Mental Health – The Second Pandemic

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental health and mental illnesses are often uncomfortable subjects for many people. Even the words themselves cause many to evade or change the subject.  These conversations and realities are often difficult for many to deal with, and a lot of people naturally shy away from or try to ignore their very existence. Statistically speaking, 1 in 5 adults will experience mental illness each year.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for persons between the age of 10 and 34-years old. It’s also the 10th leading cause of death in adults. These are some sobering statistics.

What’s even harder to comprehend is that these statistics were published in 2019. A recent study in 2020 published by the CDC 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.

 Millions of Americans are faced with the reality of mental health conditions, but the stigma and unfortunate misunderstanding of the illnesses are widespread. It’s May of 2021, and while we still hear about the COVID pandemic commonly in the news, very few are focusing on mental health. 

Mental health conditions can severely impact the quality of life for both you and your loved ones. In many cases, patients who are suffering are prescribed medications that either doesn’t work or have unpleasant side effects. We want you to know that there are resources out there and that we can help you. 

Summit Brain Health Offers A Revolutionary Treatment to Treat Mental Illness

Studies show that brain waves are altered in patients who are suffering from various types of brain dysregulation such as Depression, Anxiety, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)/Concussion, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism, and more. The studies show that brain oscillations are altered compared to a brain that is free of these types of dysregulation.

Dr. Thomas Geraci has brought an emerging technology to San Carlos and the Bay Area. MeRT, which stands for Magnetic e-Resonance Therapy, is a treatment process that is guided by sophisticated qEEG imaging and is uses a magnetic coil to gently modulate and balance dysregulation occurring in the brain. For more details on this state-of-the-art technology, click here. 

The technology uses a qEEG (quantitative electroencephalograph) to map dysregulation so that the treatment protocol for every patient can be customized to their individual condition. MeRT can improve the synchronization and communication in the brain which can lead to long-lasting improvement and relief from symptoms. 

MeRT is a completely non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical treatment for many mental health conditions along with other types of brain dysregulation. While the equipment used in the MeRT process is FDA-cleared to treat Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and is currently being used “off-label” to treat other conditions and has shown great success. 

Contact Our Clinic Today.

Our New Patient Coordinator is ready to assist you with your questions. 

You can also book an appointment for an EEG and a consultation with Dr. Geraci. 

Call us: 650-750-1542

Causes of Mental Illness

Causes of mental illness can vary from genetic traits, environmental toxic exposures, trauma, abuse, head injuries, chemical imbalances, other health conditions, and more. 

Regardless of the cause, MeRT has shown some amazing results and been successful in treating:

• Depression/Major Depressive Disorder
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Concussion/Traumatic Brain Injury
• Autism 
• Dementia
• After-effects of COVID in the brain
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Drug and alcohol addiction
• Brain Optimization 

At Summit Brain Health, we analyze these brain patterns to identify areas of the brain that may not be functioning properly, or not communicating with the rest of your natural brain patterns.  Once identified, we use the MeRT technology to gently stimulate and rebalance the affected areas, successfully easing the mental disorder in most cases. *

*Results can vary

Mental illness, or mental health disorders, refers to a wide variety of mental health conditions that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior.  Most of us have a mental health concern once in a while, but it becomes a mental health illness when ongoing symptoms and signs cause frequent stress and affect our ability to function normally.  

Symptoms That Indicate You May Have a Mental Health Problem

While symptoms may vary depending on the disorder, circumstances, and other factors, some identifying signs of mental illness can include:

• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
• Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
• Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
• Feeling sad or down
• Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
• Withdrawal from friends and activities
• Significant tiredness, low energy, or problems sleeping
• Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
• Problems with alcohol or drug use
• Significant changes in eating habits
• Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
• Suicidal thoughts

Contact Our Clinic Today.

Our New Patient Coordinator is ready to assist you with your questions. 

You can also book an appointment for an EEG and a consultation with Dr. Geraci. 

Call us: 650-750-1542

Left untreated, mental illness can cause severe physical health, emotional and behavioral problems.  Noted complications include:

• Inability to function in everyday life
• Family conflicts
• Relationship difficulties
• Decreased enjoyment of life
• Social isolation
• Missed work, school
• Legal and financial problems
• Issues with drugs and alcohol
• Weakened immune system or chronic illness
• Self-harm, or harm to others
• Death

Benefits of MeRT Treatment:

• Improved Sleep
• Increased Relaxation
• Better Concentration and focus
• Improved Memory and Mental Clarity
• Decreased Pain
• Better Mood
• Increased Ability to Cope with Stress
• Increased attention span
• Improved sociability
• Increased motivation
• More clarity of thought
• Fewer cravings (such as drugs or alcohol)
• Improved emotional stability
• Increased ability to adapt to change
• Improved self-confidence and self-esteem

Your Brain is as Unique as Your 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 is 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 a 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.

About Dr. Geraci

Thomas Geraci, D.O. is a Board Certified Emergency Medicine Physician. As he learned from his father, who was a surgeon, taking care of people is about so much more than just repairing an injury. It’s about healing wounds, many of which are not visible to the naked eye.  With this comes bringing calm to the fear and chaos that often surrounds illness and trauma. 

His passion behind providing MeRT lies in his experience with patients and family members who have struggled with mental health issues and sought treatment without relief. After practicing emergency medicine for 33 years, his goal is now to offer concrete solutions to a wide range of mental health conditions in a compassionate and sensitive way. 

Dr. Geraci has witnessed the incredible results possible through MeRT treatment and approaches every day as an opportunity for a new miracle in the lives of his patients.

Thomas is more than a deeply compassionate doctor, he is also a fiercely supportive father of six. His nature is authentic, disarming, and empathetic. When asked about the advice he often gives his children he said this “I’ve always told my children to have the courage to face their fears and break down mental barriers if they have a goal they want to accomplish.” Dr. Geraci believes in caring for others, not just when being paid to do so, when it’s convenient, or when it’s easy but whenever it is needed.  He has provided care at 30,000 feet, on overseas vacations, in a parking lot, and on the side of the road many times.  

Thomas has the summited mountains he thought he might not be able to. He hopes to offer his patients the opportunity to receive the mental health care they thought might never come. It is his hope that after MeRT his patients will experience the view down the other side of their own summit. 

Insurance

We do not accept insurance at our clinic, nor do we file it on your behalf. We are happy to provide you with the appropriate paperwork at the end of your treatment period so that you can submit it to your insurance company to see if they will provide any reimbursement, however, please note that Medicare nor Medicaid provide any reimbursement coverage for MeRT treatment.

Currently, the equipment used with the MeRT process has been FDA-cleared for the treatment of Depression and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Treatment for all other conditions is currently considered “off label.” Final testing and studies are currently being completed by Texas A&M University for FDA clearance for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion, however, clearance is likely an additional 2-years away.

For non-FDA cleared treatment, it is unlikely that your insurance company will provide you with any reimbursement for MeRT.

Contact Our New Patient Coordinator for More Information

It’s normal for patients and their families who are affected by brain disorders to feel frustrated and isolated, and many have lost hope that there is any relief in sight. MeRT has helped many patients restore their brain function, reclaim their lives, and feel passionate about living again.

We understand what you may be going through, and our goal is to help guide you through the healing process. We strive to provide you with quality care in a warm and compassionate environment.

Many of the clinicians and technicians who are employed by various clinics that offer MeRT have gone through treatment protocols themselves and have realized first-hand what the treatment has done for them. As a result, they are passionate about helping others to heal too.

Our New Patient Coordinator is available to answer any questions that you may have about how MeRT can help you or your child. She’ll take the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, explain costs, and put your mind at ease. She can also assist you in getting scheduled should you decide to move forward with treatment.

Call Us Today. We are Here to Help.

Our New Patient Coordinator will take the time to answer your questions,
listen to your concerns, and explain our procedures. 

Call us: 650-750-1529

Or, fill in the form below, and we will contact you.