When it comes to depression, this is an exciting time for research and the development of new ideas and treatments. Today I want to touch on one treatment that I have been hearing more about – ketamine.
Perhaps you have heard of ketamine. It is a legal drug in the United States, and it has been around for awhile. It is typically used in surgeries for its anesthetic properties, however, it is sometimes used for pain not related to surgery. Unfortunately, these uses make it a popular drug of misuse and abuse. You may find ketamine being illegally used on the streets. Needless to say, ketamine is a powerful drug that requires careful use and monitoring.
While I am not sure of the history behind it, lately I have heard about ketamine clinics that are being used to help people with depression. There is some evidence that ketamine may help treat depression, and patients go to these clinics to get infusions of the drug under medical supervision. My assumption is that the number of sessions attended can vary, but some people have dramatic improvements, and this option is probably not going to go away anytime soon.
I think there are still some questions about how ketamine works in depression, but it is exciting to consider the possibilities. However, at this point, a lot of the health care industry does not recognize ketamine for depression, so getting insurance to pay for it is difficult at this time, and multiple infusions of the drug can get expensive. So, even if this might be an attractive option for people to consider, cost can definitely be a factor for these infusions.
What do you think about ketamine? Is this something you would consider for someone who has depression? I encourage you to do some more research and see if this might be a consideration for someone you know who is struggling.