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What do you do when your treatment plan doesn’t seem to work?

Sometimes, mental health conditions don’t respond to the first treatments. You might notice small improvements, but not enough to feel like yourself again. Or maybe nothing has changed at all. If standard care isn’t helping, it may be time for a new plan.

Cleveland Clinic’s Psychiatric Treatment-Resistance Program (PTRP) brings together the latest treatment options for conditions that haven’t improved with initial therapies. Our expert team understands how discouraging it can feel when treatments don’t bring relief, and they’re committed to helping you find solutions that offer results, hope and a new way forward.

Why Choose Us for Treatment-Resistant Mental Healthcare?

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Comprehensive care:

Our PTRP team offers transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), intranasal esketamine, intravenous ketamine, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), stellate ganglion block (SGB), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and more. We’ll explain each approach and develop a personalized treatment plan through one coordinated program. Meet our team.

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Collaborative care:

Our experts work closely together to provide coordinated, personalized care. As part of your treatment, you may see specialists in psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, nursing, pharmacy, primary care and social work.

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Caring approach:

At Cleveland Clinic, every aspect of your treatment is tailored to your needs and delivered in a private, respectful and compassionate environment.

Treatment-Resistant Mental Health Conditions We Treat

When we say a mental health condition is “treatment-resistant,” it means your symptoms haven’t improved after trying at least two standard treatments. At that point, you may benefit from a different approach beyond psychotherapy or oral medications like antidepressants.

“Treatment-resistant” doesn’t mean your condition is untreatable. It may simply mean you need a different care plan. Our team has years of experience treating treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including:

If you haven’t felt the progress you’ve hoped for, it’s important to take the next step. Our PTRP team is here to help you understand why first-line treatments may not have worked and build a plan for what to try next.

Evaluating Treatment-Resistant Mental Health Conditions at Cleveland Clinic

A thorough evaluation is the first step toward feeling better. During your visit, our team will ask about your health and personal and family medical history. They’ll also review past treatments, like medications and therapy, and go over new treatment options and your goals for care.

They may also order tests, including but not limited to:

  • Blood tests: To check for non-psychiatric medical conditions that could be causing issues with mood or thinking
  • Genetic testing: To learn how your body may process certain medications
  • Brain MRI or CT scan: To look for neurological conditions that could be contributing to your mental health symptoms
  • Neuropsychological testing: To measure different areas of brain activity when there are concerns about changes in memory or thinking

A Team Approach to Care

When you choose Cleveland Clinic for treatment-resistant mental healthcare, you can count on a team of experts working together to plan and manage your therapy. Your PTRP team may include:

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Ohio.

Treatment-Resistant Mental Healthcare Options at Cleveland Clinic

After your evaluation, we’ll use what we’ve learned about your health, medical history and test results to create a tailored treatment plan. Your care team will review each recommendation with you, explaining what to expect and how it may help. Our goal is to find an approach that works best for you and supports your path forward. Your care plan may include:

Brain stimulation

Neuromodulation, also called brain stimulation, uses small magnetic or electrical pulses to help restore your brain’s normal patterns of activity. They can also ease symptoms that haven’t gotten better with other therapies. There are several types, including:

  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): ECT is done under anesthesia and uses a small electric pulse that causes a short, controlled seizure. This helps brain cells grow and form new connections (neurogenesis).
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses a magnetic pulse to deliver a brief and pain-free stimulus to the region of your brain involved in depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
  • Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT): This is a specific type of TMS that uses an accelerated treatment plan (10 treatments per day for 5 days), as well as a brain MRI to provide rapid and precise brain stimulation therapy.
  • Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS): During this procedure, a small battery generator is placed under the skin of your chest. A thin wire connects the device to the vagus nerve in your neck and sends gentle pulses to it. This can help reduce treatment-resistant symptoms of conditions like depression.
  • Deep brain stimulation (DBS): DBS involves the implantation of small electrodes in your brain. A device then delivers mild electrical signals to the electrode. These signals may ease symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The electrodes can be removed if needed.

Other treatments

  • Ketamine/esketamine: These medications can be given as an IV infusion (ketamine) or as a nasal spray (esketamine). They may provide rapid, significant relief for people with depression and other mental health conditions.
  • Stellate ganglion block (SGB): This is an injection into the nerves on the front of your lower neck. It’s most often used to treat pain and circulation problems, but it can also help mental health conditions, like PTSD.

Sometimes, we’ll work with your referring provider to supplement your care with additional medications. We may also recommend one of our intensive mental health programs for added support or suggest considering a clinical trial for your condition.

What’s Next?

You don’t have to settle for treatments that aren’t working. Our PTRP team can help you explore next-level therapies and personalized care plans for treatment-resistant mental health conditions. We’ll coordinate your care into a clear plan designed to help you take control of your mental health and move forward with confidence.

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