About Ketamine
Why We Use Ketamine.
Ketamine is a medication that has garnered significant attention in the medical field for its potential in addressing anxiety and depression, especially when conventional therapies have been ineffective. Originally designed as an anesthetic and still employed for such purposes, researchers have found that administering ketamine at lower doses can swiftly alleviate anxiety and depression, fostering lasting positive change.
Is Ketamine Right For You?
Conventional wisdom has often linked depression and anxiety to a shortage of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and norepinephrine. This belief has steered treatment towards replenishing these neurotransmitters through drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Yet, with over half of patients finding little relief from these approaches, it's clear there must be a more complex process at play.
We now understand mental well-being not only hinges on appropriate level of neurotransmitters, but also on the strength of connections between nerve cells and the balance of activity between areas of the brain.
When we are under chronic stress, high cortisol levels can cause the neurons in the brain to shrink and stop them from forming healthy connections and create an imbalance in the areas of the brain that are supposed to be active.
Enter the transformative effects of ketamine to help provide rapid relief from anxiety and depression and promote balanced mental health and well-being.
Ketamine immediately helps to reset specific areas of the brain associated with heightened worry and negative thought patterns, know as the default mode network. This reset contributes to the swift alleviation of anxiety and depression, often within hours of treatment.
Ketamine also helps to stimulate the release of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which helps to strengthen the neurons you already have, stimulate the formation of new connections between neurons, and promote an overall healthier environment for cells to communicate often leading to lasting change and improved mental well-being over multiple treatments.
It's important to note that regular and repeated doses may be necessary to sustain the positive effects of Ketamine, although the optimal dosing regimen is still an area of ongoing research. As such, we typically recommend several doses in succession to start with before moving into maintenance dosing. Side effects can occur, including dissociation, changes in blood pressure, dizziness, and headache, which highlights the importance of appropriate medical supervision, especially during initial treatments.