The Center for Disease Control (CDC) conducted a study in 2020 that found that people who have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder were 30 times more likely to suffer from treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
Treatment-resistant depression can cause an array of unpleasant symptoms, with many people who have it considering options such as suicide and self-harm.
If you or a family member think you have TRD and are desperate to feel relief, contact our team at Daydream MD. We can assess your suitability for treatment with ketamine infusions.
Ketamine therapy benefits are substantial for those with TRD, and ketamine used for depression can be quick and make a genuine difference to your mood for the better.
Here, we will look at how, so read on to learn more about the pros of undertaking ketamine therapy with our trained and dedicated team at Daydream MD.
Signs of Treatment-Resistant Depression
When you have depression or are in the middle of a depression attack, it can seem like it is treatment-resistant.
However, there are some signs to take note of if you think you have treatment-resistant depression.
No reduction in depression symptoms long term with the presence of antidepressants.
No reduction in depression symptoms after attending psychotherapy or counseling.
Sleep issues that occur 3+ nights a week.
Overeating or undereating.
Suicidal ideation.
It is worth noting that you can have brief flashes of improvements with treatment-resistant depression, but this may be due to an increase in the dosage of antidepressants or other medication changes. A brief relief from symptoms does not mean you do not have treatment-resistant depression.
Ketamine Therapy- How Is It Given?
At Daydream MD, our staff will conduct an assessment of your mental health, as well as your history of other mental health medications or treatments, to see if you are suitable for ketamine therapy.
We will ask about your depression symptoms, any antidepressant effects that you may have had, any other treatment for depression, such as talking therapy, as well as if you have suffered from suicidal thoughts. We will also ask if you have a history of substance use disorders. This will allow us to assess your suitability for ketamine therapy for depression or related mental health issues.
We aim to give our ketamine therapy via IV infusion. This may seem like something you would undertake in more clinical settings, but our team has found that infusion therapy helps us better control the doses of ketamine you receive and minimize any side effects you may experience. These ketamine infusions will impact your blood pressure, causing it to drop and causing you to feel separated from the situation.
Don’t worry! Our medical team at Daydream MD will be with you through the ketamine treatment to ensure you are safe and that all your vitals stay where they need to be! After the therapy, you will likely notice that you have better regulation of mood, which will help you to feel some respite from the symptoms of treatment-resistant depression.
Benefits of Ketamine Therapy
If you have a history of taking antidepressant medication, you may be wondering what the catch is with ketamine therapy. Here, we will walk you through some of the pros of ketamine therapy for depression so you can assess if it is a treatment that may suit you.
Side Effects
Ketamine therapy for depression and, indeed, ketamine for mental health has the bonus of having few notable side effects.
Even though this medication is given via IV infusion, the long-term side effects are few (if any), and this has a broad appeal to many of our patients. During the infusion, there will be a member of our team in the room to assess your vital signs, but apart from the drop in blood pressure (which is normal), the main effect of ketamine is one of disassociation. You may feel floaty, separate from yourself, and tingly, but this is normal. It is part of the process and will stop soon after removing the IV needle.
Rapid Symptom Relief
Many patients are surprised to discover that when it is via an IV infusion, ketamine works quickly, and the mood-boosting effect of ketamine is noticed within 2 hours of the treatment starting.
Why does this happen? Ketamine infusion therapy works on a different premise from traditional antidepressants and focuses on the receptor glutamate. In cases where someone has treatment-resistant depression, lower levels of glutamate were found in their blood. So, ketamine therapy works by increasing glutamate levels, helping to boost mood quickly. When you leave our clinic, you can maintain this effect of ketamine with a nasal spray, which will act as a top-up in between sessions with our team at Daydream MD.
Ketamine Treatment FAQs
Will I Be Suitable For Ketamine Treatment?
This is one of the most common FAQs we receive about ketamine therapy.
Ketamine infusion therapy can be beneficial if you have a history of treatment-resistant depression and if you are currently in good physical health.
Can I Undertake Ketamine Treatment Alongside My Antidepressant Medication?
One of the benefits of ketamine is that you can usually undertake ketamine treatment even if you are currently taking antidepressant medications. Talk to our medical team to be on the safe side, though!
How Long Do The Effects of Ketamine Last?
Using ketamine for therapy to treat depression can cause the symptoms of depression to lessen for days or weeks. This depends on factors such as the dosage, your physiological health, and other procedures that have been put into place to help you manage.
Can I Have Multiple Ketamine Treatments?
You may require more than one treatment of ketamine for therapy to help you manage your depression. So, yes, you can have multiple treatments, and our team at Daydream will aim to space them 2-3 weeks apart.
How Daydream MD Can Help
At Daydream MD, our approach involves utilizing psychedelic medicine, specifically intravenous ketamine treatment, to address depression. If you've found that conventional medications and treatments alone aren't effectively helping, we encourage you to contact our team for support.
