Ketamine Infusion for Mood Disorders, can it help?

Mood disorders, also known as affective disorders, are conditions characterized by an all-encompassing and sustained emotion that colors your whole view of life. Some examples of common mood disorders are major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, or depression related medical illness. Anxiety disorder, although not technically considered a mood disorder, can also affect your mood and is often seen in conjunction with depression. 

One of the main features of a mood disorder is that it interferes with your ability to function. That may take the form of excessive sleep, insomnia, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt. Since the mind and body are intimately connected, mood disorders may also have physical manifestations such as fatigue, headaches, or abdominal pain.

Mood disorders are treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.  There have been tremendous advances in medical therapy over the last 50 years. Several classes of medications have been developed to tackle depression. The most common are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, commonly known SSRIs, such as Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, or Lexapro or Paxil. There are several other classes of antidepressants that work on norepinephrine and dopamine, and older, first-generation medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).

Despite the plethora of medication options, a study by Rush et al. 2006 revealed that up to 33% of those seeking relief from traditional antidepressants failed to have any meaningful improvement. That means that one-third of those suffering with mood disorders are unable to feel better with conventional therapy.

Ketamine is a medication FDA approved for use as an anesthetic. It has been used widely for over 50 years, and during that time it was noted that many patients that received Ketamine had dramatic improvements in their mood and depression symptoms. Interestingly, this improvement was often rapid, occurring in some cases, in a matter of hours after administration. This prompted the scientific community to research Ketamine as an alternative treatment for mood disorders—a way to give people who have failed traditional medication hope of recovery. 

Since the discovery of Ketamine Infusion Therapy for mood disorder approximately 20 years ago, scientists have been researching the way it works, how it should be given, and what types of patients can benefit most. The most accepted protocol is one in which 6 low-dose Ketamine IV Infusions are given every other day over 2 weeks. This is called “induction” therapy and it is intended to shake up your brain chemistry and help you snap out of your old way of thinking and feeling. Once this phase of treatment is complete a “touch-up” or “booster” Ketamine infusion is given approximately every 3-6 weeks to help sustain your gains. 

If you are suffering with a mood disorder and would like more information about Ketamine IV Infusion therapy, please call 1-844-463-8734 for a free consultation.