Ketamine and psychedelic therapy for PTSD, depression, and anxiety
While different medications and therapies are used to treat PTSD, depression, and anxiety, some people find that traditional methods don’t provide long-term relief. In fact, many people struggling with these conditions are turning to novel therapies like ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, and for a good reason.
Ketamine is a medication that is typically used as an anesthetic, but it has also been shown to be effective in treating PTSD, depression, and anxiety. A recent study found that a single dose of ketamine was able to reduce PTSD symptoms in veterans significantly.
On the other hand, psychedelic-assisted therapy is another promising treatment option for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This type of therapy uses drugs like LSD or psilocybin to help people confront their trauma and explore their emotions in a safe and controlled setting.
While these novel therapies are still in the early stages of research, they show promise for people who have not had success with traditional PTSD, depression, and anxiety treatments.
Can psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?
The jury is still out on whether or not psychedelics can “rewire” the brain to treat conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. However, some evidence suggests that psychedelics may help change the way the brain processes information. For example, one study found that people with PTSD who took LSD showed changes in their brain activity similar to those without PTSD. In addition, psychedelic compounds, like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, have found recognition after almost 50 years of use in research and were mainly neutered by legislation.
Psychedelics may also help to improve communication between different regions of the brain. That could potentially help to reduce symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. While more research is needed to confirm these effects, the early evidence is promising. So if you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, depression, or anxiety, there may be new treatments on the horizon that could help.
Ketamine Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD
If you or someone you love is struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD, ketamine therapy may be a treatment option worth considering. This medication was initially used as an anesthetic, but it has also been shown to be effective in treating mental illnesses. In addition, an increasing number of experts believe ketamine can help with conditions that don’t respond to other approaches.
The FDA has only approved a particular form of ketamine for use in humans, but an estimated 18 million people have tried it recreationally. Some people have found that taking ketamine can help to ease their PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
Ketamine Treatment Types
Ketamine can be administered in multiple ways:
Intramuscular (IM) shots: A health care provider will give you an IM shot of ketamine in the upper thigh or buttock. Typically, it’s injected into any large muscle in your body, such as your buttock, thigh, or arm, in hospitals or clinics.
Sublingual tablets: You can take the tablet form of ketamine by mouth. You put a tablet under your tongue to let it dissolve. This form of ketamine is often prescribed for at-home use as an independent treatment or maintenance in between IM or IV treatments.
Intranasal: You can spray a form of ketamine up your nose. This nasal spray is known as Sprovato (esketamine) and can only be administered by a doctor in a hospital because they need to monitor the side effects.
Intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions: Your doctor may inject a slow, constant IV dose of ketamine into your bloodstream. The procedure is only done in hospitals or a clinic setting.
Bottom Line
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and Psychedelic therapy are holistic approaches to tackling not only the symptoms of mental illness but also the damaging, negative thought patterns, trauma, coping skills, lifestyle factors and chemical systems in the brain. That allows them to be highly efficient when other treatments have failed.