Brookline VOL 2, NO 2
BROOKLINE’S VOICE
Jan. 24 - Feb. 6, 2017
Photo | Alexander Culafi Union Square Donuts owner and founder Josh Danoff poses next to wall mural inside the new Brookline location.
The future of treating Union Square Donuts opens in Brookline major depression By Alexander Culafi
By Alexander Culafi
The Voice
The Voice
JAMA Psychiatry reports that nearly 15 million Americans suffer from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and only around 50% of patients will respond to traditional antidepressants. The other half will either not respond to antidepressants or can’t tolerate the drugs due to side effects.
Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is an FDA-cleared treatment by Israelicompany Brainsway in which a helmet is placed over a patient’s head, and “brief magnetic fields – at an amplitude similar to that used in an MRI – are generated – that briefly stimulate the targeted brain area,” according to a Brainsway press release.
Union Square Donuts has finally opened its doors in Brookline, at 409 Harvard Street.
following those at Boston Public Market and Somerville.
The launch was sudden, and far sooner than I thought it would be.
I’m a donut guy, so of course I was there on day 1. I met Owner and Founder Josh Danoff.
I can say firsthand that I know a number of individuals close to me who suffer from episodes of depression (if not formally being diagnosed with MDD), and their success stories range wildly.
It adds, “the therapy is highly convenient, requiring only 20-minute daily sessions over a course of 4 to 5 weeks; after each session, patients can return home independently and carry out normal routines.”
On January 17, we called their main office. A cheerful representative picked up and told me how excited they all are. She then added:
I know people who have found great success in therapy and medication, but I also know a few of those crippled by MDD, who go from drug to drug and sometimes even gain drug dependence without effectively treating the depression.
It’s hard to look at some magnet helmet and not get skeptical. I know I was – I know I am, but it has been recognized as effective enough to be covered by a number of insurance plans and Medicare. Brainsway estimates that 200 million Americans are already covered for it. About 100 outpatient facilities around the U.S. utilize it now.
Because of these experiences, and because I myself am someone who cares about mental health and goes to therapy from time to time (I don’t suffer from depression, but I think therapy is good for just about everyone), I was intrigued when I got tipped off to Deep TMS.
I found a study in World Psychiatry utilizing 212 MDD outpatients to test out
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On Twitter, via their handle @UnionSqDonuts, they wrote, “Brookline we're coming for you! See you soon!” on January 13.
“The only thing I can tell you is that we hope to open very, very soon, and we will communicate on our social media channels later this week about the opening date.” That was last Tuesday, January 17. Minutes after we called, they Tweeted again, “Keep your eyes peeled for updates on our Brookline shop!” They opened less than 24 hours later. January 18 marked their first day in business, the soft opening for a grand opening that took place the following day. Brookline marks their third location,
“We’re very excited to be finally opening,” he told me. “There was something about the neighborhood here that definitely attracted us.” I asked him why he chose to go into the donut business. “I think the question is: why not donuts? There’s something timeless about donuts. It can happen with music, and it can also happen with food, where there’s that sense memory of food. And when you walk in here, whether you’ve had or you haven’t had our donuts, the smell – it’s familiar. It takes you back.” Danoff ’s favorite donut is the Cinnamon Sugar. “It’s a nice simple donut that highlights the dough,” he said, which is what I expected coming from the owner. If I was the owner
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