Becca’s Story: Reclaiming Her Life After Depression and Anxiety with TMS Therapy

Becca had reached a point where even surviving became too much to bear. She recalled how the weight of depression and anxiety had taken over her life, dragging her into a place where panic attacks were frequent, motivation was gone, and even getting out of bed felt impossible.

“I thought I was the most absolutely hopeless person in the world,” Becca shared. After trying multiple antidepressants, six in just a few months, nothing helped. Things felt worse. “We’d tried probably six different medications, and if anything, a lot of it was making it worse,” she said.

The symptoms weren’t just emotional, they were physical. She had been diagnosed with PCOS and felt overwhelmed by the hormonal and psychological toll. The depression symptoms and anxiety symptoms began impacting every area of her life. She couldn’t work. She couldn’t function. Eventually, she ended up in the hospital, and that stay became her turning point.

“I got out of the hospital and a week later, I was in TMS.”

Understanding the Brain: The Science Behind Depression and Anxiety

What Becca was experiencing is something that millions of people silently live through. Depression and anxiety disorders often share overlapping features. For Becca, that meant an exhausting combination of suicidal thoughts, low energy, and constant emotional overwhelm. But these conditions aren’t just emotional, they’re neurological.

When someone experiences symptoms of depression, certain brain regions (including the prefrontal cortex) become underactive. This area helps regulate emotions, plan decisions, and interpret social interactions. Meanwhile, in anxiety, other areas like the amygdala become hyperactive, constantly signaling danger and stress. Together, these changes distort perception, focus, and mood.

For Becca, the depression symptoms weren’t just sadness, they were thoughts that didn’t feel like her own. “I very much believe the thoughts were coming from the depression itself,” she explained. “Just from that little pit of sadness in the back of my head.”

This is where transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS therapy, came into play.

What is TMS Therapy? A Neurological Reset

TMS treatment uses targeted magnetic pulses to stimulate underactive regions of the brain, specifically those linked to mood and emotion regulation. For people like Becca, who haven’t found relief through medication, TMS therapy for depression offers an entirely different approach.

The treatment is medication-free, doesn’t require anesthesia, and has minimal side effects. At Serenity Mental Health Centers, our TMS specialists personalize each treatment plan using advanced mapping of the brain. This ensures the magnetic pulses are precisely targeted to the neural pathways affected by depression and anxiety disorders.

From a neuroscience perspective, TMS helps reset the brain’s electrical activity. When magnetic pulses stimulate the prefrontal cortex, this triggers a cascade of activity that helps restore balance to neural circuits. Over time, this reduces the intensity of depression symptoms and improves emotional regulation. Becca started to notice that shift immediately.

From Hopelessness to Healing: Becca’s First TMS Appointment

“I came in kind of worried, really doubtful that any of it was going to help because nothing had helped up to this point,” Becca admitted. But her fears began to ease the moment she sat down with her technician.

Her first appointment at the TMS therapy clinic was a breakthrough. “I felt a billion times better walking out of that first appointment,” she recalled. That single session helped Becca realize that her thoughts were not her own; they were symptoms of her illness. “They’ve become thoughts that I can now push to the back... These are not my actual thoughts.”

This shift in awareness is one of the powerful outcomes of TMS treatment. When neural pathways begin to heal, the relentless stream of negative thoughts becomes quieter. Patients often describe feeling more in control, more grounded, and better able to engage with life again.

The Power of TMS: How It Changed Becca’s Life

In the weeks that followed, Becca began noticing major changes. This wasn’t just in how she felt, but in what she could do.

“I’m ready to start working on things again. It’s been really exciting having the energy to do that, just to do things again,” she said, with a kind of joy and gratitude that had once felt completely out of reach.

TMS gave her the clarity and motivation that antidepressants couldn’t. Her psychiatrist at Serenity had listened closely, offered guidance, and connected her to an experienced team of local TMS doctors who understood what she was going through. For patients like Becca, finding the right support team can make all the difference. “I haven’t had a thought like that in weeks,” she said, referencing the suicidal ideation that had once dominated her mind.

At Serenity, our network of local psychiatrists works closely with every patient, adjusting care as needed and offering support throughout the healing process. Whether you're searching for a psychiatrist near me or a TMS therapy clinic that truly cares, Serenity is here to walk beside you every step of the way.

Becca’s Message to Others: You Deserve to Feel Better

Becca wants others to know that healing is possible. “The fact that I’m still here and that I’m still alive is amazing to me,” she said. For so long, she felt like nothing could help, like her life had stalled completely. But everything changed once she found the right treatment and the right care team.

Her advice was not to let fear (or finances) stop you from getting help. “Don’t even think about it. Just don’t worry about the finances. Those will always find a way to work themselves out. If you’re feeling stuck, if you’re feeling trapped, you need this. It’s absolutely been a life-changer.”

From standing on the edge emotionally to feeling empowered and alive again, Becca’s transformation is one of strength, courage, and science-backed healing. For anyone searching for help with anxiety, depression, or who feels that medications haven’t worked, her story stands as a reminder: your brain can change, and your story isn’t over.

Serenity Mental Health Centers: A New Path to Wellness

At Serenity, we believe every patient deserves the chance to heal, not just manage their symptoms, but truly take back their life. Our board-certified psychiatrists specialize in complex mental health cases, including treatment-resistant depression, panic attacks, and anxiety disorders. We tailor every plan to the person behind the symptoms, because no two minds are the same.

If you’ve been searching online for a psychiatrist near me or wondering if TMS therapy might be your next step, let Becca’s story serve as your sign. We are proud to be a trusted provider of TMS therapy for depression and other mental health conditions, with access to some of the most experienced TMS specialists in the country. You don’t have to navigate this alone.

We’re here and ready to help you take that first step toward feeling like yourself again. Like Becca said: if she can do it, so can you! Book your consultation today and find out what TMS therapy can do for you!