Depression is a common mental health issue — but a health issue that people are still reluctant to discuss. More than 16 million adults in the United States experienced major depression in the last year with about 10 million of those people having a depressive episode so serious that it resulted in severe impairment. It’s important to discuss depression as well as treatment options so that people affected by depression can get help.
Major depression is more than just a bad or foul mood. It can be debilitating and even lead to suicidal thoughts. Depression doesn’t only affect the person who has it, but it also affects their family and friends as well.
While there are many treatments for depression, up to 40% of people with depression don’t respond well to any treatment options. If you’re one of the many who has not responded to other treatments for depression, intravenous (IV) ketamine treatments may be an effective option to help you feel better about yourself and your life.
Ketamine has been used for years as an anesthetic and as a treatment for pain. More recently, the medical community has discovered its effectiveness in treating non-responsive depression; also known as treatment resistant depression. Not only does it help people who have not had positive results with other medications for depression, but it helps them feel better quickly.
Unlike many other medications for depression that can take weeks to start working as they rebalance different hormones in the body, IV ketamine treatment is immediate, usually within 24 hours or sooner. You may wonder how IV ketamine treatments work so quickly and, for many, effectively.
Depression is thought to be caused by a reduction in synaptic connections between nerve cells in the brain. Ketamine, researchers discovered, can boost connections and restore lost connections.
In addition to treating depression, IV ketamine treatments may also help people with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive order. Other conditions that IV ketamine may help include anorexia, bulimia, and bipolar disorder.
IV ketamine treatments may help people with anxiety disorder as well. About half of people diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, so for people with both mental health issues who haven’t responded to other treatments, IV ketamine can be especially effective.
But the only way you should consider IV ketamine treatments is under the supervision of a trained medical professional who has experience administering IV ketamine. Dr. M Rameen Ghorieshi and his highly specialized team at Palo Alto Mind Body have extensive experience administering IV ketamine for depression, suicidality, anxiety, and other debilitating conditions.
During a consultation, Dr. Ghorieshi can tell you if IV ketamine therapy is a good option for you and also what to expect during the treatment session.
For more information on IV ketamine treatments and how they can help you, call Palo Alto Mind Body Palo Alto, California, to schedule a consultation with Dr. M Rameen Ghorieshi, or make an appointment using the online portal on this website.
