Ketamine For Depression | A Breakthrough in Depression Therapy
What is Ketamine Treatment?
Ketamine is a significant breakthrough therapy for treating depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic pain. Unlike traditional antidepressants that merely dull the severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, Ketamine targets the cause of this mental illness. This therapy enables the mind to heal itself by rewiring malfunctioning neurons and creating new neural pathways in the brain.
While Millions of men and women across the nation suffer from a form of depression, only a percentage of those people receive mental health care. Of those who do receive care, many have symptoms that are resistant to both treatment and therapy. Symptoms of depression range from anxiety, fatigue, feelings of sadness, and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. Luckily for those who experience symptoms that resist medication or therapy, Ketamine can help.
If you are tired of struggling with depression, Ketamine may be the solution for you. Ketamine Therapy LA is a premier provider of Ketamine treatments in the Los Angeles and West Hollywood area for those individuals suffering from forms of depression. Call us at 323-650-9883 to schedule your FREE consultation to learn more about Ketamine and discover if this treatment is right for you.
Benefits of Ketamine Therapy
- Near instant results
- Relieves feelings of anxiety, fatigue, and sadness
- Targets the psychological cause of depression
- Rewires the brain
- Improves mental wellness
What Is Ketamine?
Ketamine is very popular as an anesthetic as it does not affect the respiratory system; a person’s breathing will be unaffected throughout treatment. Ketamine is also commonly used in veterinary medicine as an animal tranquilizer. For many years Ketamine was abused on the streets and became widely known as a drug called ‘special k’. Luckily, medical advancements and extensive research have moved Ketamine from the streets and into the battlefields of mental health. As more light is being shed on the great benefits Ketamine can have for mental health, Ketamine is becoming more widely known and available across the country.
How Does Ketamine Work?
Ketamine for depression is different from all other traditional medications. Ketamine targets the psychological causes of depression in the mind and promotes the production of glutamate. Glutamate is a complex process that enables the brain to make new neural connections; the brain is literally given an opportunity through this process to rewire itself. Even just one dose of Ketamine can have dramatic positive effects on symptoms of depression. More and more men and women are looking to Ketamine for relief from depression and a higher quality of life.
Ketamine Therapy in Clinical Studies
Knowledge of Ketamine for depression has come from years of clinical research and medical advancements following its initial discovery decades ago. Ketamine was first approved by the FDA in 1970, and was used widely as an anesthetic on the battlefields in the 1960’s. More and more clinical evidence has emerged showing that Ketamine can work as a fast-acting treatment for depression, and even suicidal ideation, for those who have not found relief in other treatments.
Treating Depression with Ketamine
Researchers are saying that Ketamine is “arguably the biggest breakthrough in the field of depression in over 60 years”. Ketamine also received ‘breakthrough’ clearance from the FDA for treatment for depression. One of the reasons people are turning to Ketamine for relief in mental illnesses is because Ketamine works completely different from traditional medications (such as Zoloft or Prozac) typically prescribed for depression and anxiety.
Ketamine for depression works entirely different from the classic SSRIs, which can take weeks and months to have any effect. Research shows that Ketamine promotes the production of glutamate, impacting neuroplasticity. The increase of glutamate production helps the brain rewire itself as it restructures and makes new neural pathways. The chief psychiatrist at Yale Medicine, Dr. John Krystal, states that “when you take Ketamine, it triggers reactions in your cortex that enable brain connections to regrow. It’s the reaction to Ketamine, not the presence of Ketamine in that body that constitutes its effects”. For those suffering from any level of depression, Ketamine has near-instantaneous effects.
How Ketamine Improves Symptoms Of Depression
Respond Well To New Experiences
Depression can be crippling when faced with change. Luckily, Ketamine helps the mind open up in new ways and become more receptive to change through glutamate increase. Studies show Ketamine releases glutamate in the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions. Glutamate is crucial for learning, memory, motor control, and more. Increased glutamate can help patients respond well to new experiences and become ready to make lasting changes. In an article published by Harvard Medical School, Dr. Robert C. Meisner explained, “Ketamine appears to increase the amount of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the spaces between neurons…this process likely affects mood, thought patterns, and cognition.” 1
Increase Adaptability
Many studies show that ketamine’s effect on the mind can make patients more adaptable and able to change. This may be caused by increased BDNF, also known as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, stimulated by ketamine. BDNF is an essential protein affecting the development, growth, and maintenance of neurons in our brains. Similar to glutamate, BDNF plays a significant role in cognitive function, memory, and mood regulation. Some studies even show that higher levels of BDNF decrease the risk of developing mood disorders.
Improve Mood Regulation
The effect Ketamine has on the mTOR pathway can stimulate quick antidepressant results by improving mood regulation. The mTOR pathway is a cellular signaling pathway that regulates protein synthesis and cell growth. Researchers in that same study state: “The rapid antidepressant response after Ketamine administration in treatment-resistant depressed patients suggests a possible new approach for treating mood disorders compared to the weeks or months required for standard medications.” 2
Experience New Feelings of Relief
More of Ketamine’s impressive antidepressant effects are still being discovered. Ketamine has been proven to affect other neurotransmitter systems in the brain positively. Systems such as dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. One great standout is Ketamine’s tendency to increase dopamine release in certain brain regions. This is likely how ketamine treatments induce incredible mood-elevating results that combat depression.
How To Maximize Ketamine For Depression After Treatment
Integration is the term often used for changes made based on ketamine therapy treatments. Any lessons or takeaways gained from the insights and feelings of ketamine therapy are part of the integration. The following 7 to 10 days after your treatment session are key to overcoming depression and maximizing the effects of ketamine. During this time, speak with a therapist, continue to take prescribed medications, journal about your ketamine experience, and find steady support. Engaging in mindfulness, deep self-reflection, and meditation is also beneficial.
It is important to note that healing from depression will look different for each patient. The path to healing takes time. As you set goals, whether they be large or small, be kind to yourself. Ketamine Therapy LA is confident that, with therapeutic intention, ketamine can drastically improve symptoms of depression like no traditional medications can do. Our mission is to help each patient gain a new lease on life from the debilitating effects of depression with the help of ketamine.
Ketamine Treatment Applications
Some of the mental illnesses Ketamine can help improve are:
- Depression
- Treatment-resistant Depression
- Anxiety Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Addiction
- OCD
- PTSD
- Suicidal Ideation
- Chronic Pain
What To Expect During Ketamine Treatments
Ketamine is administered intravenously for 40 – 60 minutes. These sessions are closely monitored, and although patients may experience an altered state of mind, they will maintain consciousness and the ability to speak. A series of 10 sessions is typically prescribed for complete treatment. To learn about the cost of Ketamine and other details of what treatment is like, contact the Ketamine Therapy LA clinic directly.
Why Choose Ketamine Therapy LA
Ketamine treatment for depression is safely administered by the master injector and board-certified anesthesiologist Dr. Sirak. Within the framework of his career as an anesthesiologist, Dr. Sirak has been administering Ketamine since 2008. Dr. Sirak believes that Ketamine treatment with therapeutic intentions can have profound healing effects for patients.
Ketamine For Depression in Los Angeles and West Hollywood
Ketamine therapy unlocks many doors for people struggling with some form of depression. Men and women in Los Angeles and West Hollywood looking for relief from the debilitating effects of depression should contact the Ketamine Therapy LA clinic today. Ketamine Therapy LA is the top provider of Ketamine therapy in Los Angeles and West Hollywood. Contact us today to learn more about how you can improve wellness with Ketamine. Call us today 323-650-9883 or reach out to us online to learn more about this form of therapy.