Ketamine has been around since the 1960s, but has only recently begun to gain traction as a highly effective treatment for anxiety and depression. Because of its history of abuse as a “club drug,” there is some controversy around using ketamine as a treatment for psychiatric conditions—but, actually, the substance is not addictive. Many psychiatric patients report a decrease in symptoms for up to 6-months after their initial series of infusions, with positive effects in as few as 1-2 infusions. Ketamine alleviates symptoms in about 70% of patients…a major improvement over the 40% efficacy rate of traditional antidepressant medications.
In treating chronic pain conditions, ketamine has been a very useful alternative— especially in emergency situations—to narcotic painkillers. With opiate abuse and addiction running rampant in the U.S., ketamine infusions provide a supplemental, non-narcotic treatment option that can oftentimes reduce a patient’s need for stronger opiate medications.
What are the current industry experts saying about ketamine?
Psychoanalyst Martha Koo of Neuro Wellness Spa said, “Ketamine is an amazing therapy for depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. It functions as a NMDA receptor antagonist, preferentially blocking the NMDA receptors on GABAergic interneurons to cause a surge of glutamate and a cascade of events leading to improved neurogenesis, synaptic strength, and global brain connectivity.”
Or, in layman’s terms, ketamine works on a different system of brain chemicals than traditional antidepressant medications. Rather than creating more of any one brain chemical, ketamine actually improves the health of neural connections…and, some studies even show that ketamine can repair the damaged neural connections that lead to depression and anxiety!
Why is ketamine so effective?
“In essence, we believe that ketamine is very important in reversing neuronal atrophy caused by stress from chronic illnesses, such as pain, anxiety, PTSD, and depression. On a broader level, I believe IV ketamine therapy assists patients to become more psychologically flexible, for example engage in deeper self-awareness, gain insights from additional perspectives, acquire more acceptance, be less avoidant, and cope better with adversity,” said Koo.
Koo explained how patients feel when they start using it: “With the first infusion some patients are rid of all suicidal thoughts and most are simply less overwhelmed by their symptoms. After a series of infusions ketamine helps individuals be in complete remission from anxiety, depression, and pain.”
So, what makes ketamine unique compared to other drugs? Speed of effectiveness, according to Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Yale Depression Research Program Dr. Gerard Sanacora, who uses ketamine on his patients. “Ketamine works really quickly—within a few hours—whereas other drugs might take a few weeks to take effect. This is important because we know that the longer someone stays in a depressive state, the higher chance they might do something to harm themselves. Ketamine also seems to work for patients who haven’t benefited from classic antidepressant medications. The most rewarding thing for me, as a doctor, is seeing severely depressed patients who have failed multiple treatments experience changes on the same day they start this new drug.”
According to Sanacora, more clinicians will be offering ketamine as a treatment in the future. His prediction is already manifesting, as ketamine clinics are popping up in every corner of the country, offering new hope to those who have all but lost hope.
However, not all patients are candidates for ketamine infusions. It’s important to discuss your symptoms and psychiatric history with a healthcare provider prior to beginning treatment. If you are interested in learning more about this safe alternative to traditional depression treatments, contact us for a free consultation.
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