In many cases, depression responds well to treatment. The majority of adults in the United States who experience a depressive episode recover, and often don’t suffer from depression again. However, for others, treating depression effectively isn’t nearly so easy. That quickly becomes a much more challenging situation to manage.
Treatment-resistant depression isn’t sufficiently alleviated by approaches like talk therapy or medication management, and may recur repeatedly or drag on for months or even years. If you’ve been living with treatment-resistant depression, you may have given up on finding relief from your symptoms of low mood, low energy, hopelessness, or shame. Still, you may have treatment options available to you that you still haven’t explored, including ketamine.
Dr. Bryant S. Edwards of Iconic Infusions, PLLC, provides ketamine therapy for depression from his Fayetteville, North Carolina, location. Studies show that ketamine treatment may be able to help with even stubborn, treatment-resistant depression. Here’s what you need to know.
Why do some people suffer from depression that doesn’t improve with time or treatment, while others recover more quickly and easily? Medical scientists are still researching this question, but it’s clear that your brain is intimately involved with this mental health condition. Depression likely causes harmful changes in your brain.
Ketamine treatment is a form of neuromodulation therapy. That means that it creates positive changes in your brain, which can counteract the damage of depression. Specifically, ketamine blocks the N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in your brain. It disconnects you from your ongoing emotional pain. And, when that happens, your brain has a chance to heal, forming new neural pathways and patterns.
Ketamine works as an effective treatment option for major depression, with as much as 70% of patients experiencing lasting mental health improvement. Dr. Edwards provides intravenous (IV) ketamine infusion therapy. IV treatment takes effect right away and doesn’t need to be processed by your digestive system. The IV needle is superfine and is generally tolerated well by most patients.
Therapeutic, low-dose ketamine has a dissociative effect for many, although not all. In higher doses, ketamine is used as a party drug. Dr. Edwards monitors your treatment closely and prepares you for what to expect from your sessions.
Each of your infusion sessions lasts for less than an hour. You rest in comfort in our medspa environment, with gentle sensory stimulation available. Monitoring ensures that you don’t have an allergic reaction to the treatment.
The dissociative effect of the ketamine goes away within 20 minutes of your infusion session’s end. But the antidepressant effects of ketamine can linger for days, or even for good. For best results, Dr. Edwards may suggest that you complete at least six infusions over the space of 3 weeks.
If you’re interested in learning more about ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, contact Dr. Edwards at Iconic Infusions, PLLC today. Schedule your initial consultation appointment online or over the phone.
