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It has been demonstrated that individuals with clinical depression benefit from ketamine infusion therapy, despite the fact that it is still a relatively novel treatment option.
Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that has been used worldwide for more than 50 years. Mental health doctors have been studying it for over 20 years because it has quick antidepressant effects.
Ketamine may be used to treat severe depression, anxiety, or PTSD that has not responded to previous therapies, even though it is not advised as a first-line therapy for chronic pain, depression, or any other mental health problem.
When administered as part of an ongoing intravenous (IV) drip, ketamine has calming and profoundly therapeutic effects on the parts of the brain that regulate mood and behavior.
Because of its ability to provide instant and long-lasting relief for even the most severe instances of TRD, ketamine has been alled a miracle therapy for the treatment of depression.
Ketamine Infusion Procedure
When someone is identified as having anxiety or clinical depression, their doctor will often recommend medication as the first course of therapy. These medications are usually quite helpful and successful in most situations. In some cases, however, medications fall short or lose their potency over time, leading health specialists to advise Ketamine infusions.
Ketamine infusions are administered in a doctor’s office when prescribed by a doctor. The patient is continuously being observed and cared after by medical professionals. The process of receiving an infusion lasts around an hour and provides relief shortly after entering the circulation. After administration, the effects may last for a few days to a few weeks.
To obtain the desired impact, most physicians would advise a patient to have more than one infusion. Throughout the process, the patient’s mental and physical condition is observed to gauge how well they are functioning, how many infusions are needed, and when treatments are no longer necessary.
Benefits of Ketamine Infusions
Depression is the most prevalent mental health disease associated with suicidal thoughts and the leading cause of disability. Approximately two-thirds of people with severe depression who receive conventional antidepressants and psychotherapy achieve long-term symptom remission; one-third do not.
The following are only a few of the many important advantages of ketamine infusion treatment for those with depression, crippling anxiety, ongoing PTSD, and chronic pain.
High Success Rate
Despite still being under investigation, ketamine infusion treatment has been shown to be useful in treating chronic depression. Numerous studies have shown that after only one injection, more than half of patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression get significant symptom reduction, and many more experience relief after two or three.
Ketamine infusion therapy is beneficial for individuals who haven’t been able to experience long-lasting relief from previous therapies in large part because of how effective it is.
Relief from Symptoms Quickly
Ketamine infusions quickly cure depressive symptoms, usually in a few hours. While researchers are still trying to understand what triggers this significant response, they are aware that ketamine raises glutamate levels.
Since glutamate is the main neurotransmitter that encourages the development of synapses in the brain, it helps to strengthen and restore important neural connections and pathways in the parts of the brain that are most negatively impacted by depression. These new connections also help to induce positive changes in the way that the brain circuitry functions.
A Long-Term Symptom Remission
Ketamine infusion therapy differs from typical antidepressants, which you must take on a daily basis for years, in that it is not a “one-and-done” treatment.
Ketamine infusions affect the brain in a way that reduces symptoms over the long term after only one treatment cycle.
For the typical patient, the acute phase of ketamine infusion treatment necessitates a series of six injections spread out over two or three weeks. Booster infusions are given as necessary throughout a long-term maintenance period after the first therapy.
How Can You Make the Most of the Benefits?
When you’re depressed, you often receive advice that sounds good on paper but is hard to put into practice due to the depressive symptoms. This includes things like “eating well, exercising, going to talk therapy, finding social support, being busy, etc.”
Ketamine enables you to react swiftly to these critical acts. It is also believed that ketamine stimulates the brain’s ability to learn and facilitate the creation of new connections. It can improve the effectiveness of talk therapy.