TMS Side Effects and Harms: Common Dismissals + Real Responses
- jordanswellness
- Jul 10
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 23
People who’ve been harmed by TMS often encounter the same dismissive phrases recycled across forums, clinics, and even peer support spaces. These responses may be well-intended, but they can further isolate and invalidate those of us experiencing real, lasting harm.
This FAQ is here to counter those phrases with clarity, lived experience, and facts. If you’ve been told any of these things, or if you’re considering TMS and want a fuller picture this is for you. The side effects are real.
Disclaimer:
The information in this blog reflects personal experiences, publicly available reports, and scientific literature regarding potential harms of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). It is not intended as medical advice and should not replace consultation with qualified healthcare professionals. Individual responses to TMS vary, and while harm is underreported and often dismissed, this blog is shared to raise awareness and support informed decision-making. If you believe you are experiencing adverse effects from TMS, seek a medical evaluation and trust your body and experience — even when professionals dismiss your concerns.
When patients undergo medical treatments, there is an expectation of reasonable care, honest disclosure of risks, and careful monitoring for adverse effects. Unfortunately, many harmed by TMS have experienced lapses in these duties from incomplete informed consent to dismissive responses when serious injuries arise. This post aims to expose some of those systemic failures, grounded in my lived experience and research.
Early Documentation and Reporting of Symptoms
From my very first session, I carefully documented every symptom and change I experienced, recognizing something was seriously wrong. I sought medical evaluation promptly and reported these adverse effects to both the clinic administering the treatment and the device manufacturer as well as my primary care. Despite these responsible efforts to communicate and seek help, my concerns were met with dismissal, misrepresentation, and a troubling lack of follow-up. This failure to properly acknowledge, investigate, and respond to my symptoms reflects a breakdown in the duty of care owed to patients undergoing TMS.
“It’s just a dip. Everyone feels worse before they feel better.”
Response: Temporary mood fluctuations might be common in some TMS cases, but what many of us experienced went far beyond that. We’re talking about sudden-onset neurological symptoms — visual dysfunction, dizziness, slurred speech, cognitive collapse, disassociation, migraines, intense sensory overload, and even inability to walk or read. These are not emotional "dips.” They are signs of neurological distress and possible injury.
The 'TMS dip' is often referenced anecdotally in clinical practice, but it lacks scientific validation. This makes it especially dangerous when early symptoms of real injury are dismissed as temporary or normal.
Calling it a "dip" can dangerously delay proper evaluation, and reinforces the idea that patients should wait it out instead of stopping or seeking help. That’s how injuries get worse. If your body is telling you something is wrong, listen. Don’t wait for someone else’s permission to take it seriously.
Here are common brain injury symptoms documented by the Mayo Clinic.
“You’re just a rare case.”
Response: This one is especially insidious. It implies that your story doesn’t matter and that you’re the exception, not the rule.
But here’s the truth: a growing number of people have reported similar harms, but we're scattered across forums, blogs, and support groups. Many are misdiagnosed, minimized, or never even get their story heard because clinicians dismiss them so quickly. Just because these stories aren't reflected in glossy clinic literature or industry-funded studies doesn't mean they don’t exist.
Underreporting is not the same as rarity. And if there are even dozens of people being harmed like this, shouldn’t that warrant a closer look?
Here is a TMS Side Effects website created for those injured. Even if you search the exact name of the website, Google doesn't pull it up. But, it is real and you are not alone.
“You probably had an underlying condition.”
Response: Many of us did have nervous systems that were sensitive and that’s exactly why we should have been more thoroughly screened. Some people had mild PTSD, anxiety, or no prior psychiatric diagnosis at all. In my case, I didn’t even meet the criteria for depression or antipsychotics, yet TMS was still offered quickly with no neurological exam or risk analysis.
This kind of dismissal assumes harm is always the patient's fault and not the clinic's failure to vet, warn, or monitor. Even if someone did have a vulnerability, that makes informed consent even more crucial and not less.
“It’s placebo. TMS can’t cause real harm.”
Response: This one contradicts the entire logic of TMS. If it's powerful enough to "rewire the brain" and help people which is how it's marketed, then it’s powerful enough to dysregulate or injure certain brains, too.
TMS does cause measurable changes in brain activity. That’s the point. But those changes are not universally positive. For some of us, it disrupted neural pathways instead of supporting them. Just because a tool can help doesn’t mean it’s harmless.
Here is an article that is in-depth and contains fantastic research on the energy used in TMS. Can Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Hurt You? - James Hall, Mad in America
“There are no side effects.”
Response: This is simply untrue. Even in published case studies, TMS has documented side effects like TBI, headaches, insomnia, agitation/mania, retinal issues, seizures, and cognitive fog. But in clinical settings, long-term effects or permanent changes are often downplayed or ignored altogether.
What's even more dangerous is that clinics regularly claim “no systemic side effects” in bold print, even though people like me exist. And often, people who are harmed are later told they were uniquely predisposed, rather than the clinic acknowledging that TMS can go wrong. That’s not safety. That’s marketing spin.
We need to change how TMS harm is discussed. Survivors aren’t anomalies. We're warning signs. Our injuries aren’t imagined. They’re neglected.
“It's FDA-Approved”
The 510(k) Loophole: How TMS Skipped Proper Safety Testing
Response: It's actually FDA-cleared. One of the biggest issues with TMS is how it entered the market. Instead of going through the full, rigorous FDA approval process designed for high-risk brain devices, the company behind NeuroStar used the 510(k) pathway, a regulatory shortcut.
The 510(k) process is meant for devices that are “substantially equivalent” to something already on the market. In NeuroStar’s case, the company claimed their TMS device was substantially equivalent to Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). But these two treatments are very different technologies.
Recognizing this, the FDA required NeuroStar to prove that their treatment was not only favorable and comparable to ECT but that any reduction in effectiveness was balanced by a reduction in risk. Still, it’s unclear how this justified using the 510(k) pathway, which usually isn’t intended for brand-new, high-risk brain treatments.
What this means is TMS bypassed the more thorough premarket approval process that would demand extensive safety and efficacy data. Instead, it entered the market under looser rules meant for less risky devices. For a device directly stimulating brain circuits, that’s a huge regulatory blind spot and one that has put many patients, including me, at risk.
Fixing this loophole isn’t just about paperwork or red tape. It’s about making sure brain interventions are treated with the seriousness and scrutiny they deserve to protect patients and rebuild trust.
Because TMS entered the market via a regulatory shortcut, many clinics fail to fully disclose the potential risks or long-term effects to patients. This breaks the essential duty of informed consent, leaving patients vulnerable and uninformed when consenting to treatment.
“It's 83% effective”
What About the Clinical Trials? The Evidence Isn’t as Solid as You Think
You’ve probably heard that TMS is backed by science and has great success rates, but the truth is more complicated.
Response: The clinical trials supporting TMS often leave out a lot of people who actually get the treatment like folks with anxiety, PTSD, or other health issues. These exclusions mean the trial results don’t really reflect the real world.
On top of that, many of these studies are small, short, and sometimes funded or influenced by the companies that make the devices. That raises concerns about bias and cherry-picking the best results.
Even worse, long-term effects and rare but serious harms aren’t well studied or reported. The National Center for Health Research called out these problems and pushed for better, more transparent research.
So when clinics tell you TMS is “proven” safe and effective, remember that the full picture is more complex. People like me, who have experienced lasting harm, are living proof that the story isn’t as simple as it sounds.
If you're someone who's been harmed, please know you're not alone — and your experience matters. If you're a provider, researcher, or loved one of someone going through this, listen with curiosity and care. Stop minimizing. Start investigating.
We deserve truth, not slogans. Informed consent, not spin.
I’m sharing this not just as a warning, but as part of a broader movement to bring transparency to psychiatric harm. We deserve informed consent, accountability, and the right to be heard. This is just the beginning.
Medical treatments must be held to the highest standards of care and transparency, especially when they directly impact the brain. Patients deserve honest information, respectful care, and timely investigation of adverse effects. This post is one voice in a growing chorus demanding accountability and reform to prevent further harm.
Together, lets share our stories and change the narrative. As we share more of our symptoms and experiences, we should demand:
Proper regulation and classification of TMS devices
Mandatory adverse event reporting by clinics
Independent oversight of TMS safety research
Access to fair medical and legal support for those harmed
If you have been injured, I am so sorry. You are not alone. Your story matters. You matter.
All my light. All my love.
Namaste,
Jordan
Resources That Helped Me:
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