Ketamine Treatment for Mood Disorders & Pain
What is Ketamine Treatment?
Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades and is now being shown to be a promising treatment in some cases of major depression. Recent estimates show that 16 million adults had at least one episode of major depression within the course of a year.
Suicide rates have been skyrocketing ever since 1999, with a more than 30% increase in 25 states. However, now there is a new drug that could be the key to preventing suicide: ketamine. This drug can stop suicidal thoughts within minutes due to its quick-acting nature and low cost when compared to other treatments like therapy or medication.
Ketamine infusion therapy is an exciting treatment for depression because it’s been proven to be safe and effective.
Ketamine is a potent anti-depressant often used in cases of severe depression. This medication can rapidly reduce suicidality and relieve other serious symptoms, such as thoughts or acts. It has also been found to be effective for treating depression as well as anxiety.
So, if you’re suffering from suicidal thoughts and depression or are feeling down in general, it’s important to know that there is effective treatment available. Talk therapies can take weeks of sessions before they start working effectively for someone who has tried several treatments unsuccessfully.
Meanwhile, antidepressant medication requires a period of time (usually 2-3 months) before the effects will be felt by most people taking them; some may need more than one medication type as well as talk therapy combined with drug use like TMS and ECT.
Two Types of Ketamine
Ketamine is used to treat major depression that has not responded to two or more medications, often as a treatment for “treatment-resistant” depression. Two types of ketamine are available: racemic and esketamine (Spravato). Racemic ketamine can be given intravenously in the form of an infusion while Esketemine nasal spray uses only one type of molecule; R rather than S.
This extensive research has been done on ketamine infusions thus far.
Ketamine is a powerful drug that can be delivered via different types and doses. We need more research to understand how variations in these affect the effectiveness of ketamine as well as any potential side effects it may produce for patients with depression who are using this medication.
How Does Ketamine Infusion Therapy Help?
Ketamine is a powerful drug that has been shown to be helpful for combating depression in some people. But how does this medication work? It’s not entirely clear, but it seems like ketamine might affect the brain differently than other antidepressants and help sufferers with treatment-resistant cases of mental illness.
The antidepressant effect of ketamine seems more complex than those observed with other drugs and may be one reason why it can help patients who have tried everything else without success.
As a result of its interaction with the NMDA receptors, ketamine appears to increase the amount of glutamate in between neurons. This is likely because it binds these particular receptors on their surface and alters them slightly so that they are more sensitive to this neurotransmitter than other ones.
When glutamate is released, it triggers the release of other molecules that have many different effects on your brain. One effect that has been studied extensively is synaptogenesis – a process by which neurons begin to form new connections with each other and communication pathways are strengthened so they can communicate better. This happens in areas related to mood, thought patterns, or cognition.
Ketamine is a drug that may not be fully understood. This amazing substance could reduce inflammation or facilitate communication in specific areas of the brain and has been shown to have effects on depression
Currently, it seems to work through a number of different mechanisms, and research into this fascinating compound continues unabated
What Are The Possible Side Effects of Ketamine Treatment?
Ketamine given by infusion may cause:
- hypertension
- nausea
- blurred vision
- dissociation
You should be aware that these effects will fade quickly. Mental health care professionals recommend taking the drug in a controlled environment with people who are trained to assist if necessary.
What Else Should You Know About Ketamine?
A much lower dose of ketamine is given for depression than the amount necessary to induce anesthesia.
Ketamine is a powerful drug used to treat people with depression. If you have been struggling and think that ketamine might be the right treatment for you, it’s important to know what type of success rate they will achieve. Generally, if someone responds well within one-three infusions then this would probably go towards a successful result in their recovery from depression!
Individuals who encounter a little relief from depression within one to three ketamine therapies are most likely to prolong these positive effects if the therapy is repeated a few more times. This is a very fascinating fact because it reveals that the following treatments may help prolong ketamine therapy and improve its efficiency.
There are no standard guidelines for this treatment and many studies offer eight treatments initially (acute phase). After this, it’s up to you and your doctor whether or not you want to taper off them after that initial course has finished-or continue at longer intervals based on a discussion with both yourself as well as your physician about what feels best in terms of how often they should be administered.
Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy a Good Option For You?
If you want to explore whether or not our ketamine infusion therapy in Chicago could be right for you, talk to your doctor and ask them if they can recommend a qualified practitioner in your area who offers this service. You may also want to consider talking with a therapist before making any decisions regarding treatment options.
