Michael saw a therapist for 2 years, took countless antidepressant medications, and went through procedures such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but still felt sad most of the time. The fact that nothing seemed to improve his depression made him feel even more hopeless. After looking at other treatments for depression, he came across Ketamine Treatment. He became interested and felt that he had nothing to lose by giving it a shot. He would later say that it was the best decision of his life.

This blog will focus on Ketamine for depression, but ketamine has proven to be effective for a wide range of behavioral health conditions including anxiety, stress, and addiction.

Depression is extremely common: about twenty-one million adults in the U.S. have at least one major depressive disorder. To give you an idea of how to prevalent that is, it would be equal to every adult in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa combined.

Depression is characterized by a diminished interest in activities, fatigue, lack of motivation, difficulty focusing, and a negative few of self. While talk therapy and medication can help, they take a long time to work, if they work at all. And they don’t work for everyone.

For those who have not responded to traditional treatments, ketamine can be a lifesaver.

Ketamine is a medication that helps activate parts of the brain involved with mood, thought patterns, and cognition. It helps the brain form new pathways and connections which give the patient the ability to adopt healthier perspectives about the challenges they face and life in general. It can also give the patient an enhanced ability to process and regulate difficult emotions and cultivate hope for the future.

After Michael’s first round of Ketamine infusions, he immediately felt more confident in his ability to regulate his emotions and more in control of his thoughts. His motivation increased which enabled him to practice more consistent self-care and allowed him to get more out of his therapy sessions, now being able to retain and apply the tools he was learning to manage adversity.

Michael now receives a booster infusion every 3-6 months and has never felt better.

Michael’s experience is not an exception. Many people have seen huge benefits from Ketamine when all else has failed, and more and more research is being published that demonstrates the effectiveness of Ketamine for depression.

At Front Door Health, we are excited to be the first in-home Ketamine Treatment provider in Illinois and bring this cutting-edge treatment to our patients when and where it is most convenient.

Call us to get started today: 773-747-5500.

References

“Major Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.

Meisner, Robert C. “Ketamine for Major Depression: New Tool, New Questions.” Harvard Health, 22 May 2019, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketamine-for-major-depression-new-tool-new-questions-2019052216673.