In the world of mental health, a new approach is becoming widely acceptable and opening new doors of possibilities. Today let’s discover all the key benefits of ketamine therapy.
People with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and bipolar disorders tend to pull away from life and become distant from positive thoughts. Such therapies can be a life-saving technique to help them achieve a new outlook on life.
Understanding Ketamine Therapy
Speaking of the benefits of ketamine therapy, it’s crucial to understand the foundational elements. Before we dive into the benefits of ketamine-assisted therapy, we must learn about the building blocks of this therapy. The way it administers itself in the patient’s mind presents promising results.
The chief of psychiatry at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut, John Krystal admits, “Ketamine can produce feelings of unreality; visual and sensory distortions; a distorted feeling about one’s body; temporary unusual thoughts and beliefs; and a euphoria or a buzz”. Medically speaking it means,
When ketamine enters the brain, it blocks the activity of NMDA receptors causing a psychedelic effect. When glutamate is blocked, it causes the receptors to make new connections and initiate a mystical experience for the patient that they are able to experience euphoria. This effect is short-lived but yields long-lasting and impactful results.
Critical Benefits of Ketamine Therapy
1. Instant relief
On one hand, when anti-depressants, soothing medications, and even counseling therapies can take up to weeks or months to start showing results, the benefits of ketamine therapy stand out. This therapy has allowed its users to experience pain-free symptoms within hours/days of the therapy.
“What’s so exciting about ketamine is not only that it works for people whose symptoms are not responding to traditional treatments, but it also works much more rapidly – in days or even hours.” — Dr. Benjamin Brody
2. Decreased suicidal ideation.
The British Journal of Psychiatry has reviewed about 83 studies that prove to show ‘robust, rapid and transient antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects of ketamine.”
When a person idealizes the thought of ending their own life, the negative thoughts in their brain can be dangerous. One of the benefits of ketamine therapy is that it offers a solution to alleviate these thoughts by blocking neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for emotion and mood.
Instead, it reshapes the neural connections and allows for the disassociation of a person from such distressing thoughts and social ideation.
3. Treatment of bipolar
Bipolar is a mood disorder leading a person from mania to depression depending on the type of Bipolar they have. Sometimes manic/depressive episodes can last up to 7 days and sometimes less. However, these episodes can become so harsh that the person might even need medical assistance.
Ketamine infusion therapy is a great way to deal with the depressive episodes of thi disorder. With the help of synaptogenesis, it was able to eradicate anti-suicidal effects according to a study that involved 42 patients where more than half of the patients felt the positive outcomes.
4. PTSD and anxiety management
Ketamine-assisted therapy has been beneficial for those patients who suffer from PTSD after stressful events, or traumatic experiences and experience different levels of social and mental anxieties.
When discussing the benefits of ketamine therapy, it’s fascinating to note its impact on the mind. When Ketamine enters their brains, it disrupts the patterns of fear from flashbacks/nightmares and anxieties involving excessive worry. It allows the patient to experience a calm mind without these emotions.
5. Complements traditional therapy.
While Ketamine has shown a lot of progress in alleviating distressing symptoms, the benefits of ketamine therapy can be fully realized when therapists don’t overlook the whole healing process. It’s crucial to pair other therapeutic methods like cognitive-behavioral therapies, talk therapy, and psychotherapy that provide a safe space to explore emotions, learn coping mechanisms, and foster resilience.
It is essential for the patient to obtain mind-body optimization, meditation and keep track of their functional nutrition to witness a positive impact in their lives.
6. Insignificant side effects
One of the most prominent benefits of ketamine therapy is that the side effects are the bare minimum and if anyone even experiences them, they last from up to 30 mins to 1 hour maximum in the short run.
Such side effects can include nausea, dizziness, headache, pronounced drowsiness, blurry vision, mood changes, sensitivity to light and sound, and temporary elevation of heart rate and blood pressure but only for a short period after the session is over and under the supervision of a medical professional.
To avoid any other serious issues, the therapist must take note of the previous medical history, drugs utilized, and treatments used.
7. Physical benefits
Pain relief being the number one goal of ketamine therapy, there are other benefits of ketamine therapy that can give you a more physically balanced lifestyle. Ketamine has some anti-inflammatory effects, can regulate blood pressure and heart rate, influence appetite changes, and provide neuroprotective effects.
The mind and body work together, once the mind is at ease, the body will be in a healthier state automatically.
8. Long Lasting effects
A typical series of infusions lasting from 5 to 6 inputs over a period of two weeks can impact long-lasting relief for patients. More than 80 percent of patients admitted to lasting positive symptoms from this therapy. These infusions can leave a lasting impact when they are given exceptional after-care and maintenance of the sessions.
Things to consider before getting a Ketamine therapy infusion.
There are a few things that you should consider before getting a ketamine therapy infusion and it includes,
- A complete medical evaluation that strikes out any adverse effects of this drug and uncovers underlying health issues which can determine whether you are the right candidate for this therapy or not,
- Hypertension, angina, heart rhythm disorders, history of heart attack or stroke
- Hyperthyroidism
- Severe liver disease
- Delirium, acute psychosis, schizophrenia
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Pregnancy
- Mobility restrictions
- Make sure your provider has the license to practice and administer this drug. You should be aware of the credibility of your practitioner/clinic.
- Make a treatment plan with your provider and discuss any risks involved. Be ready for all kinds of outcomes and plan ahead to keep up with your schedule.
- Discuss the outcomes with the provider and be mentally ready for successful or unsuccessful results. However, be fully motivated to come out of your mental illness.
- Be sure to have someone who can look after you while you are going through this treatment and provide the proper aftercare. Discuss with your provider about complementary therapies that can further increase the likelihood of your mental stability.
Conclusion
A synergy of hope, Ketamine therapy has emerged as a promising drug in eliminating the pains of those who are averse to other methods. This therapy is beneficial in terms of speed, side effects, mechanism, and healing possibilities.
Even though this treatment is still undergoing many interventions people might still be skeptical about it. Neuroglow is expanding its horizons daily and this therapeutic solution is paving its way like a dynamic brushstroke, adding depth and vibrancy to the canvas of mental health solutions.
FAQs
What are the key benefits of ketamine therapy?
Eliminating anxiety, handling PTSD symptoms, eradicating suicidal ideation, and shutting down your depressive thoughts while you allow your mind to feel relaxation clearly. This therapy shows you the world without the lens of mental problems.
How Ketamine Improves Your Mental and Physical Health
With the help of synaptic adaptability, ketamine blocks the neural pathways which allow the formation of new connections. Once distressing thoughts and negativity come to a halt, there can be immediate physical relief as well that can add to a better lifestyle in the future.
What Are the Mental Health Benefits of Ketamine?
Alleviating negative thoughts that were present due to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, etc. stemming from mental disorders like bipolar, PPD, OCD, and many others.
How long do the benefits of ketamine therapy last?
A complete session of 2 to 3 weeks can give you positive aftereffects for the 3 or 4 upcoming months, but it starts working after only a few hours or days of the first infusion.
Who benefits from ketamine therapy?
Some individuals with mental health problems are unable to cope with better results through traditional methods. Such patients yield the maximum results through ketamine infusion therapy.
