Depression, anxiety, PTSD, BiPolar and other mental health disorders seem to be ever increasing, and with more individuals failing traditional methods of therapy such as antidepressants and antipsychotics it becomes a challenge not only for the providers but for the individuals, their family and friends, and the community. According to an article published August 28th, 2023 in the U.S.News. Spending on Mental health services rose 53% since 2020. With the increase in need, we’ve heard of therapies outside the normal regimen like Ketamine and Psilocybin.
First Psilocybin is still in the infancy phases of research. It has come a long way and what therapies and trials are being done are showing amazing results. Few states though allow for the use and the clinical setting is only available at this time in just a select number of states. We will talk more on Psilocybin in a future blog post.
Ketamine therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression, Anxiety, PTSD and other Mental health disorders has gained more and more traction in the healthcare field. Ketamine, although not the “go to” for providers, is a breakthrough therapy option for individuals who have tried and failed many treatments and have struggled to get the adequate health they need to function daily. Many studies have been done around the world and within the US to show how ketamine is an effective option for treatment even in the hardest to treat cases. Case studies show a rapid onset of neuroplasticity and reduces symptoms of depression and other mental illnesses. Ketamine is just one part of the overall treatment plan. It should be used in conjunction with other therapies being used on the treatment plan. Ketamine works like a Ping in the brain, it stimulates and allows changes in the synapses to strengthen and grow with each other in the brain.
One of the main ideas being seen behind the use of ketamine is to help the brain regrow the synapses, the connections between nerve cells, which is a different targeted approach then what typical antidepressants target. There is evidence that the rapid onset of ketamine in the neuroplasticity of the brain in both the cellular level and possibly on the functional level would allow individuals to change their level of thinking and adapt to new levels of stimuli. Ketamine can help with the symptoms of depression, but without psychotherapy working with it, is only a small minimum approach to overall healing.
Going forward ketamine therapy is a viable option that primary care providers underutilize and often overlook. Working closely with both your primary care provider and a certified psychotherapist and clinician can yield better overall treatment outcomes for their patients. Given the vast resources available to the public and the healthcare practitioners active in the field, it’s hard to understand why with all the emerging data, ketamine is still being underutilized.
Perhaps it’s the fact that ketamine isn’t a “brand name” it’s not available to be “Patent” and so Drug companies push their treatment options as the “Golden Ticket” of therapy options, yet their “Golden Ticket” is riddled with long therapy onset times, pages of adverse effects and side effects. The question becomes is it worth it? That question along with research from credible sources and having an open conversation with individual providers, may help individuals find new ways to approach their mental health for the future.
To learn a little more about how ketamine works “click” the link below and watch a 3:51 minute video produced by Yale on how ketamine works.
Article References.
Alnefeesi Y, Chen-Li D, Krane E, Jawad MY, Rodrigues NB, Ceban F, Di Vincenzo JD, Meshkat S, Ho RCM, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Cao B, Lee Y, McIntyre RS, Rosenblat JD. Real-world effectiveness of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review & meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2022 Jul;151:693-709. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.037. Epub 2022 May 25. PMID: 35688035.
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