Ketamine for Anxiety

Anxiety and associated disorders can have a significant negative impact on a person’s quality of life. Intrusive thoughts and constant stress can nag at you day after day until it seems like there’s no relief.

Fortunately, there are treatments available. Antidepressants such as SSRIs help some people, as well as psychological counseling and therapy. But for patients experiencing severe anxiety that resists treatment, ketamine may be an effective option.

While antidepressants take weeks to take effect since they need to build up in your system, ketamine’s effects are almost immediate. Ketamine is administered either intravenously or via a fine mist. Though not yet approved by the FDA, it is already being used by professional psychiatrists to treat a variety of mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

For anxiety, the impact of just one ketamine infusion can last weeks. This can be a life-changer for patients, as they are finally able to go about their daily lives unhindered. Relief from the symptoms of anxiety gives patients space to analyze the root of the problem and develop mental coping mechanisms to deal with it.

Another benefit of ketamine is that when used in mild doses in a medical setting, it has no long-term side effects. During treatment sessions, patients sometimes experience hallucinations or a feeling of unreality that is described as pleasant, like floating on a cloud. These side effects dissipate along with the ketamine, and after a few weeks, it is safe to come in for another session.

If you suffer from chronic anxiety and no treatment method seems to work, visit California Pain Medicine Center and ask about ketamine. This cutting-edge treatment is already easing anxiety for many patients.