What’s the difference between intranasal esketamine (aka Spravato) and intravenous ketamine infusions? Learn what you need to know about the difference between esketamine and racemic intravenous ketamine here at our blog!
Exploring the Unconscious Mind During a Ketamine Infusion
What is the unconscious mind?
Each individual has a conscious (what we are aware of) and unconscious (what we are unaware of) part of the mind. Sigmund Freud once described the mind using the metaphor of an iceberg. When you look at an iceberg you'll see the top of it above water which can be quite big, but when you look underneath deep down into the ocean you'll see a larger amount of the iceberg. What's interesting is the vast majority of the iceberg is actually underneath and invisible. Freud uses the iceberg metaphor to describe the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind is the visible portion and the unconscious mind is the portion not visible above water. The unconscious mind controls a lot of what we think and how we behave. And we're simply unaware of it.
Ketamine Treatments Are Like Hitting the Reset Button
Why Don't Insurance Companies Cover Ketamine Treatments?
To simplify the question, we will limit the discussion to ketamine and its role in depression.
The short answers are: 1) Unawareness of ketamine as a treatment 2) Ketamine is not FDA approved for mood disorders 3) Ketamine is considered an experimental or investigational drug
But to leave it at this doesn’t fully explain it. To explore more, let’s do a deeper dive into each of these answers.
What's The Right Ketamine Infusion Dose?
When Should I Get a Ketamine Booster?
We often get asked this question: "How long is the time frame between ketamine booster infusions?" The real answer and it’s no surprise is... it depends.
As you already may know we recommend an initial six treatments over a period of two to three weeks. This is based upon the evidence from the clinical studies. Then depending on your response and how you feel, you may need a booster anywhere from every two weeks to every four weeks, sometimes even out to two or three months after the initiation series.
Should You Eat or Drink Before A Ketamine Infusion?
In this post, we wanted to share with you a question we’ve been asked several times: "What is your opinion on eating/drinking before ketamine infusions?”
No Drinking or Eating For At Least 3 Hours
At our clinic, we typically recommend that someone does not eat or drink for three hours prior to their ketamine treatments. Why? Well, some of the side effects of ketamine is nausea and vomiting.
Can People Who Are Grieving Get Ketamine Infusions?
Ketamine Infusions: An Alternative to Electroconvulsive Therapy
Checking In With Yourself Using the H.A.L.T. Acronym
Ketamine's Effect in Subtypes of Depression
The diversity of life on earth is extraordinary, therefore the perspectives and experiences we each carry as human beings can be vastly different from each other. In relation to medicine and mental health, researchers at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University in China recognized that we all have our own biological, environmental, and experiential complexities which prompted them to identify four different subgroups of depression: anxious, melancholic, anxious-melancholic, and no subtype. They then conducted a post-hoc study regarding the association between ketamine and the aforementioned subtypes.
Ketamine for Veterans with PTSD - A New Study
When veterans come home, their experiences can return with them. Sometimes their memories (especially traumatic ones) continue to vividly pop up in their heads, even to the point where they are reliving their traumas years after those events occurred. Experiencing emotional and psychological triggers after witnessing or being part of a terrifying event is known as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health disorder.
Can Ketamine Help With Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Ketamine's Efficacy and Safety in Anxiety Disorders
3 Simple Ways To Support A Person Receiving Ketamine Infusions
You have a friend or perhaps a significant other who has decided to undergo ketamine infusions. You may be all about ketamine or you may be skeptical; all are valid reactions and we’ve seen them all.
But let’s cut to the chase – this isn’t about you. This is about your loved one. They have been dealing with depression, anxiety and/or PTSD, as well as mental and/or physical pain. Perhaps you have been witness to it, have had your life affected by it, or are vaguely aware of it. Regardless, your loved one has decided on their own to try ketamine infusions.
Whether they say it or not, your loved one is going to look to you for support. So how can you support them while they receive ketamine infusions?
Mind Expansion With Ketamine Infusions: The Story Of The Well Frog
When we have anxiety, chronic pain, or depression our mind can get stuck in a rut - also known as rumination within the default mode network. Thought patterns emerge which further hurt and potentially prevent our healing
The Use of Ketamine as a Preventative Treatment for Postpartum Depression (PPD)
Pregnancy and birth can be an incredible experience for both mothers and their families. The last thing a new family might be thinking after bringing home their newborn baby is feelings of depression and sadness. Having a baby can trigger a large array of emotions, including; joy, excitement, anxiety, and fear. What most mothers, and even new fathers are not expecting to feel, is depressed.
Going Beyond Serotonin in Depression
Depression is among the most disabling conditions in our society. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. In America, 12.5% of individuals over the age of 12 have filled an antidepressant prescription. Yet, the effectiveness of these medications are still lacking. Many patients don’t respond to antidepressant medications, and it can take months for the medicine to kick in. Unfortunately, many patients will regain their depression after being on medications long term.
A Beginner's Guide To Ketamine Infusions
How Ketamine Affects The Brain In Depression: fMRI perspective
Ketamine is alleviating symptoms of those suffering from Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It works rapidly and effectively, especially compared to traditional treatment such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
So, how is ketamine making this happen? There is currently no definitive answer to “How Does Ketamine Exactly Work?”, and honestly we don’t believe there is only one single answer. We believe there are multiple mechanisms (scroll to the bottom to check out a couple videos where Dr. Ko explain the less “scientific” mechanisms, such as the spiritual mechanism)