When you finish a course of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment, the next question is often “How long does TMS last?” If you are considering this non-invasive therapy, you want to know whether the relief will last, and what to expect months after the treatment ends. At The Holiner Psychiatric Group, our dedicated team is here to help you make and preserve mental health improvements.
A standard FDA-cleared TMS protocol delivers 20 to 30 sessions across four to six weeks. Most patients feel noticeable improvement between the second and fourth TMS treatment weeks. A naturalistic follow-up study of 99 patients found that two-thirds of responders remained well three months after completing an acute treatment course (Janicak et al., 2010).
These results set a baseline, with careful selection, many patients can enjoy sustained benefit from TMS therapy that goes well beyond the last session.
Longer observational work helps answer the 12-month question. A U.S. registry tracked 307 individuals who completed neurostimulation treatment in routine clinics and reported that 62 percent of responders still met response criteria at six months, while 45 percent maintained response at one year (Dunner et al., 2014). Although remission rates are lower, these numbers show that nearly half of real-world patients continue to experience meaningful relief a full year after TMS treatment.
Relapse is possible after TMS therapy, but it does not mean all your progress will be erased. A randomized trial of maintenance TMS treatments found that scheduled booster sessions can reduce the relapse risk and prolong antidepressant effects (Li et al., 2020). In clinical practice, our providers frequently taper treatment, moving from daily sessions to weekly or bi-weekly visits, before pausing altogether.
If you notice early warning signs starting to appear, a short booster series (often three to six treatments) is typically enough to recapture symptom control without added safety concerns.
No two brains respond in exactly the same way, so the duration of your TMS response may vary. Research highlights several key predictors:
Together, these elements interact like gears in a machine, when one slips, the whole system can lose momentum. By recognizing your individual risk factors early and addressing them through a personalized maintenance plan, you greatly improve the likelihood that TMS benefits will persist.
TMS is not a permanent cure; it opens a window of neural plasticity that many patients can keep open for months, or even longer than a year, with supportive care. Combining TMS with healthy routines and periodic check-ins at The Holiner Psychiatric Group offers you the best chance of extending remission. If symptoms do creep back, timely boosters provide a reliable safety net.
Current evidence shows that most patients experience mental health improvements for several months, and roughly half retain meaningful benefit at the one-year mark. Maintenance strategies can further stretch those gains. Armed with realistic expectations and backed by our experienced care team, you can pursue TMS knowing that its benefits are not fleeting and can be renewed when needed.
If you are still wondering, “How long does TMS last?” give us a call today to schedule your personalized consultation with one of our providers at The Holiner Psychiatric Group.