Recovery from addiction, depression and anxiety is a windy path. It’s also a different path for each of us. At PROMIS we try our hardest to offer every effective treatment we can find that will add another dimension to recovery, another gentle lift up to the next stage.
What usually happens is that if we find that we are getting less benefit from one treatment, another can kick in to help keep us moving forward. Interestingly the evidence for CES which stands for Cranial Electric Stimulation has been out there for quite a long while for both depression and anxiety so it is surprising to us that it doesn’t already have a wider audience. Given how often these are difficulties that our people suffer with, we are delighted to be able to offer even more help at PROMIS.
CES is a non-invasive method which has been approved by FDA after a series of safety studies. With CES there is no risk of toxicity and it is drug free. Patients following a CES treatment generally report feeling alert, more positive and less anxious. Our clinicians use the official Fisher Wallace CES machine to treat depression, chronic anxiety, stress, insomnia, OCDs and to increase attention, concentration, alertness and improve cognitive awareness.
Other successful uses of CES include the treatment of acute chronic pain, muscle and neurological spasticity, headaches, ADD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, as well as other mental health and neurological disorders. It even enhances DHEA hormone which is known for its antiaging qualities.
Research explains that stimulation with the device changes nerve transmitters to increase serotonin, ACTH (brain’s anti-inflammatory agent), melatonin (facilitates sleep and control the rhythms of various brain hormones). In addition, endorphins and encephalitic levels increase in the spinal cord (these are our bodies own natural pain killers) as well as regulating GABA (the inhibitory brain transmitter responsible for pleasure, therefore plays an important role in addiction as normal levels decreases cravings), which then produces the many listed benefits.
Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulator also acts on our bodies’ fight and flight hormone Cortisol, by decreasing the Cortisol levels, the stimulator helps to reduce the physical and emotional effects of stress in the body. With CES treatment, patients suffering from depression and anxiety experience the most dramatic improvements of all.
The CES system is still being studied vigorously to understand and explore all of its benefits. In May 2011, Dr. Kelly Brogan of NYU Bellevue Hospital gave a lecture mentioning CES as an alternative therapy options for PPD (postpartum depression).
CES is available to all patients at PROMIS with an option to be prescribed their own device from our clinicians so that they can continue to receive its benefits even after leaving residential treatment.