For people who suffer from bipolar disorder, relief may be found with the use of ketamine therapy when conventional treatments options have failed. Ketamine continues to be an effective drug for mood disorders, including this hard-to-treat condition.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness that is characterized by intense mood swings and changes in energy levels that affect a persons ability to function day-to-day. Alternating periods of mania and depression are the key episodes experienced by all diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Sufferers may feel extremely happy and euphoric during the manic stage but then fall in to a period of deep sadness and hopelessness during the depression stage. This disorder presents differently in every patient, where some will experience only mild mood swings and others are subjected to frequent and extreme mood variations.
Treatment Options
Approximately 4% of the US population is affected by bipolar disorder. The age of onset is usually mid-20’s but can occur later in life or be identified in the teenage years. The cause of bipolar disorder could be one of many, including genetic factors or imbalances in the brain.
Because bipolar disorder symptoms can vary drastically between person to person as well as the fact that it manifests similarly to other mental health problems, it can be very difficult to diagnose. Once diagnosed, it also takes time to find the right treatment options. Medication and psychotherapy are most commonly used in conjunction with each other for patients suffering with bipolar disorder. For medication, patients are usually prescribed a combination of mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and anti-depressants to address the range of symptoms experienced.
Ketamine Treatment For Bipolar Disorder
Many people fail to find relief and restore balance in their lives when it comes to traditional treatment options for bipolar disorder. Unlike antidepressants and other commonly prescribed medications which take time to work, ketamine can provide relief in a matter of hours. This relief also comes without the unwanted side effects that conventional medications can have.
Ketamine therapy has been an extremely viable option for those with bipolar disorder where they experience treatment-resistant symptoms. After undergoing ketamine infusions, these individuals have often been able resume a happier more productive life.
If you or a loved one are suffering from bipolar disorder, consider ketamine therapy as a treatment option. Contact our office today to learn more about the benefits of ketamine therapy.
