We are nine months in to the COVID-19 pandemic and every news source is reporting unprecedented spikes of cases in the United States. This begs the questions: Is there ever going to be an end in sight? Will life ever return to “normal?”
Yes, things will eventually get better, but it’s likely going to take a long while. Even if you are mentally healthy, just watching the news can invoke feelings of anxiety and depression.
Other events in 2020 have also contributed to the chaos. Divisiveness and upheaval also dominate the news. 2020 has been like nothing we’ve ever seen before in our lifetimes, and mental health conditions are on the rise. People who already struggle with mental health are noticing worsening symptoms as well. Many things have contributed to this, including:
- Lack of preparation; no one in the world was prepared on how to deal with a virus that so little was known about, nor how to protect against getting it.
- Media inconsistencies.
- Worry about the economy.
- Lost jobs, loss of income, loss of security; fear of losing everything that you’ve worked for.
- Fear of not being able to provide for your family.
- Fear of not only contacting the virus, but also of unintentionally spreading of the virus to loved ones and others who are high-risk.
- Fear of getting sick, fear of dying.
- Social isolation.
- Children not being able to go to school.
- Having to work from home while trying to keep your child engaged with school, or having to work with home while taking care of small children.
- Loss of support systems.
- Loss of connections with others.
- Lost outlets for stress.
- Inability to see loved ones.
- Elderly people in nursing or assisted living facilities being denied access to the outside world.
- Grief from losing loved ones who have been infected and/or passed away from COVID-19.
While we constantly hear about the pandemic and other things going on in the news, there has been little emphasis placed on mental health. Here at The Brain Treatment Center, we care about your mental health, and helping you heal.
Call our New Patient Coordinator at
214-972-0126
A recent study by the CDC published the following regarding the mental health of Americans affected by COVID-19:
Overall, 40.9% of 5,470 respondents who completed surveys during June reported an adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including those who reported symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), those with TSRD symptoms related to COVID-19 (26.3%), those who reported having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%), and those who reported having seriously considered suicide in the preceding 30 days (10.7%) At least one adverse mental or behavioral health symptom was reported by more than one half of respondents who were aged 18–24 years (74.9%) and 25–44 years (51.9%), of Hispanic ethnicity (52.1%), and who held less than a high school diploma (66.2%), as well as those who were essential workers (54.0%), unpaid caregivers for adults (66.6%), and who reported treatment for diagnosed anxiety (72.7%), depression (68.8%), or PTSD (88.0%) at the time of the survey.
This study was completed in June. We are now almost 6 months past that, and the toll from Depression, Anxiety, and other mental health conditions is only getting worse.
The Brain Treatment Center in Dallas Can Help
Spencer Miller, M.D. and his exceptional staff at the Brain Treatment Center in Dallas offer MeRT, which stands for Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy. While we can’t control what is going on in the world, we can do our best to take care of ourselves and our mental health, which can help us to cope better with stressors. MeRT has shown to be an effective treatment protocol for Depression and other mental health disorders such as Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress-Disorder, and other forms of brain dysregulation. It is noninvasive and non-pharmaceutical, so there are no adverse effects from patients who are sensitive to medications.
MeRT is a cutting-edge technology that starts with a sophisticated qEEG (quantitative Electroencephalography) which provides us with a brainwave analysis that shows specific areas of your brain that are not functioning as they should. Dysregulation in the brain that occurs in patients who suffer from Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions, will show up on the EEG. Based on your results, we develop an individualized and targeted approach aimed at regenerating and restoring normal function.
In the simplest of terms, MeRT is used to reprogram abnormal electrical signals in the patient’s brain to ultimately modify and restore brain function and communication. Treatment is guided based on each individual’s brain pattern.
Learn more about MeRT Treatment for Depression here.
Each Person’s Brain is as Unique as Their Fingerprint
That’s what makes the MeRT approach so revolutionary. Using the results of your qEEG study, we create a precision, gentle treatment protocol using a set of magnets placed on the patient’s scalp to send electrical signals back into the brain in a manner that cause re-organization of the signals, thereby stimulating and organizing the function of the neurons in the brain. This process is called neuromodulation. At the Brain Treatment Center in Dallas, we use this technology to treat Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Concussions, Autism, Dementia, Learning Disorders, and more.
TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) has been used for decades to treat Depression and other conditions such as Anxiety, PTSD, Autism, and others. The equipment used in currently FDA-cleared to treat Depression and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), and is used off-label for all other conditions.
While MeRT utilizes TMS in its protocols, it is a far more evolved method of TMS therapy, since it combines the technologies of the qEEG and EKG to guide the treatment of TMS so that these treatments are completely tailored for each individual’s unique brain pattern.
TMS, in and of itself, is only used to deliver stimulation to one area of the brain at fixed frequency for all patients; it is more of a one-size-fits-all approach. Conversely, MeRT uses qEEG/EKG to map and guide a customized treatment frequency and location protocol for each individual’s specific dysregulation.
What to Expect
When you start as a new patient at the Brain Treatment Center Dallas, you will initially need two appointments, approximately two days apart. Both appointments will be about an hour in length. These appointments will be used to determine if Dr. Miller feels you can truly benefit from the MeRT [Magnetic e-Resonance Treatment] Program and, if so, to develop a tailored treatment plan based on your test results. Once you have done the testing and Consultation, you are not obliged to begin treatment. This is something that you will determine once you have seen your test results and consulted with Dr. Miller.
At the first appointment, we will go over your reasons for seeking help, your medical history, your health goals, and all of your symptoms. You will then begin initial testing, which will involve an EEG and an EKG. These are both completely painless and easy and are done right in our office. Your information and test results are then sent over to our scientific and clinical teams, who will carefully analyze the results and determine current state and functioning of the brain together with Dr. Miller.
We use a patented, scientific approach with the neurophysiological data gathered through testing to then develop a highly customized treatment plan that is aimed at encouraging healthy brain communication and function.
At your second appointment, you will meet with Dr. Miller for a Consultation. He will discuss your test results and whether or not he and our scientific team feel that results may be achieved for you through our treatment protocol. This appointment will also serve to answer any additional questions you may have. After that second appointment, Dr. Miller will lay out your individualized treatment plan and the protocols to be followed for best results. At that point you may discuss fees, length of treatment and schedules, and then decide whether to go forward and schedule your treatment.
We do recommend that you continue care with your primary treating physician while you undergo MeRT treatment. Dr. Miller and our staff are happy to provide progress records to your treating physician as requested, and work with them as necessary.
Common Benefits of MeRT*
Improved sleep- Increased relaxation
- Better mood
- Decreased anxiety
- Better concentration and focus
- Improved memory and mental clarity
- Decreased pain
- Increased attention span
- Increased energy and motivation
- Improved sociability
- Less cravings for drugs and alcohol
- Improved emotional stability
- Increased ability to adapt to change
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
Improved sleepThis highly individualized, targeted approach hones in on the specific areas of the brain experiencing dysregulation, and gently improves functionality and communication. This is the science of addressing each person’s distinctive brain state individually.
*Results and improvements are based on strict observation of our regimes. Results may vary based on each individual and are not guaranteed.
Taking Care of Your Mental Health
MeRT is a therapy that has produced some phenomenal results. It is recommended that you be cleared for MeRT by your primary care provider or mental health professional, and is not intended to substitute the care you are already receiving. We are happy to work with your mental health care professional and provide them with status updates.
Additionally, here are some additional, healthy ways that the CDC recommends to cope with stress during the Pandemic:
- Know what to do if you are sick and are concerned about COVID-19. Contact a health care professional if you suspect you have COVID, or have been exposed.
- Know where to go and how to get treatment and other support services and resources, including counseling or therapy (in-person or through telehealth services)
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including those on social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body by deep breathing, stretching, or meditating. Try and eat healthy and well-balanced meals. Exercise regularly. Get plenty of sleep. Avoid excessive alcohol and drug use.
- Make time to unwind and try to do some form of activity that you enjoy.
- Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about how you are feeling.
- Connect with your community or faith-based organizations. While social distancing measures are in place, consider connecting online, or by phone.
Insurance Coverage
Unfortunately, we do not accept insurance, nor file it on your behalf. However, we can provide you with CPT codes and a billing breakdown that you may submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement for conditions that have been FDA-cleared such as Major Depressive Disorder and OCD. On occasion, individuals have been successful in receiving reimbursement for EEGs and clinical evaluations, and possibly other elements for treatment, depending on the individual’s coverage. It has been our experience that Medicare does not reimburse any of the treatment costs.
For conditions other than Major Depressive Disorder and OCD, because treatment is considered “off label,” insurance rarely reimburses any of the costs associated with treatment.
Additional Mental Health Resources
- Call 911
- Disaster Distress Helplineexternal icon: 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish), or text TalkWithUs for English or Hablanos for Spanish to 66746. Spanish speakers from Puerto Rico can text Hablanos to 1-787-339-2663.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifelineexternal icon: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for English, 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish, or Lifeline Crisis Chatexternal icon.
- National Domestic Violence Hotlineexternal icon: 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- National Child Abuse Hotlineexternal icon: 1-800-4AChild (1-800-422-4453) or text 1-800-422-4453
- National Sexual Assault Hotlineexternal icon: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or Online Chatexternal icon
- The Eldercare Locatorexternal icon: 1-800-677-1116 TTY Instructionsexternal icon
- Veteran’s Crisis Lineexternal icon: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Crisis Chatexternal icon or text: 8388255
Find a health care provider or treatment for substance use disorder and mental health
- SAMHSA’s National Helplineexternal icon: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and TTY 1-800-487-4889
- Treatment Services Locator Websiteexternal icon
- Interactive Map of Selected Federally Qualified Health Centersexternal icon
Contact Our New Patient Coordinator For Additional Information
We are here to answer any questions you have about MeRT or The Brain Treatment Center in Dallas. We can also book you for your initial testing and a consultation with Dr. Miller if you are interested in seeing how this treatment can specifically help you with your mental health.
Call our New Patient Coordinator at
214-972-0126
Or Fill in the Form below and we will contact you.
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