Depression can be an ailment that you battle against continuously throughout you life. You may be doing well for a while, but then something happens to trigger another depressive episode, and you're back to feeling blue again. If your depression does not seem to respond well to the conventional treatments, like MAOIs and SSRIs, then you may be considering other options, one of which is IV ketamine treatment. Ketamine is becoming more popular for the treatment of depression in patients who seem resistant to other treatments. But is it for you? Well, that depends. There are some upsides and downsides to consider.
Upside: Ketamine can instantly bring you out of serious depression.
Ketamine is not like other depression treatments that start to work slowly, eventually giving you results a few weeks or a few months in. It works instantly. Patients who go in for their ketamine IV treatment feeling deeply depressed and suicidal emerge from their appointment feeling stable and strong. If it works for you, it really works. You'll feel like you re-embraced living and are getting a fresh start.
Downside: Ketamine can have temporary affects on your memory and awareness.
Ketamine is an anesthetic and a hallucinogenic drug. In some patients, it can cause memory loss, floating sensations, and an overall feeling of dizziness. These side effects do pass within a few days, but they are something to keep in mind. You may want to make sure you can take a few days off of work after your treatment just in case you do develop these temporary side effects.
Upside: Ketamine has lasting effects.
Most people who begin ketamine treatment find it effective in keeping their depression away permanently, so long as they follow their doctor's recommended treatment schedule. (Typically, this calls for a few treatments the first month, followed by "touch up" treatments every month or two after that.) Patients do not become resistant or immune to the effects of ketamine.
Downside: Ketamine can be addictive.
For the average person, this is not an issue. However, if you have a history of addiction, it is something to keep in mind. Ketamine is a drug that is sometimes sold illegally and abused. If you commit to ketamine treatment, you will also have to commit to never obtaining it illegally or using it without your doctor's oversight.
Ketamine treatment can be an excellent depression solution as long as you don't have a history of addiction and don't mind taking some time off to deal with possible side effects. Reach out to your doctor to learn more about ketamine IV infusion therapy.
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