Ketamine for Depression Treatment in Lawrenceville, GA
We’ve all lived through rough patches in our lives when we have been brought down by events that were beyond our control such as the loss of a loved one. And although these feelings might hit hard, we always find a way to cope and carry on with life. But sometimes, the emotional trauma is so overwhelming that we are unable to recover and the sadness starts to interfere with your life. This is known as depression.
The National Mental Health Institute reports that at least 17.3 million adults and more than 3 million adolescent children suffer from depression in the United States every year. People suffering from depression may have difficulty coping with everyday stressors and usually end up feeling helpless and alone. Sometimes even simple activities that other people take for granted like getting out of bed or taking a shower can seem unachievable.
Without professional medical assistance, depression can easily ruin careers and destroy relationships. Lack of proper treatment can also lead to additional health issues including alcohol and substance abuse, chronic pain, suicidal thoughts, and cardiovascular diseases. As such, you should seek immediate medical assistance from a qualified mental health specialist as soon as you suspect you or someone close to you is suffering from depression. There is a wide variety of conventional and natural treatments available today that can help manage symptoms of depression and enable the patient to live a normal life.
How Does Ketamine Therapy Work?
Traditional anti-depressants are designed to work by manipulating the production of chemical neurotransmitters in the brain such as serotonin, glutamate, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This is because most mood disorders were believed to be a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, research now suggests that although chemical imbalance may play a part in the development of depression, the disorder is mainly caused by damaged nerve connections in the brain due to excessive stress hormones. What makes ketamine special and more effective is the fact that it works by triggering the rapid redevelopment of healthy synaptic nerve connections in parts of the brain that are responsible for regulating emotions and mood. This helps foster healthy communication between brain cells and ease symptoms of depression.
The Ketamine Infusion Process
Ketamine infusion therapy is the process through which low-dose ketamine is administered into a patient’s bloodstream through an IV. Although ketamine is considered safe and highly tolerable, it is a very strong drug that can cause serious health complications when misused. As such, ketamine therapy should only be administered by a professional anesthesiologist in a medical setting.
The infusion process involves two stages- an acute treatment phase and the maintenance phase. The acute treatment phase involves a series of 6 to 8 infusions spread over three weeks. This should be sufficient in eliminating the symptoms for up to one month. This is followed by the maintenance phase which involves one or more infusions on an as-needed basis to ensure the symptoms don’t re-surface.
The Benefits of Ketamine Treatment over Traditional Antidepressant
As mentioned before, there are many advantages associated with using low-dose ketamine infusions to manage depression. Below is a rundown of some of the main advantages of using ketamine over traditional antidepressants.
Rapid Action
One of the main reasons that make ketamine therapy ideal for depression treatment is the rapid antidepressant effect. Regular antidepressants take between 2 to 6 weeks to start working which might seem like an eternity especially for people suffering from very severe depression. Ketamine, on the other hand, starts working within 24 hours of the infusion. Some patients have even reported a significant improvement in mood within just a few hours of the first infusion.
Long-term Remission from Symptoms
Numerous random studies have shown that the anti-depressive effect of ketamine can last up to one month after the acute treatment phase. This is contrary to regular antidepressants which have to be taken consistently on daily basis to keep working.
High Efficacy
Although antidepressants are highly effective in treating depression, a report published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information says that up to 30% of depression patients don’t respond to any depression medication. On the other hand, ketamine has a 70% success rate when used to treat people diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) according to a study published by Psychiatry Advisor. This shows ketamine’s high level of effectiveness in managing depression.
Minimal Side-effects
Most medications used to manage depression come with a lot of serious side effects such as anxiety, liver damage, weight gain, insomnia, low sex drive, and dependency issues. That being the case, these drugs should only be used as a last resort when other treatments have failed. Ketamine has no long-term side effects and is safe for long-term depression treatment according to a study published by the American Society of Anesthesiologists. However, some patients report a few transient side effects such as nausea, temporary dissociation, hallucinations, dizziness, nausea, and elevated blood pressure during infusions. These side-effects go away within a few hours of the infusion. Some doctors suggest that more clinical trials might be needed to offer conclusive information on the long-term effects of ketamine treatments.
Could Ketamine be the Depression Treatment You Have Been Looking For?
Are you struggling with depression, anxiety, or a chronic pain disorder that never seems to go away no matter how many treatments you try? Do you feel like your life is spiraling out of control and there is no hope on the horizon? Ketamine might just be what you need! Ketamine is a fast-acting and highly effective medication that has helped thousands of depression patients overcome across the United States. Don’t let depression make your life miserable, schedule your free consultation today!
