Unlike medications, rTMS doesn’t introduce chemicals into your body and typically has fewer side effects. It targets specific brain regions rather than affecting the entire body. Unlike psychotherapy, which works through psychological mechanisms, rTMS directly modulates neural activity. rTMS is often used when medications haven’t worked or as a complement to therapy. It doesn’t require daily medication management and has no systemic side effects like weight gain or sexual dysfunction that can occur with some antidepressants. It also differs from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in that it does not require sedation and typically has fewer cognitive side effects.