Ketamine Treatment: Is It Effective?
You might be wondering if Ketamine treatment is even worth taking when there are a large number of side effects that it can cause. However there is also evidence that Ketamine treatment has managed to give people control of their lives. You have to be the judge whether you want to have the treatment but let us help you make that decision. Read on to see if Ketamine is really all it’s cracked up to be and if you want to take the treatment yourself.
Ketamine is Fast and Effective
Unlike most antidepressants that take weeks to take effect, ketamine takes less then a week to change a person’s outlook on life. Some patients even respond to the treatment within minutes of the treatment. Even patients with Treatment Resistant Depression have shown promise.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, test subjects experiencing treatment-resistant depression were able to find enjoyment in pleasurable activities for 14 days after a single treatment. Patients experiencing treatment-resistant depression have not responded positively to any treatment prior to receiving Ketamine treatment.
Over 70% of patients who’ve undergone a clinical study by the National Center for Biotechnology have shown improvements in their mental health. Compared to other forms of depression treatment which have a 50% to 70% chance of succeeding, Ketamine treatment is well above the common success rate of most anti depression treatments.
Ketamine Side Effects?
One of the main concerns of people considering Ketamine treatment are the possible side effects. Like all drugs Ketamine does have it’s side effects. These side effects can include
Nausea and Vomiting
Hallucinations
Increased Blood Pressure
And Dissociation or detachment from reality.
These side effects are mostly the effect of Ketamine being initially developed as an anaesthetic rather than a treatment for depression way back in the 1950s.
These side effects are relatively mild when compared to the side effects of other treatments. Other treatments like Electroconvulsive Therapy, ECT for short, which is considered one of the safest ways to treat depression has a host of side effects that are more intense than Ketamine’s. Not only does ECT have the same side effects as Ketamine, but it can also cause retrograde amnesia in some rare cases.
Ketamine Could Also be Used for Other Mental Illnesses
Patients with PTSD have also tried Ketamine and it has had a positive effect on their mental well being. The National Center for Biotechnology conducted a test on subjects experiencing severe PTSD to gauge how well Ketamine would work in curing its symptoms. Their results are nothing short of a success as the symptoms of PTSD rapidly diminished with the treatment. There were nearly no side effects felt by the patients after the treatment as well. Ketamine is a milestone in not only in the treatment of depression but also can soon be prescribed for other mental illnesses like PTSD.
If you have any other concerns or queries about treatments for depression and other issues linked with it, feel free to get in touch with us at (480) 367-1500.
