Have you lost interest in activities you once enjoyed? Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you have feelings of worthlessness or doubt that things will ever improve? Have you been having thoughts of taking your own life? Are you generally just not feeling like yourself and wishing that you could find pleasure in life again?
If you answered yes to any of those questions and have noticed a decrease in your level of functioning for more than two weeks, you may be one of the 20 million Americans who experience a major depressive episode within a given year, and it’s important to remember that you aren’t alone.
At Mindscape Ketamine and Infusion Therapy, we understand that symptoms of depression can make seeking treatment difficult, but we’re here to offer you hope and an alternative treatment plan for overcoming depression. Keep reading to learn more about ketamine’s therapeutic benefits and your options for depression treatment in Houston.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with FDA approval for use in the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia during surgical procedures. In recent years, however, research has shown that ketamine has strong therapeutic effects in the treatment of major depressive disorder, as well as various other neuropsychiatric conditions. It is also listed on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines.
The drug is able to effectively treat depression because it aids in regenerating pathways in the brain that allow serotonin and dopamine—the two neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) most commonly cited as being low in people with depression—to be more easily absorbed. Since the brain can absorb these neurotransmitters more readily, patients report experiencing a decrease in symptoms of depression almost immediately when compared to traditional medications.
Why is Ketamine Important for Depression Treatment?
With conventional depression treatment methods, it could be anywhere between four and twelve weeks before you achieve symptom relief. Even after waiting all that time, you might come to realize that the medication isn’t effective at reducing depressive symptoms. If this is the case, your doctor may suggest trying another antidepressant medication, which could also take weeks to months before reaching its full effect. And when it comes to depression, waiting is simply not an option for some people.
WHO cites depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 30% increase in suicide rates in the United States over the past two decades. When confronted with these sobering statistics, it’s impossible to ignore the implication that traditional methods of treating depression are not working.
Ketamine infusion therapy, on the other hand, has been shown to provide symptom relief within two hours of administration.
How Ketamine Treatment for Depression Works Differently
Depression can feel like it is taking over every aspect of your life, from relationships to employment to the simple ability to derive pleasure from your everyday activities. And for people who have not found an effective treatment plan for overcoming depression, the sense of hopelessness that things might never get better is, understandably, magnified. Despite this, it’s important to remember that hope for relief isn’t lost.
Therapeutic ketamine is the only fast-acting treatment proven to reduce the symptoms of depression, including suicidal ideation, and has been shown to have long-term positive effects lasting up to three months after a single dose.
Though the benefits of ketamine infusion therapy can last for months, doctors suggest that patients follow the recommended treatment plan to experience the apparent wonder drug’s full effects. Instead of taking a dose of the medication every day as you might with a traditional antidepressant drug, patients receiving ketamine therapy for depression are given a series of IV treatments over the course of a few weeks.
The initial round of treatment is composed of six infusions, followed by maintenance infusion sessions conducted every three-to-five weeks after the initial round is completed. Patients receiving a low-dose ketamine infusion for depression treatment can expect to spend about an hour at our ketamine clinic in Houston—40 minutes of active infusion and 20 minutes of active recovery—before being released to go home.
Overcoming Depression is Possible in Houston, Texas
While we pride ourselves in the science behind our mental health treatments, we understand that our patients’ testimonials are the best way to help you understand how profoundly this medication can change your life. Among our many success stories is that of Tianna Hall, acclaimed jazz vocalist and long-time Mindscape patient, who says that the relief she’s experienced as a result of this treatment saved her life.
But don’t just take our word for it, see for yourself how ketamine infusion therapy can help you finally stop struggling with depression.
Mindscape Ketamine and Infusion Therapy
At Mindscape Ketamine and Infusion Therapy, we know that traditional medications aren’t always successful when it comes to alleviating the symptoms of depression, and we’re here to help! If you or someone you know is showing signs of depression, therapeutic ketamine could be the option that finally brings relief.
For depression treatment in Houston, contact our office to schedule a free consultation and find out if ketamine is right for you!
If you are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide, please go to the nearest hospital, or tell someone who can help right away.
Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.