Ketamine For Depression | Denver

Axis Integrated Mental Health is a leading treatment provider utilizing ketamine for depression in Denver, Colorado. Although many people are aware that this FDA-approved medication is providing new hope to people suffering from major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression, we see a lot of misinformation from our social feeds that are preventing people from getting the help they need. In fact we've been accused of being snake oil salesmen!

The reality is that ketamine for treatment resistant depression administered in a licensed clinical setting is helping many people reduce depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation and go on to lead their best lives. We wrote this blog to help people understand the benefits of ketamine for depression and take charge of their mental health.

The drug was first developed in the 1960’s as a medication for use in anesthesia. As an anesthesia drug, it is incredibly valuable. It helps decrease pain, blocks people’s memory of surgery, and does all this predictably and without affecting people’s breathing. Ketamine is still incredibly useful as an anesthesia medication, and is being used in operating rooms across the country every day.

In the 1970’s, ketamine was widely used in the Vietnam war as a way to treat the pain of battlefield wounds. It was safe and effective for use as a battlefield anesthetic. At the same time, it was also being used by veterinarians to aid in surgery on animals. This is where the oft-referenced “horse tranquilizer” reputation came from. In the early 1990’s, researchers at Yale noticed that people with chronic depression were feeling rapid relief after being given this medication. The researchers then went on to find that when given at the right dose as a part of a greater treatment plan, people improved from a range of mental illnesses.

In the last 5 years, psychiatrists have prescribed ketamine for depression in Denver to take advantage of the antidepressant effects of the medication. 

At this time, the majority of research data regarding the use of the drug in mental health is based on using ketamine for depression. The studies show that about 70% of depression patients that receive ketamine treatment achieve relief from their depression symptoms. By comparison, traditional antidepressant medications make people feel better about 40 to 60% of the time. Some people will try many different medications, types of medications, and combinations of medications without feeling better.  After failing other medications, patients can often feel hopeless about feeling better from their depression. This is where ketamine treatment can truly change lives. This powerful treatment can bring these patients a new lease on life, by finally giving them the relief they’ve been searching for.

These promising results of using ketamine for depression are exciting and hold so much promise for the future of psychiatry. However, the non-clinical street use of ketamine as a party drug must be addressed. It can be abused, just like any medication being used without a prescription or being taken without the guidance of a medical professional. One big problem with people trying to self-medicate their depression with street ketamine is the inability to know how much of this medication they’re getting. This is a major issue because the dose for treating depression is very important. Too little ketamine and mood benefits are not likely to happen. While too much can actually worsen depression. Beyond this issue, buying substances that are being sold as ketamine, doesn’t guarantee what you’re actually getting. It's possible that ketamine can be laced with fentanyl, a leading cause of overdoses today. Taking street drugs to treat your depression is just not worth the risk.

It’s also important that patients receive treatment in a clinic that is staffed with trained medical professionals. While incredibly safe and effective when used correctly, this medication can become dangerous when given or taken without proper medical supervision. Like all medications, this valuable treatment can cause harm if given incorrectly. It is also important that the setting for treatment be geared towards healing mental illness. The benefits for mental health are best achieved in a calm and peaceful setting with the support of trained professionals. Everything from the sounds people hear during their treatments, to the conversations they’re having with staff are important. In the right setting and with therapeutic conversation, patients can build lasting relief from their mental illness.  The wrong setting can cause the experience to be unpleasant, frightening, or even dangerous. Again, just like any medication, it should be used under the care and supervision of a trained medical provider. If you have been dealing with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or OCD and other treatments have not helped you feel better, you should consider scheduling an evaluation appointment at a respected mental health clinic that also offers this treatment. For those patients who have tried other things with no success, this important treatment can truly change lives for the better.

Other information:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/
10.3389/fnins.2021.657714/full

https://www.washingtonpost.com/
wellness/2022/09/12/ketamine-depression-treatment-research/

It’s also important that patients receive ketamine for depression treatment in a clinic that is staffed with trained medical professionals. While incredibly safe and effective when used correctly, this medication can become dangerous when given or taken without proper medical supervision. Ketamine therapy work needs to happen under supervision, in a setting geared towards healing mental illness. The benefits for mental health are best achieved in a calm and peaceful setting with the support of trained professionals. Everything from the sounds people hear during their treatments, to the conversations they’re having with staff is important. In the right setting and with a therapeutic conversation, patients can build lasting relief from their mental illness.  The wrong setting can cause the experience to be unpleasant, frightening, or even dangerous. Again, just like any medication, ketamine should be used under the care and supervision of a trained medical provider. If you have been dealing with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or OCD and other treatments have not helped you feel better, you should consider scheduling an evaluation appointment at a respected mental health clinic that also offers this treatment. For those patients who have tried other things with no success, this important treatment can truly change lives for the better.