Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Every year, it is estimated that 13 - 14 million Americans suffer from major depression. Of those who seek treatment, 30% to 40% will not get better or fully recover with standard medication management. This is referred to as treatment resistant depression. Untreated or poorly treated depression puts the individual at greater risk for substance abuse, hospitalization, or suicide.
Ketamine infusion therapy has been shown to be successful in treating patients suffering from major depression, bipolar depression, postpartum depression (PPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and chronic pain syndromes like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Ketamine acts by binding receptors in the brain and acts to enhance the production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which in turn alleviates depressive symptoms. Ketamine effectively "re-wires" the brain, resulting in an antidepressant effect that is significantly different from the traditional antidepressant medication, which may reduce the need for other psychiatric medications.
Check out Mindfully Integrated Health's resources page for links to research on the efficacy of Ketamine infusion therapy for psychiatric disorders.