WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING KETAMINE INFUSION TREATMENTS?
Don’t look at ketamine as a “fix-all” solution. Yes, it is extremely helpful, but it should be paired with therapy, lifestyle changes, a healthy diet, and a willingness to change the aspects of your life that are holding you back. You need to be ready to work toward your own healing.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT KETAMINE INFUSION TREATMENTS, AND HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO CHOOSE THIS AS A TREATMENT OPTION?
Everyone has times of feeling “blue,” but I hit a point where I was convinced I had fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. Insomnia had me self medicating to a level of concern. The simplest of tasks felt overwhelming and I could hardly get out of bed. I had to fess up my depression to my friends in explanation of my social withdrawal. My”normal” is fairly gregarious and connected. I had web searched treatments for depression and found anecdotal comments about ketamine, and its potential for being a breakthrough treatment. I started asking for it during two outpatient procedures and it was administered. The feelings were a bit scary at first, but once I relaxed and became curious, it was very pleasurable experience. Consequently (miraculously) I was searching ketamine treatments and found Reset Ketamine!
Have you ever noticed that you are not really your best self when you don’t get enough sleep? You may notice yourself being curt and impatient with others. You may even feel more sad, jumpy, or worried on days without adequate rest. On these days, it seems like our daily problems are insurmountable. However, when you finally do get a good night’s rest, you may notice a fresh perspective on life.
Frequently, we can look at our lives and notice areas that aren’t quite good enough. Or it may feel like there is always something a little wrong. It might be the pick-up food order that’s missing an item when you get home, the small leak in your roof that needs to be repaired, or the highway traffic that we get stuck in.
Although we have much in our lives, we easily forget what we do have because we become used to what we have in our lives. This is known as the hedonic treadmill - a cycle of wanting, getting, then gradually becoming accustomed to what we previously desired
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.
You may have met someone who has benefited from ketamine for chronic pain or seen a video about how ketamine works to alleviate depression and anxiety. So you get all jazzed about trying ketamine infusions for yourself and you approach your doctor about it. Instead of getting helpful information and support to pursue infusions, you get a cold reception, a flat out “no”, or a simple shrug of the shoulders.
WHAT’S ONE OF THE LESSONS YOU’VE GAINED FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE FROM THE TREATMENT?
What I learned is that I couldn't change my situation by "traditional" means, nor by thinking my way through. I'm so glad I had the courage to try ketamine...it's like a poetic hero's journey into the unknown realm of the self. An added plus is the research that ketamine encourages the brain to continue growing even after the infusion itself.
WHAT’S ONE OF THE LESSONS YOU’VE GAINED FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE FROM THE TREATMENT?
I’ve learned how important and how easy it is to feel real empathy with another person. Letting yourself truly feel and think from another person’s perspective is so important I think. The insights about empathy and where real love is in my life quite literally saved my marriage. The selfishness of depression and the inability or unwillingness to see how a path very different from my own could bring someone else happiness are real dangers that I don’t think are addressed as much as they could be in the context of depression. There is a lot more to the condition that just feeling sad. I strongly feel that I learned this during ketamine treatment and I know that my relationship started to change in the car on the way home from the first treatment.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING KETAMINE INFUSION TREATMENTS?
If you can afford it, do it. If you don’t like it, you can make a choice after you try it. I was at a point where I would try anything to get out of the depressive stupor. Staying persistent and on “the plan” helped me regain my equilibrium. Eight months after the last treatment, I am able to read and focus. I am proactive in my life again. I’m much more productive both within and outside of myself.
Ketamine treatments can be rapidly effective in a significant number of patients suffering from depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. However, there are some patients who seem to do better than others. In addition to an appropriate environment, preparation, and integration afterwards, the right mindset going into a ketamine treatment is crucial.
These are the three MENTAL factors that support patients’ improvement from the ketamine treatments:
Ketamine is shedding it’s old reputation and gaining a new life as an effective and rapid treatment for depression, PTSD, and anxiety. Some researchers even state that ketamine is "the biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century.” You may have read news articles, seen videos on YouTube, or perhaps have even heard of a ketamine infusion clinic near you. But should you consider trying it for your own depression?
WHAT WAS ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES DURING THE TREATMENT?
I had a time or two where the experience I had caused me to suddenly understand everything. Things seemed to make sense on a deeper level. It was extremely satisfying. It is very difficult to put my experience into words. But almost all my treatments are uniquely different and yet the same. I am learning that you can alter the experience to see what you want as well at times. It’s very cool.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering ketamine infusion treatments?
This was the best gift I could have ever given myself. I was so worried and concerned about the money and finances of it UNTIL…. I got in the car after my first session and stated “No regrets. It’s worth every penny!”
What stands out in your mind about your experience with Dr. Ko & Reset Ketamine?
For me, it’s been transformational - Dr. Ko is an obviously skilled and capable clinician, but I think he’s found his true calling in this therapeutic work. His approach to medicine embraces both the Western and Eastern traditions, and for me, that is very rare...and powerful. He and his staff make me feel safe, cared for and seen as a whole person, and we can all benefit from that.
What was one of your most memorable experiences during the treatment?
My grandmother died a couple of years ago. I miss her so much everyday. I wore her ring to my ketamine infusions. Before I went in for the first treatment I just stared at her picture which made me less nervous. During my first infusion, I felt her presence. I started having wonderful memories of her flooding my mind. It helped me to focus on all the happy moments I had with her. It helped my grief a lot.
According to the World Health Organization, depression has now surpassed HIV, AIDS, malaria, diabetes, and war as the leading cause of disability. It is estimated that 16.2 million Americans have experienced a major depressive episode, and depression is much more common in females than males. Some studies report up to 20% of teenagers experiencing depression before they reach adulthood, and statistics are showing that it’s actually increasing.
Furthermore, with the current COVD-19 pandemic, civil unrest, and heightened stress levels worldwide, our psychological health is challenged even more. Experts are anticipating significant impacts in the rates of anxiety and depression.
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