As the world evolves, the pressure to meet up to present realities and challenges gets higher. To keep the body sane and sound, there must be some changes in the brain’s neural activity. 

However,  it could overwhelm the brain leading to neural imbalances and dysfunctions. Such people begin to experience depressive symptoms such as hopelessness, sadness, despair, suicidal thoughts, etc. 

What is more frustrating is when such patients are unresponsive to various antidepressant therapies. 

With the introduction of ketamine infusion therapy, your journey to self-rediscovery and living a saner life becomes easier. This biotherapy is no doubt a great remedy for people suffering with Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD), drug resistant depression, bipolar disorders, and more. If you know someone in Boston, who will find ketamine therapy useful, then it is best they go for a ketamine infusion therapy in Boston. 

We understand you are excited to learn more about ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and how it can benefit your mental health. For this reason, we will reveal five benefits of ketamine infusion therapy in this article.  

What is Ketamine 

Ketamine is a fast-acting anesthesia that induces loss of consciousness and relieves pain. The drug is also effective as a remedy for anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and recreational drug. 

Ketamine is most commonly administered parenterally through the intravascular route. When administered this way, a good amount of the drug concentration gets to the blood circulation without being metabolized. Nevertheless, oral, sublingual, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intranasal routes are also safe and effective. 

Most clinical use of ketamine involves very small doses. It could be as low as 0.1 mg/kg, or in some cases, about 0.75 mg/kg. The duration of use varies across different biological therapies. While some conditions may require a single session, others could last for weeks and years. 

Preparing for Ketamine Infusion Therapy 

Proper preparation is necessary for effective ketamine therapy. The primary aim of preparing for ketamine therapy is to help you maximize its healing potential and avoid any side effects that could result from the biotherapy. 

One way to do this is by getting proper education before seeking ketamine services.  If you don’t make other preparations, ensure you get the correct information before treatment. You need to know what you are getting involved in, the benefits you stand to gain, the duration of the treatment, the success rate, and any possible side effects. A ketamine psychiatrist or any related health worker will guide you properly. 

Furthermore, you must familiarize yourself with the environment you intend to get ketamine therapy. Make sure you feel comfortable with the surrounding, their facilities, and the workers. You are there to find healing for your mental or psychological health; anything that could trigger your symptoms should be avoided.  

Integration After Receiving Ketamine Treatment 

The purpose of getting ketamine therapy is defeated if it is not sustainable. Your road to mental recovery and a sound mind does not end after completing your ketamine session. Other decisions and plans must be implemented to enable you to achieve the desired result.  

First, you must do away with anything that could trigger those negative emotions and bring you back to your previous state. You should leave that toxic relationship, change employment, avoid bad influences (especially when struggling with addictions), etc. 

Furthermore, you will need to integrate some healthy routines into your lifestyle. This includes daily meditation, yoga, physical exercises, etc. 

Engaging a psychotherapist is also essential after your ketamine therapy. Doing so will help you monitor your recovery process and prevent any possible relapse.

Benefits of Ketamine Infusion Therapy

Ketamine therapy is fast gaining ground as a remedy for psychological issues, neuropathic pains, recreational purposes, etc.  Unlike other conventional antidepressant therapies, they act fast with fewer side effects. 

Some of the clinical scenarios you will find ketamine infusion therapy in use include: 

1. Ketamine Infusion Therapy as an Antidepressant 

Multiple research has confirmed the effect of ketamine as a rapid antidepressant therapy. Compared to other conventional antidepressants, a single ketamine dose elicits a therapeutic effect after an hour of administration. 

While this is impressive, a single dose of this drug can’t produce a sustained result.  To get the best outcome from this treatment, experts suggest a minimum of six infusions for three weeks. 

Ketamine is also a potent adjunct to mood‐stabilizing drugs in drug-resistant bipolar disorders.

2. Neuropathic Pain Management 

Low doses of ketamine play a significant role in managing neuropathic pain. It does this by providing an anti-hyperalgesic effect. So, the drug is not a typical analgesic in the good sense.  

You can use the drug to treat pathological or opioid-resistant pain. In addition, they are effective as a safe pain reliever and sedation during painful procedures when given in high doses. 

3. Role in Addiction

The effect of ketamine in controlling addictive behavior is fascinating. Patients struggling with alcohol use have been able to abstain long after undergoing ketamine therapy. Furthermore, this drug has also helped reduce the cravings for cocaine in an addicted patient. 

4. Ketamine Infusion in Sickle Cell Pain Crisis 

There is a possibility that low doses of ketamine when combined with midazolam, can help manage severe pain in sickle cell patients. More studies are currently ongoing regarding this. 

5. Chronic Migraine

Treating refractory headaches has proven to be challenging. Occasionally, patients fail to respond to even aggressive treatment regimens. 

Interestingly, ketamine shows a promising solution for people suffering from such disorders. 

6. Ketamine in Cancer Pain 

Ketamine has a promising effect on opioid-resistant pain in cancer patients. They are used as adjuvants to opioids when patients do not respond effectively to opioid analgesics. Furthermore, their effects are essential when neuropathic pain symptoms become overwhelming.  

Conclusion 

There is still lots of work ongoing to unravel the vast potential of ketamine treatment. No doubt, this antidepressant therapy has come to stay.

However, we must realize that ketamine is just part of a treatment plan for depressive disorders. They help reduce the symptoms of depression – which is not enough if you need holistic results. Combining it with a psychotherapy session will produce better results.  

A psychotherapy session before a ketamine infusion therapy prepares you for a safe treatment process, while that taken after the treatment helps you sustain the result.