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New Inspirational Memoir Aims to Support Individuals Battling Depression

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:53:27 EST

Poughkeepsie, NY, September 10, 2012 – A new book released today chronicles one woman's 30-year battle with major depression and sheds light on how a novel, non-drug therapy saved her life. 3,000 Pulses intimately documents 62-year-old Martha Rhodes' nearly lifelong journey with depression and gives a harrowing yet inspirational account of how it is possible to reclaim your life from the powerful grip of mental illness and attempted suicide.
 
'I wrote this book to help the millions of people who are suffering from depression realize that they are not alone and there is help out there,' said Rhodes. 'For me, transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, made all the difference and my wish is that 3,000 Pulses provides others with a beacon of hope that they, too, can find peace.'
 
Rhodes, a former New York advertising executive who seemingly had it all, experienced depressive symptoms as a teenager but wasn't officially diagnosed with major depressive disorder until her late thirties. Rhodes took antidepressant medications for about fifteen years, but over time, the medications stopped working or the side effects became intolerable. Similar to Rhodes, an estimated 4 million people in the U.S. do not benefit from standard treatments for depression, even after repeated treatment attempts. Before Rhodes found relief with TMS, she was at a point in her life where she felt nothing mattered and was ready to give up.
 
The title 3,000 Pulses is based on the number of highly-focused, magnetic pulses delivered during a typical TMS treatment session to stimulate function in targeted regions of the brain thought to control mood. The book is now available for purchase at www.3000pulses.com.
 
Rhodes co-authored 3,000 Pulses with Dr. Randy Pardell, MD, DFAPA, Director of Riverview Psychiatric Medicine, who has witnessed firsthand the positive impact of TMS on his patients' lives.
 
'I have patients who suffered from severe depression for years and experienced remarkable improvements following TMS therapy after little or no response to other antidepressant medications,' Pardell said. 'I hope that in reading Martha's story, others living with depression will be encouraged to explore new options to treat their symptoms.'
 
About NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy
TMS is a noninvasive, non-systemic treatment that uses short pulses of a magnetic field to stimulate nerve cells in the area of the brain thought to control mood. This pulsed magnetic field may have a positive effect on the brain's neurotransmitters' levels. When used as an antidepressant therapy, TMS produces clinical benefit without the systemic side effects typical with oral medications and has no adverse effects on cognition as occurs with electroconvulsive therapy.
 
The NeuroStar TMS Therapy System is the only  TMS device that is FDA-cleared for the treatment of adult patients with major depression and is the TMS device that was used to treat Martha's depression.  NeuroStar TMS patients will have not benefitted from one prior antidepressant medication of adequate dose and duration in the current major depressive episode. The most common side effect associated with TMS Therapy is pain or discomfort at the treatment area.  There is a rare risk of seizure with TMS (0.1% per patient).  NeuroStar TMS Therapy is available by prescription only and is delivered under the supervision of a psychiatrist. To learn more visit: www.neurostar.com.
 
About Depression
Depression is a serious illness that affects about 20 million Americans annually. People with depression may experience a range of physically and emotionally debilitating symptoms, including anxiousness, sadness, irritability, fatigue, changes in sleep patterns, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities and digestive problems. Each year in the U.S., more than 30,000 people die by suicide, 60 percent of whom suffer from depression.