Ketamine was originally developed as an anesthetic and used to treat injured soldiers in the Vietnam War era and later used for surgical procedures on children. Since then, it has been shown to be effective when used by individuals who have treatment-resistant depression. It can also be used to treat anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In some cases, ketamine also helps conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic pain. 

For people whose depression does not respond to typical medications, ketamine can be a real game-changer. Many people who previously had given up on finding relief for their depression find that ketamine provides help for their treatment-resistant depression they could not achieve in the past. Ketamine also proves effective for many in reducing and eliminating suicidal feelings. 

Ketamine and its mirror-image molecule esketamine (Spravato™) work differently from traditional antidepressants as they do not directly influence the monoamines serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Multiple studies over the past twenty years have shown how effective ketamine can be. This has led to the FDA approving esketamine for depression and suicidal thinking.  Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting millions. Harvard Medical School reports that in the United States, 16 million adults have at least one episode of major depression annually. Finding a relatively new approach to treating depression, such as ketamine, changes the lives of a lot of people. It also impacts their loved ones when the person they care about who suffers from depression and any accompanying suicidal thoughts begins to heal. For those who deal with thoughts of suicide, having that burden lifted gives them a greater ability to focus on other parts of their treatment. 

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

Ketamine is administered in a physician’s office, clinic or hospital.  Ketamine is in a pharmacologic class known as “dissociative anesthetic,” which means that it produces decreased sensation and sedation, which is sometimes described as “dream-like” or “a waking dream” because there is a subjective experience of being outside of yourself. Depending on the dosage and intensity, this experience can be unsettling if you are not prepared for it — that is why subanesthetic (lower) doses are given for depression. 

There are several ways to administer ketamine: 

• A troche (pronounced troh-key) which is an oral lozenge
• A nasal spray
• An intramuscular injection, or an intravenous injection into the bloodstream 

Depending on the route of administration, patients will have different experiences which can be considered and discussed during the evaluation process.

In some cases, it is practical and appropriate to have a medically monitored ketamine experience by itself. For a more interactive therapeutic process, a qualified psychotherapist can provide talk-therapy while the patient is under the influence of ketamine — this is known as Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy or K.A.P.  The details of this technique are best explained during a pre-ketamine psychotherapy session or sessions. Regardless of the protocol used for ketamine or K.A.P., the patient should expect to remain in the physician’s office for 2 hours before being discharged.  Arrangements are made ahead of time for a ride home after ketamine treatment, as you cannot drive on the same day of treatment.  

Ketamine/K.A.P. for depression can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other treatment options, such as other forms of therapy, medications, or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Treatment protocols are tailored to specific clinical needs but are generally two to three times per week for approximately two to four weeks before spreading out the treatments over longer intervals.

Relief from the symptoms of depression can happen in as little as a few hours, a huge difference from waiting for traditional prescription drugs to take effect. Those types of drugs can take several weeks to become fully effective, while the much quicker relief ketamine can offer helps people begin to manage their symptoms of depression in a more timely fashion. The trained clinician who oversees the process will monitor the patient for signs of progress, and the option to have additional sessions as part of a maintenance treatment can be discussed. 

The positive effects of ketamine-assisted therapy can last a few days or a few weeks, and after the completion of a series of sessions, some people find a reduction in their depressive thoughts and feelings becomes permanent. How long the effects last depends on the patient’s brain chemistry (physiology), family history, the level of self-care they engage in, and other factors.

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

Not everyone who engages in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for depression experiences any side effects, but some may occur. These can include:

• Headache
• High blood pressure
• Feeling light-headed
• Nausea/vomiting
• Rapid heartbeat
• Blurry vision
• Drowsiness
• Mild dissociation
• Hallucinations
• Delirium

Some people experience nausea, but this can be prevented by using anti-nausea medication during treatment. 

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.

Many insurance companies recognize the value that ketamine offers people who deal with depression and suicidal thoughts and provide coverage for it. It is more common that insurance companies will cover one service or the other but not both. Meaning, they may cover the medical procedure (ketamine or Spravato administration) or psychotherapy (they may not recognize that the psychotherapy is occurring during a ketamine/Spravato session).

Wave Treatment Centers may be able to offer a discounted rate when these two services are combined in an effort to offset this limited insurance coverage.

Contact Wave Treatment Centers for additional information.