Those struggling with depression know how difficult it is to get through each day. When someone feels depressed, it is good for them to talk to their physician about the way that they are feeling. A physician may prescribe anti-depressants to see if they can make a difference. However, alternative treatment methods are available and worth considering. One of the alternative treatments is ketamine infusion therapy. It is becoming more common for people to use ketamine to treat depression.
What Is It?
Ketamine is a type of anesthetic. While commonly used for sedation purposes, it is now used to help those with depression who have not been able to get relief via other methods, such as therapy and anti-depressants. In smaller dosages, it may help treat some of the most severe cases of depression that often lead to suicidal thoughts.
How Does It Work?
Ketamine infusion therapy is a simple process. A patient would receive ketamine through an IV. The dosage is much lower than what is commonly used to sedate a patient when undergoing a procedure. Ketamine should only be provided by a medical professional who can carefully monitor the patient and provide the right dosage to avoid any potential problems. The patient would come to the facility to receive treatment for the first time. They would likely need to come back for a second treatment the following week. While it often takes time for anti-depressants to kick in and make individuals feel better, the results of ketamine infusion therapy are often noticeable shortly after treatment.
How Does It Make Patients Feel?
While receiving ketamine therapy, patients may start to feel a bit drowsy. Despite the drowsiness, they are alert and know what is going on around them. Each session tends to take less than two hours to complete. Once the session is over, the individual who receives ketamine infusion therapy may feel more energetic and alert without feeling so down and upset. With regular therapy sessions, thoughts of committing suicide and other serious feelings of depression often become a thing of the past for patients.
Ketamine therapy is safe when provided by a medical professional. It is an alternative treatment for those with depression who are not seeing results from using traditional anti-depressants. If your depression is getting worse and not better, talk to your physician about the possibility of undergoing ketamine therapy. It could make a huge difference in your life by making you feel a lot better.
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