Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be disabling and life-threatening. Classified as a mood disorder, most treatments for this mental health condition, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, may be inefficient, slow to take action, or have side effects.
According to the experts, about 30 to 40% of patients find relief with antidepressants, but a significant number still cannot recover from their condition with this form of treatment. Thus, they are at a greater risk of falling into substance abuse problems, hospital emergencies or committing suicides.
Ketamine as Rapid Treatment for PTSD
A serious mood disorder like PTSD requires a fast-acting and sustained treatment to relieve the patient of the symptoms of severe depression and anxiety. In recent times, a growing number of experts have become proponents of ketamine-assisted therapy for PTSD symptoms. In fact, ketamine infusion therapy in Palm Beach County has already helped numerous patients manage their anxiety and improve their quality of life.
For decades, ketamine has been used as an anesthetic drug during surgical operations, but it is also reputed for its hallucinogenic effects. Ketamine has also been used to curb a PTSD patient’s episodes and prevent suicidal tendencies or save lives in some emergency units around the United States.
Advantages of Ketamine for PTSD Patients
The drug’s effects become apparent within hours of the treatment, compared to generic antidepressants, which take weeks, or even months to improve a patient’s mood. Getting a ketamine infusion in Palm Beach County has the following advantages and benefits:
- It brings rapid relief from abnormal behaviors due to PTSD. Researchers in a study published in JAMA Psychiatry learned that ketamine-assisted therapy delivered greater reduction of PTSD symptoms within 24 hours of infusion.
- It quickly restores the patient’s coordination, comprehension, and sensory processing, which may have been disrupted by PTSD. Apparently, ketamine-assisted therapy may target the brain’s mechanism to help reconsolidate memories and eliminate the trauma, according to a study in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
- It works better for treatment-resistant depression, or those who have been taking generic antidepressants for years without any significant improvements. A study in Biological Psychiatry has demonstrated the efficacy of ketamine-assisted therapy with 60-70% of patients responding better to it than to other antidepressants.
What Happens in a Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
Short of being called a miracle drug for patients with severe mental health problems, ketamine infusion therapy Palm Beach County is carefully administered at Allay Health & Wellness under the strict watch of trained experts. The treatment is either done through a nasal mist or an IV, which may take less than 45 minutes to complete.
Ketamine-assisted therapy may require as little as 6 infusions spread over a 2-week period and the effects can last for at least 3 months. Patients may go home after each session if the clinician determines that they do not have any hallucinations or show other side effects.
In most cases, however, the side effects are mild and lasting for a short time only.
Coupled with ketamine-assisted therapy, a patient may respond better to psychotherapy or “talk therapy” and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Learn more about ketamine infusion in Palm Beach Gardens
At Allay Health and Wellness, we offer the opportunity for individuals to begin on a journey to a better quality of life. We are now able to help patients connect the dots as to what is happening in their turbulent subconscious.
Most of us are unable to articulate the reasons why we do the things that we do. We are forever perplexed as to why we cannot find happiness, or achieve a lasting peace of mind.
If you would like more information about our depression treatment, do not hesitate to contact us and schedule an appointment.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.