When Nothing Has Helped Your Depression, Ketamine May be the Solution

Depression is a growing healthcare concern that affects 300 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. About 16-19 million of those affected live in the United States. Unfortunately, many people are resistant to antidepressants, talk therapy, and other traditional options used to treat depression.

Because of the often profoundly debilitating effects of depression, medical science has continued to research more effective ways of dealing with this condition. Ketamine therapy has recently received wide recognition as a possible fast-acting solution for those with treatment-resistant depression.

Dr. M Rameen Ghorieshi and our team at Palo Alto Center for Mind Body focus on all aspects of your health, especially your mental well-being. We’ve seen outstanding results with ketamine therapy in our thriving practice and are happy to provide it as a potential answer for individuals experiencing treatment-resistant depression.

The consequences of ongoing depression

Feeling down now and then is a normal part of life. However, when that blue mood lasts longer than a few days or deepens as time goes by, it can negatively impact every aspect of your life. Depression can destroy motivation, disintegrate social relationships, and eventually lead to suicidal thoughts.

Depression can also impact your physical health. It disturbs sleep, causes unhealthy eating patterns, and often leads to substance abuse. In the case of chronic pain, it may be difficult to determine if the ongoing pain led to depression or depression caused the pain to linger longer than expected. Either way, depression can interfere with treatments designed to improve your physical and mental health.

Ketamine basics

Ketamine has taken a rather non-traditional path to its current acclaim as a major depression treatment. It’s been used for decades as an anesthetic in the operating room. It was once very popular on the battlefield because it acts so quickly to relieve pain. Doctors also noticed its ability to lift moods and sometimes use it in emergency rooms as a one-time, fast-acting treatment for patients at immediate risk of suicide.    

Ongoing research has shown that ketamine can also be used to:

• Treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Improve and stabilize your mood
• Decrease neuropathic pain
• Resolve anxiety
• Provide relief from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

When combined with a comprehensive treatment approach that may include talk therapy, stress management, and healthy nutrition, ketamine can provide lasting relief for those who have not been helped by standard antidepressant therapies.

The many benefits of ketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression

Researchers are still trying to determine why ketamine works when other antidepressant medications don’t. One of its main benefits, however, is the speed with which it becomes effective. Traditional antidepressant medications can take weeks to months to become useful. Ketamine can significantly lift your depressive symptoms within hours (or less) to days.

The fast action of ketamine also makes it possible to undertake other therapies that you may lack motivation for when your depression is active. Taking a daily walk, for instance, can help relieve depression and anxiety. However, if you’re experiencing major depression, even a walk around the block can seem impossible.

Also, because it’s delivered via intravenous (IV) infusion in a comfortable setting at Palo Alto Center for Mind Body, you won’t have to worry about taking a daily pill.   

If your current treatment for depression isn’t working, don’t give up! Schedule a visit at Palo Alto Center for Mind Body today. Call us at our Palo Alto location or use the online booking tool.