It all starts with a conversation so we can help you understand that you’re not alone, and treatments are available.
For many of our patients, we recommend ExoMind, the latest device by BTL that specifically focuses on improving mental wellness using electromagnetic technology. ExoMind works in tandem with medications and other mental health treatments to enhance our patients’ well-being. To learn more about mental health and options for alternative treatment for depression, anxiety, and more, read this blog.
Introducing ExoMind
ExoMind uses electromagnetic stimulation to revitalize neural pathways, leading to improved brain function, emotional balance, and overall wellness. This transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device targets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the part of the brain responsible for goal-directed behavior and cognitive function.
ExoMind enhances neural connectivity and improves cognitive patterns through repetitive magnetic stimulation pulses, improving the symptoms of the following mental health concerns.
Depression
Depression refers to the mood disorder that causes prolonged feelings of sadness and loss of interest in normal activities. Experiencing a bout of the blues is a normal part of the human experience, but depression differs from these isolated moments. Symptoms of depression, whether mild or severe, occur for longer than 2 weeks, nearly every day, negatively affecting your relationships, hobbies, work, and quality of life. Patients seek depression treatment in Jacksonville for relief from the following symptoms:
- Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability, or frustration
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Loss of interest in hobbies or activities
- Unexplained physical problems, like back pain or headaches
- Low sex drive
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Constipation
These are just a few of the symptoms of depression. It’s important to understand that this disorder can affect everyone differently, which contributes to why some people may not even realize they struggle with mental illness.
Depression can result from your genetics, trauma, and stress. Anyone can experience this mood disorder. However, neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine—hormones that affect your mood and how your body responds to stress—also play a role in the development of depression. ExoMind enhances and reactivates these neural pathways, improving their connectivity and easing the symptoms mentioned above.
Anxiety
Feeling anxious or worried is another symptom of depression. However, it can also occur independently of it. Just like depression, we all experience isolated moments of anxiety. It’s just part of the human experience. However, anxiety disorder persists and worsens over time, causing individuals to worry about everyday situations and experience persistent feelings of fear, dread, and uneasiness.
It’s best to consult a professional if anxiety disorder interferes with your daily activities so we can find you the best anxiety or depression treatment in Jacksonville, NC. Anxiety can raise blood pressure, negatively affecting both your physical and cardiovascular health.
Anxiety affects people differently, but some common symptoms include:
- Having a sense of impending doom
- Sweating, trembling, and increased heart rate
- Trouble sleeping
- Breathing rapidly
- Feeling weak or tired
- Trouble concentrating
- Avoiding certain things that trigger anxiety
ExoMind improves communication between the DLPFC and the amygdala (anxiety center), thus reducing anxiety by reactivating neural pathways.
Binge Eating
Binge eating refers to a serious condition that involves eating unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time. People who struggle with this disorder feel that they lack the control to stop eating once they start. Other symptoms of binge eating include the following:
- Eating even when you’re full
- Eating until you’re uncomfortably full
- Eating alone or in secret
Not only does this lead to unhealthy weight gain, but it also causes feelings of shame, guilt, and depression. ExoMind targets areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation and self-control. We also offer medical weight loss and weight loss management services to help you gain control over your cravings.
Related Reading: Combined Care at Coastal Carolina: Medical Weight Loss and Holistic Support
Additional Support From ExoMind
ExoMind is an FDA-cleared depression treatment in Jacksonville. However, it’s also approved to treat the following mental health conditions, all of which are linked to depression:
- Difficulty focusing
- Changes in mood
- Poor sleep patterns
- Mental fog
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
If you struggle with any of the mentioned symptoms, we encourage you to request an appointment with our team. We make the process for seeking mental health treatment at Coastal Carolina easy and comfortable.
The Process at Coastal Carolina
ExoMind works in conjunction with other mental health treatments, enhancing their effectiveness. Therefore, we start with a conversation to find the right treatment plan for you.
Consultation
During the consultation, we review your medical history and discuss your symptoms and concerns. We do our best to make you feel comfortable because we understand that talking about these struggles is difficult.
It’s easy to invalidate yourself when it comes to seeking treatments for mental health concerns, especially if you’ve struggled with them for most of your life. However, once you open up, we can help you understand that these prolonged struggles are not part of the human experience.
Mental Health Screenings
We have various screening tools and questionnaires in our office to guide the conversation surrounding depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. This will help us understand the severity of your symptoms and find the best depression treatment in Jacksonville, NC, for you.
Referrals
For some patients, we may refer you to see a psychiatrist or other specialists to properly diagnose you and provide ongoing treatment. For mental health issues, we offer some medications, but may recommend other traditional forms of treatment, like therapy.
Medications
At our medical center, we may be able to prescribe medications to ease your symptoms of mental illness. With this option, we can adjust and manage your medication in our office. Medications and therapy are the first options for treatment. The ExoMind enhances the effectiveness of traditional treatments, helping you feel calmer and more in control.
ExoMind Process
Fortunately, ExoMind requires no pre-treatment care. Before you arrive, we recommend supporting your physical health by eating a balanced, healthy meal and drinking plenty of water. Please communicate any feelings of anxiety or stress regarding this treatment. We will walk you through the process and make sure you’re relaxed.
Treatment
We start by placing the applicator cap comfortably on your head. For 20 to 30 minutes, ExoMind will stimulate your neural pathways, easing symptoms of worry, sadness, and impulsivity. This depression treatment in Jacksonville feels like a painless tingling sensation on your scalp.
We recommend that you take this time to truly unwind and free yourself from any distractions. Your treatment will take place in a relaxing and comfortable space designed to put you at ease.
Results
It’s hard to estimate just how quickly you’ll feel an improvement in your mood and thought processes. Timelines vary depending on the patient. You may start noticing results after a few sessions, especially in combination with traditional mental health treatments.
Benefits of ExoMind
Patients love ExoMind because it gives them a renewed feeling of calm and control. However, it boasts a few other benefits in addition to improved mental health.
Noninvasive
ExoMind rests on your head. It doesn’t require injections or any other invasive procedures to enhance your neural connectivity.
Drug-Free
You don’t have to worry about taking daily medication. This treatment boasts no side effects and only requires maintenance sessions after your initial round.
No Downtime
Drug-free and noninvasive means no downtime. You can return to your regular routine after these quick, relaxing sessions for depression treatment in Jacksonville. However, we do recommend engaging in relaxing and leisurely activities after your appointment, rather than returning to a stressful situation or environment. We understand that sometimes these surroundings are unavoidable; that’s why this is simply a suggestion.
FAQ
ExoMind sounds too good to be true. Fortunately, it’s not. With advancements in TMS technology and mental health treatments, we continue to help patients from all walks of life find relief from persistent fear, sadness, and impulsivity. Still, we hope to clear up any concerns or misconceptions regarding this treatment.
Is this a treatment for ADHD?
ExoMind is not currently FDA-cleared as an ADHD treatment. Fortunately, at Coastal Carolina, we can still treat symptoms related to difficulty concentrating and sitting still. We can explore ADHD treatment options after you schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional.
Can I use ExoMind as a standalone treatment for anxiety and depression?
ExoMind should not be used as a standalone treatment for anyone clinically diagnosed with anxiety or depression. For all mental health concerns, ExoMind enhances traditional forms of treatment, but it should never replace them.
Does ExoMind hurt?
It’s understandable to worry about pain associated with ExoMind. Most patients find the therapy comfortable and enjoy their quick, 30-minute session. If you do feel discomfort, talk to your provider and we can make adjustments to improve your ExoMind experience.
Rediscover a New You
With depression treatment in Jacksonville, NC, we hope you’ll find a renewed appreciation for life. ExoMind should improve your quality of life, reviving your interests and even improving your confidence. It all starts with a conversation. To begin the process, you can either try our treatment planning tool or request an appointment to speak with a provider. We promise to listen intently and validate your concerns.
