Psychedelic-assisted therapy is on the rise for treating mental health issues, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Ketamine has successfully brought relief to individuals with cases of difficult-to-treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health issues. Over the last two decades, research has demonstrated that Ketamine is a safe, fast-acting, and effective treatment for depression and anxiety.
Whether you want to enhance your relationship with yourself, break free from trauma, reclaim your joy, or gain new insight into your patterns, Ketamine may be able to help.
The History of Ketamine
The history of Ketamine is fascinating, and it’s not just because the drug has been used in America as an anesthetic for over 50 years. We can trace Ketamine’s history back to the 1950s. During this time, researchers at Parke-Davis and Company in Detroit, Michigan, searched for an ‘ideal’ anesthetic agent with pain-relieving properties.
Animal studies were conducted to research the effects of Ketamine, and researchers continued experimenting with Ketamine with significant developments happening throughout the 1960s. Ketamine continues to be clinically helpful and has become a unique anesthetic agent still used today. Scientists have continued clinical trials and research into the positive effects of Ketamine and its greater use potential in the field of medicine.
With continued research on the medical uses for Ketamine, there is growing evidence that Ketamine may be useful for a number of medical challenges, including treatment-resistant depression that oral antidepressants can no longer help.
Why Ketamine?
Ketamine has dissociative properties that provide a temporary disconnection between the brain and body, allowing for what some people describe as an “out-of-body experience.” Patients often feel relaxed, creative, and euphoric during their treatment. Many report feelings of new perspectives, shared connection, increased clarity, renewed purpose, and awareness of spirituality.
There are several promising studies that show strong evidence that ketamine therapy is more effective and rapidly reduces symptoms of depression in treatment-resistant patients.
Ketamine isn’t considered a “classic psychedelic,” (like psilocybin or LSD) which refers to hallucinogenic substances. Ketamine works with the brain’s glutamate and NMDA receptors in the brain and, because it has the same neurobiological and phenomenological similarities as classic psychedelics, is still considered a psychedelic.
Effects of Ketamine
Ketamine is a safe, effective means of treating chronic pain, mental health disorders, and substance use disorders. It offers many benefits over traditional treatment, such as antidepressants and other medications, and has little to no adverse side effects in most patients.
Fast Acting
Ketamine is often described as “the new antidepressant” because of its rapid antidepressant effects. Unlike traditional antidepressants, Ketamine is able to provide relief to depression symptoms within hours after treatment to those with depressive disorder, with the therapeutic effects lasting from weeks to months. This is a game changer for depressed patients who often must wait weeks or even months to feel the antidepressant responses of SSRIs or other antidepressant medicines.
Effective for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Many patients with treatment-resistant depression can greatly benefit from KAP. In fact, some studies show that a single dose of Ketamine is more effective in treating symptoms of depression than being on a common antidepressant treatment for months.
Fewer Side Effects
Compared to other treatments, Ketamine has fewer side effects. Some patients experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, confusion, and drowsiness, but these are usually mild and go away quickly after treatment. In contrast, SSRIs and other drugs often cause insomnia, digestive issues, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and more. Additionally, the withdrawal process from antidepressant drugs can be very difficult.
Types of Ketamine Treatment
Nasal Spray Devices
The nasal spray form of Ketamine (Spravato) is only available for treating depression. This method of administration is quick and painless but does require supervision and must be done in a medical office.
Intravenous (IV)
IV Ketamine is administered through intravenous infusion. This method requires a doctor’s visit and is widely used for treating things like depressive symptoms, managing pain, and anesthesia. The Ketamine infusion can take about 45 minutes to complete and can offer lasting relief.
Injection
Ketamine can also be given by injection as a quick shot in your muscle. This method is similar to IV infusions but doesn’t take as long to administer. A shot of Ketamine also has to be done in a medical office.
Sublingual
A sublingual tablet form of Ketamine is another option for treating mental health issues. Sublingual tablets dissolve under the tongue and enter the bloodstream immediately. They can be taken in the comfort of your own home and can allow patients to have a more positive experience.
How Does Ketamine Work?
Ketamine acts by blocking NMDA receptors, which are responsible for transmitting signals in the brain. When this happens, the brain is unable to send messages to the body. As a result, the patient feels disconnected from his/her environment.
Ketamine produces psychedelic or dissociative effects and has been shown to have positive outcomes in psychedelic-assisted therapy. The dissociative effects of Ketamine put many people into a euphoric, dreamlike state that has been described as an intense yet gentle experience that allows depressed patients to open up to exploring the underlying causes of their depression.
The effects last approximately one hour. After this time, the drug wears off, and the user returns to their normal state, but many can still feel the effects for weeks to months because of the neuroplasticity that allows the brain to form new habits and thought patterns.
Traditional Antidepressants (SSRIs) and Why They Don’t Work
Traditional antidepressants are also known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters that carry signals between neurons. SSRIs block the reabsorption of serotonin into neurons. For decades they were thought to work to treat depression by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain. Researchers no longer believe this is true.
Many people who use SSRIs don’t see improvements in their depressive symptoms. Traditional antidepressants also have a delayed onset, and can often take weeks or months to start showing their effects, which can lead to people discontinuing their use because they don’t see results.
Antidepressants also come along with a long list of adverse effects that include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Drowsiness
- Insomnia
- Nervousness, agitation, or restlessness
- Dizziness
- Sexual dysfunction
- Lack of appetite or weight gain
There are also various studies that show no correlation between depression and chemical imbalances in the brain, which is contrary to what scientists previously thought.
If depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance, why have we been widely treating it with a medication that is made to balance out the chemicals in our brains?
It has been shown that when you combine ketamine with psychotherapy, whether it be on its own or at the same time as the ketamine administration, patients will see a significant decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms almost immediately.
Considering Ketamine for Depression?
If you’re considering using Ketamine for depression, book a free 15-minute discovery call with a member of our welcome team. HAPPŸŸ provides safe, effective ketamine treatment in the familiar comfort of your own home.
We offer personalized programs that combine the power of clinician-prescribed Ketamine with personal support and curated, evidence-backed exercises to help achieve breakthrough results for anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, addiction, OCD, and more.
Take our free 1-minute assessment to know if FLÖW ketamine-assisted therapy is right for you.
