You may have met someone who has benefited from ketamine for chronic pain or seen a video about how ketamine works to alleviate depression and anxiety. So you get all jazzed about trying ketamine infusions for yourself and you approach your doctor about it. Instead of getting helpful information and support to pursue infusions, you get a cold reception, a flat out “no”, or a simple shrug of the shoulders.
Ketamine is shedding it’s old reputation and gaining a new life as an effective and rapid treatment for depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Some researchers even state that ketamine is "the biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century.” You may have read news articles, seen videos on YouTube, or perhaps have even heard of a ketamine infusion clinic near you. But should you consider trying it for your own depression?
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, and with the rush of new trials, medications, and treatments, everyone is hoping for a miracle drug or vaccine. But with the rush and urgency for a treatment, doctors had to result with what is currently available and repurposing drugs that are originally intended for a different disease. They have tried drugs such as hydroxychloroquine, antivirals, antibiotics, and vitamins. It’s a tough battle to fight, as they need medication that will stop the disease from progressing and treat those patients that have fallen dangerously ill. With severe economic impacts and a push to “open-up” states, doctors and researchers are rapidly developing trials to find out which medications may be the most effective.
Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy founded in the early 3rd century BC by Zeno of Citium. This school of philosophy guides us towards a life of tranquility and virtue. Tranquility is a state marked by the absence of negative feelings like anger, sadness, worry, and stress, and the presence of positive feelings – in particular joy. Virtue is the aim for excellence as a human being living in accordance with nature. Believe it or not, it is one of the roots of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Depression is among the most disabling conditions in our society. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. In America, 12.5% of individuals over the age of 12 have filled an antidepressant prescription. Yet, the effectiveness of these medications are still lacking. Many patients don’t respond to antidepressant medications, and it can take months for the medicine to kick in. Unfortunately, many patients will regain their depression after being on medications long term.
Ketamine is alleviating symptoms of those suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It works rapidly and effectively, especially compared to traditional treatment such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
So, how is ketamine making this happen? There is currently no definitive answer to “How Does Ketamine Exactly Work?”, and honestly we don’t believe there is only one single answer. We believe there are multiple mechanisms (scroll to the bottom to check out a couple videos where Dr. Ko explain the less “scientific” mechanisms, such as the spiritual mechanism)
In 2016, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey to investigate the prevalence of chronic pain in the United States. They found that an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults (50 million people) had chronic pain. Additionally, “high-impact” (more severe, limiting) chronic pain was found in an estimated 8.0% of U.S. adults (19.6 million people).
If you are reading this article, then you are likely already aware of the potential of ketamine infusions for the treatment of depression, PTSD, suicidality, and anxiety. Unfortunately, the majority of people are unaware this is an option, or if they are aware, they simply believe ketamine is “just a horse tranquilizer” and drug of abuse that has no benefits in the treatment of mood disorders.
Ketamine infusions are helping many people with chronic pain disorders, anxiety, PTSD, and depression. This is not only due to the biochemical changes in the brain but also because of its psychotropic experiential effect. In this article, we explain how to maximize your ketamine infusion by adequately preparing for and integrating the experience.
Ketamine infusions are becoming increasingly popular due to the fact they are can potentially rapidly treat anxiety, pain disorders, and treatment-resistant depression. You may be curious about what the experience of ketamine infusion will be like, especially since there is a lot of confusing and misleading information out on the internet. Well, we got you covered!!
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