Ketamine

Ketamine Therapy: A Beacon of Hope

Ketamine, once known primarily for its use in anesthesia, is now at the forefront of mental health treatment. Its unique ability to rapidly alleviate symptoms of depression, ease anxiety, and reduce chronic pain is changing lives. Ketamine promotes neuroplasticity which refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new neural connections throughout life, which is crucial for learning, memory, and recovery from brain injuries. In the appropriate setting, ketamine can help disrupt the brains “default network” and promote new connections to form – replacing anxiety and negative thoughts.

Rapid Relief When It Matters Most

One of the most remarkable aspects of ketamine therapy is its speed. Unlike traditional antidepressants that take weeks or even months to show effects, ketamine can provide relief within hours. This rapid response can be a lifeline for those struggling with severe depression or anxiety. Ketamine supplements traditional mental health treatment such as anti-depressants and anxiety medication as well as counseling and psychotherapy.

Multiple Methods of Treatment

Ketamine can be administered in several forms. SPRAVATO^®nasal spray is FDA approved for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder with suicidal thoughts or actions. Most insurer carriers cover this treatment. For other mental health disorders, Ketamine can be administered intravenously (IV) in a clinic setting. Both SPRAVATO^®and IV/IM ketamine is administered in our downtown Bend, Oregon clinic. Relax in our dedicated infusion room which is calming and safe environment. We will be your guide for your experience and you will be monitored by a registered nurse and treating clinician during your entire stay. Intramuscular (IM) ketamine treatments are also available. This treatment does not require an IV in your arm. 

At Home Therapy

Imagine receiving cutting-edge mental health treatment without stepping out of your home. At-home oral ketamine therapy eliminates the need for regular clinic visits, saving you time and ensuring your treatment fits seamlessly into your life. This is mental health care on your terms. Work on improving your mental health in your safe place – at home where you feel most comfortable. Most patients will start with IV treatments then transition to oral home treatments. We highly encourage working with a counselor or therapist for oral ketamine treatments. We have several local and tele-health resources available.

Tailored Treatment Plans: Personalized for Your Unique Needs

Each patient’s journey is unique. Our clinic and at-home ketamine treatments are customized to meet your individual health needs, ensuring the most effective and comfortable experience. From dosage to treatment schedules, every aspect is tailored just for you. Our providers have worked with ketamine for years in various clinical settings and are passionate about how ketamine can improve mental health.

To learn more about how ketamine maybe helpful for you, we offer a no-cost 15 minute phone call with one our clinicians. Schedule here.*

Learn more about ketamine treatments on our blog. More information about SPRAVATO^®(esketamine). 

Benefits for Depression

Rapid Symptom Relief:

Traditional antidepressants often take weeks to show their effects, partly because they rely on gradually changing neurotransmitter levels. In contrast, ketamine’s ability to rapidly induce neuroplastic changes can lead to quick improvements in mood and cognitive function, sometimes within hours or days.

Resilience to Stress:

By enhancing neuroplasticity, ketamine may help the brain become more resilient to stress. This is crucial in depression treatment, as stress and an inability to adapt to it can be a significant factor in depressive disorders.

Circuitry Rebalancing:

Depression is often linked with dysfunctional neural circuitry in the brain, particularly in areas related to mood and emotion regulation. Ketamine’s promotion of neuroplasticity can help rebalance these neural circuits, effectively ‘resetting’ them, which may alleviate depressive symptoms.

Cognitive Benefits:

Enhanced neuroplasticity can also lead to improvements in cognitive functions such as memory and executive function, which are often impaired in individuals with depression.

Benefits for Anxiety

Enhanced Neuroplasticity:

As with its effect on depression, ketamine promotes neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This increased plasticity can help the brain ‘rewire’ itself, potentially creating new, healthier patterns of thought and behavior that are less dominated by anxiety.

Reduction in Overactive Brain Areas:

Anxiety disorders often involve overactivity in certain brain areas, such as the amygdala, which is associated with fear and emotional responses. Ketamine can help dampen this overactivity, leading to a reduction in anxiety symptoms. Ketamine also blocks NMDA receptor which can lead to a reduction in anxiety symptoms.

Psychological Effects:

Ketamine can produce dissociative effects, which some patients report as helping them gain new perspectives on their anxiety and stressors. This altered state of consciousness can sometimes facilitate therapeutic breakthroughs.

Benefits for PTSD

Disruption of Fear Memories:

Ketamine may disrupt the reconsolidation of fear memories, a key aspect of PTSD. When traumatic memories are recalled, they become ‘labile’ or malleable. Ketamine, given during this labile phase, may interfere with the re-strengthening of these memories, thus diminishing their emotional impact over time.

Emotional Detachment:

The dissociative effects of ketamine can create a sense of detachment or distance from emotional pain and traumatic memories. This temporary detachment might provide a window where patients can process their trauma more effectively in therapy.

Reduction in Avoidance Behaviors:

PTSD often involves avoidance behaviors, where individuals avoid certain places, people, or thoughts that remind them of the trauma. By reducing the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, ketamine may help patients engage more successfully in therapeutic interventions, like exposure therapy.