Frequently, we can look at our lives and notice areas that aren’t quite good enough. Or it may feel like there is always something a little wrong. It might be the pick-up food order that’s missing an item when you get home, the small leak in your roof that needs to be repaired, or the highway traffic that we get stuck in.
Although we have much in our lives, we easily forget what we do have because we become used to what we have in our lives. This is known as the hedonic treadmill - a cycle of wanting, getting, then gradually becoming accustomed to what we previously desired
It’s no surprise that we are firm believers in ketamine infusions for the rapid treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and chronic pain disorders. However, we also recognize that ketamine is not the one silver bullet that is going to fix every single problem in your life. Yes, you may feel great after your infusion, but you can’t be on ketamine all the time - plus the effects of ketamine can fade over time.
Today we are inspired by the work and wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During the 1950 and 1960s, there were many civil rights activists besides Dr. King. They all pointed out the injustice of that time and shared how they were going to create change. One of the things that made Dr. King standout and have his legacy live on to today is that he shared his DREAM. He shared his vision of a beautiful world where those civil rights existed. He shared his WHY.
For some patients, I notice that they have a hard time loving themselves. I believe that self-love is a critical component of healing. However, it can be difficult to do in our society today. The message we get is that “You are not good enough, but if you buy X, Y, and Z, then it will make you worthy of love.”
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
Gratitude is powerful and can be described as the “appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself; it is a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation”(1). As we face challenges in our life, it’s incredibly easy to forget how amazing it is to be alive. When we focus on what is going well in our life, we can shift our attention to the positive things. Sure, there will be negative things going on, and we can learn to accept and change what we can. However, it’s important to also appreciate what is going right.
Western culture promotes never giving up and holding on, but like many things in life, when this mindset is taken to the extreme this persistence can lead to destructive stubbornness. You clench your fists, grit your teeth, and dig your heels into the ground ready to take on the world all the while holding deep within yourself some belief which may no longer serve you.
This is where letting go comes in. Letting go is the opposite of the control, or rather the illusion of control we seek. This desire to control can play out in many different ways…
One of my favorite books is Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris. In this book, he shares the answers to eleven powerful questions from artists, athletes, top business people, and politicians (aka the movers and the makers of our world). I thoroughly enjoyed reading their answers and imagined what my responses would be. So in this post, I will share my answers to the 11 questions for you all.
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).
Traumatic experiences can cause a severe disturbance to the human psyche and soul. The overall lifetime prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is at 6.8% in the United States. The rate of PTSD is significantly higher in females (5.2%) versus males (1.8%). This stems not only from military experiences, but physical and emotional abuse, bullying, shaming, interpersonal violence, sexual trauma, and criminal acts.
Have you wondered why homemade meals can sometimes be more emotionally satisfying compared to restaurant or fast food? For example, when you’re sick and your caretaker prepares a hot soup for you with homemade ingredients, it can make you feel better compared to soup from a can. A 2013 study took that concept and hypothesized: Is it possible to improve mood with tea that was prepared with a belief and an intention?
I have a dream that one day our society will view mental illness and chronic pain with deep understanding, compassion, and respect.
I have a dream that people will be able to feel their feelings and express them fully.
I have a dream that ketamine will be covered by insurance companies, so people can get the treatment they need.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2018, specific brain waves are related to the anti-anxiety effects of ketamine. The brain waves involved in this function are called theta waves, found in the right frontal area of the brain. Ketamine can treat a wide variety of neurotic disorders, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD, but researchers do not conclusively understand how ketamine works to relieve the symptoms of these disorders.
At Reset Ketamine, we take a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to medicine. Dr. Ko's medical training is from the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. This is where the biopsychosocial model was founded. For example, when someone comes in with chest pain, we’re not only looking at the organic or biological causes of chest pain, i.e heart attacks, pneumothorax, aortic dissection, fractures, pneumonia, costochondritis, etc.
