Can Ketamine Therapy Help You When Other Treatments Haven’t Worked? Understanding How Ketamine Helps With Treatment-Resistant Depression

Can Ketamine Therapy Help You When Other Treatments Havent Worked

A study of 1.7 million people that was conducted between 2017 and 2021 showed that depression prevalence in Southern California increased by 60%. This meant that 26,010 more people were affected by this condition which comes with many debilitating symptoms. When traditional treatment methods fail, it can feel like there is no path forward.

At BNI Clinics, we specialize in helping our clients who feel like they are stuck in an endless loop of ineffective treatment options. Many of them come to us asking, “Can ketamine therapy help when other treatments haven’t worked?” We are going to answer this question today.

Understanding Treatment-Resistant Depression: Why Some Treatments Don’t Seem to Work

Depression is treatable, but for at least one-third of people with this condition, it might seem like no matter what treatments they try, they are not getting adequate relief from their symptoms. This is a frustrating experience that leads to concerns like financial burdens from medical expenses, lowered quality of life, or even worsening symptoms like the development of suicidal ideation. To be diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, medical professionals require a failure to respond to at least two antidepressants, despite giving them the proper dose and duration to begin to work.

Certain risk factors can increase the likelihood of treatment-resistant depression, but they don’t guarantee it. While these factors, mentioned below, may make traditional treatments less effective, everyone’s experience with depression is unique.

  • Older adults
  • Being female
  • Lower-income/unemployment
  • Lower education attainment
  • Childhood trauma
  • Frequent life stress events
  • Presence of other mental health conditions
  • Presence of physical health conditions
  • Family or personal history of depression

Ketamine Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: What You Need to Know

Ketamine is an anesthetic that was initially developed for surgeries. Researchers later discovered that it had an impact on helping people who had mental health conditions, like depression, due to its mind-altering effects. When combined with other treatment modalities, ketamine can be effective in the long-term at helping someone manage depression symptoms. This treatment should only be done at a ketamine clinic by an expert at administering the substance.

Ketamine therapy offers rapid relief, helping many regain a quality of life they haven’t felt in years. Unlike traditional antidepressants, which can take weeks to work, ketamine’s effects are often felt within an hour of the first dose. A recent study showed that after two weeks of six treatments, participants experienced a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms. The study also noted that symptoms continued to improve throughout the treatment period, starting one hour after the first dose.

Ketamine is best known for reducing suicidal ideation in those with treatment-resistant depression. A recent study showed that 70% of their participants showed improvements in their suicidal thoughts, with 49% reporting they no longer had any. Because ketamine is also fast-acting, its impact on reducing suicidal ideation is often a life-saving experience for many people.

How Ketamine Therapy Works for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Traditionally, depression is treated with antidepressants, specifically, doctors will use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These help increase serotonin levels in the brain. For most people with depression, it works. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that communicates between nerve cells and helps with controlling a person’s emotions, sleep, and digestion. Someone with depression might have lower levels of this hormone. SSRIs make it more available, thus reducing symptoms.

For someone with treatment-resistant depression, this isn’t always enough. When someone takes ketamine, it is not the same as taking an antidepressant. Instead, this substance helps create more connections between brain cells, also known as synapses. These connections might also be decreased when someone has depression. When someone has more synapses occurring between brain cells, depression symptoms will begin to improve. If this therapy is combined with antidepressants, someone might find that those medications now work.

Is Ketamine Therapy Right for You? Here Are Three Signs to Consider

Not everyone with depression will benefit from ketamine therapy. There are some signs, three of which are listed below, that might be a reason to suggest it to a medical professional.

  1. Traditional treatment modalities have not worked at providing adequate healing
  2. You have had suicidal thoughts that have persisted despite medical and therapeutic  interventions
  3. You have grown tired of waiting for antidepressants to work and are looking for fast-acting relief from your symptoms

Find Relief From Depression With Ketamine Therapy in Agoura Hills, CA

If traditional treatments have left you feeling hopeless, you are not alone. Ketamine therapy is a fast-acting option that has offered relief to many people when nothing else worked. Finding out if this treatment would best help you could be the key to finding the healing you deserve.

BNI Clinics helps many families find healing from treatment-resistant depression in Agoura Hills, California. Our clinician-led team is well-qualified to help our clients understand what treatment options, such as ketamine therapy, will lead them to healthier lives. To learn more about if ketamine therapy is right for you, contact us at (310) 691-5005. 

BNI Clinics: Science-based, evidence-backed, compassion-led