This is one of the more common questions and it’s fairly difficult to answer.

For the sake of this question, we’ll compare an exercise routine or a weight-loss diet to a full TMS course. When you are exercising or trying to lose weight via a diet, you often won’t notice major changes in your body if you keep looking at yourself in the mirror everyday, especially if it’s only been a few days or weeks. Significant changes in your body can take many weeks, months, or even years.

This concept applies to patients receiving TMS treatment. You probably won’t notice any immediate effects, especially in the first few weeks. On average, most patients need at least four weeks before they start noticing anything different about themselves. Some patients won’t notice changes until weeks after they complete their treatment. However, while patients themselves may not notice changes, their friends and family may see subtle changes. These subtle changes can be slight upticks in mood, future outlook, energy, motivation, and quality of life. Some behaviors such as smiling more often or having a slightly more positive affect are often better noticed by your friends and family rather than one’s own self-evaluation.