Ketamine therapy is a form of treatment that involves the use of ketamine, a medication that has traditionally been used as an anesthetic. In recent years, ketamine has gained attention for its potential therapeutic effects on a range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
During a ketamine therapy session, a patient is typically given a small dose of ketamine under medical supervision. The dose is carefully calibrated to produce a mild dissociative effect, which can help patients relax and feel more introspective. The therapy is typically administered intravenously, although it may also be given via intranasal spray or oral medication.
Ketamine therapy is still an emerging treatment, and research is ongoing to determine its efficacy and long-term effects. However, early studies have shown promising results, particularly in patients who have not responded to other forms of treatment. It is important to note that ketamine therapy should only be administered under the supervision of a trained medical professional.
The research on the efficacy of ketamine therapy is still ongoing, but early studies have shown promising results. For example, a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research found that ketamine was effective in rapidly reducing symptoms of depression in patients who had not responded to other treatments. Another study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that ketamine therapy was effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with treatment-resistant depression.
In addition, a review of studies published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that ketamine therapy was generally well-tolerated and had a low risk of serious adverse effects. However, it is important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and optimal dosing strategies for ketamine therapy. As with any medical treatment, it is important to discuss the benefits and risks with a qualified healthcare professional.
When people suffer from chronic anxiety and depression, their neurons become stunted with fewer connections.
Ketamine helps repair this damage by stimulating the production of chemicals that act like fertilizer for the brain, restoring and strengthening connections between neurons.
Reduce Negative Thoughts
Ketamine can also offer relief from negative thoughts by normalizing activity in a part of the brain known as the default mode network.
By altering connectivity in this part of the brain, ketamine can help people to break out of old thought patterns that cause anxiety and depression.
A Powerful Medicine
With its ability to promote the creation of new, healthy neural connections, ketamine can be a powerful tool for managing mental health.
For many people, the effects of ketamine therapy can last for months, with intermittent “boosters” extending the effects even further.
Ketamine therapy has become a very widely-discussed topic in the past several years as a very promising treatment for some historically difficult-to-treat conditions. It has been found that giving Ketamine (in a lower dose than is necessary for anesthesia) is safe and effective in treating several conditions such as depression and chronic pain. Ketamine assisted therapy has the potential to produce rapid, profound, and sustained changes in insight, mood, behavior, and consciousness. This treatment modality follows along with some earlier, extensive studies of psychedelic-assisted therapies for the treatment of mood disorders since the 1950s and ’60s.
Some individuals who may see a benefit from Ketamine therapy include those with:
Ketamine works to decrease the activity of a receptor in the brain called NMDA. While there is still a lot of research being done around the exact mechanisms, it is proposed that this decreased activity of the NMDA receptors allows the brain to form new neural pathways. With this the brain is able to break the cycle and feedback loops thought to be associated with mood disorders, PTSD, and pain.
Ketamine has been widely used as an anesthetic and sedation agent safely since the 1950s. The safety profile of this particular medication has contributed to it being used more extensively over the past several decades in the operating rooms and emergency departments for procedural sedation in children and in adults at much higher dosages.
We do not require a referral for you to come in for consult. We do however highly encourage that if you have a current mental health, pain management, or other healthcare provider overseeing your medical condition, that you consult with them so that we can work collaboratively to provide you with the best care possible.
Your infusion will take place in one of our private treatment rooms. At all times we will be attentive to your comfort and safety throughout the stay. Once an IV is placed and infusion is started, the session will last approximately 40 minutes. During this time we will continue to monitor you while also trying to keep distractions to a minimum. We encourage you to use a sleep mask that we will provide you as well as headphones playing soothing tones that also block out outside noises. At the onset of the infusion you may feel a sense of deep relaxation, drowsiness, euphoria, blurred vision, tingling, or any combination of these. As the medications work you are still able to communicate but you enter into what could be described as a meditative state but you do not become fully sedated/unconscious. Once the infusion is complete it takes around 5-10 minutes for the majority of the effects to wear off. We will continue to monitor you until you are back to a baseline before you will be released to someone that can drive for you as you will be instructed to not drive for the rest of the day. Typically from start to finish will last approximately an hour and a half.
We highly recommend that you do not try to wean yourself off of routine medications following treatments until you have consulted with your prescribing provider.
No, here at The Infusionist, we are providing a treatment service with the ketamine infusion, but do not take over your routine medical/mental healthcare. We highly encourage you to continue to regularly follow up with your current support structure and will gladly collaborate with your providers as needed.
Ketamine has been FDA approved for decades for the use in anesthesia. Since that time though the medication has become generic and due to this there aren’t drug manufacturers who have wanted to spend the funding to achieve further FDA approvals for the different Ketamine uses, even though there is a great deal of research showing great efficacy for conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. With that being said, insurance companies typically do not reimburse for non FDA approved applications of medications. You can however use FSA/HSA plans to pay for your treatments or we offer several different payment options.
The time in which it takes for you to see an improvement in your symptoms varies between person to person and the different symptoms being treated. A lot of people see a positive improvement following their first infusion and that then is built upon with subsequent infusions. Much of the time family, friends, and those close to you may see positive changes right off.
The necessity of ongoing ketamine treatments can vary depending on the individual and the specific condition being treated. Ketamine therapy is often used in cases of treatment-resistant depression or other mental health conditions that have not responded to traditional treatments. In such cases, ketamine may be administered in a series of sessions over a defined treatment period, typically spanning over several weeks.
The goal of ketamine therapy is often to achieve an initial improvement in symptoms and then establish a maintenance plan tailored to the individual’s needs. This maintenance plan may involve periodic “booster” sessions to sustain the therapeutic effects. The frequency and duration of these booster sessions can vary based on the individual’s response to treatment, the severity of the condition, and other factors.
