Ketamine for Anxiety
Ketamine therapy offers a promising option for individuals struggling with anxiety disorders. Many find that their anxiety symptoms do not respond to traditional treatments, making ketamine a hopeful alternative. Extensive research has revealed its potential as a versatile solution for various mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
If you’re facing the challenges of anxiety and haven’t found relief through conventional methods, ketamine may be the right choice for you. Kelevate is proud to be a leading provider of this innovative therapy.
What Is Ketamine?
Although research for Ketamine treating anxiety is relatively new, Ketamine has been around for many decades. It was first approved by the FDA in 1970. As an anaesthetic and pain medicine, Ketamine is widely used in clinics, hospitals and emergency rooms. It has minimal effects on a person’s breathing and supports the blood pressure and heart rate. This important safety profile is why doctors often choose ketamine as the medication of choice in patients who are frail, critically ill and cannot tolerate other medications. Now Ketamine is on the front lines of mental health treatments. Since its discovery, extensive time and effort has been put into studying Ketamine and how it works.”
How Does Ketamine Work for anxiety?
Where traditional medications dull symptoms and have short-term effects, Ketamine targets the source of anxiety by working first to heal the mind. Yale research labs have shown that Ketamine triggers the production of glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is a complex process that helps the brain create new neural connections, and the production of glutamate helps the mind become more adaptable allowing it to heal itself.
Benefits of Ketamine for Anxiety:
- Alleviates anxiety, fatigue, and stress
- Provides rapid relief
- Long lasting therapeutic effect
- Addresses underlying psychological factors
- Promotes rewiring and reconnection of brain pathways
- Enhances overall mental wellness
Clinical Studies on Ketamine
Dr. John Krystal, chief psychiatrist at Yale Medicine, notes that “with most medications, like Valium, the anti-anxiety effect lasts only while the drug is in your system. Once the Valium wears off, rebound anxiety can occur.” He further highlights ketamine’s unique benefits, explaining that it stimulates glutamate production and “triggers reactions in your cortex that allow brain connections to regenerate. It’s the response to ketamine, not its presence in the body, that drives its effects.” This makes ketamine distinct from other medications for anxiety disorders.
Ketamine Therapy for Anxiety
Unlike conventional treatments, ketamine therapy offers a unique approach to anxiety. Anxiety disorders affect over 40 million Americans, often beginning before the age of 21, and can manifest as excessive sweating, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and agitation, significantly impacting quality of life.
While traditional SSRIs (anti-depressants) often mask symptoms, ketamine enhances glutamate production, allowing the brain to restructure and form new connections. This has helped many individuals find relief previously thought unattainable.
Ketamine treatments are administered via infusion in a closely monitored 40-60 minute session. Patients remain conscious and able to communicate, though they may experience an altered state of mind. A typical treatment course consists of 6-10 infusions, with effects often felt almost instantly with a potential for long-lasting results.