Ketamine for PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a real disorder that develops when a person has experienced or witnessed a scary, shocking, terrifying, or dangerous event. These stressful or traumatic events usually involve a situation where someone’s life has been threatened or there has been some kind of severe injury that has occurred.
Common symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, numbing of emotions, increased anxiety, and hypervigilance. PTSD can be disabling and can affect a person’s life, interpersonal relationships, and overall wellbeing.
If you are struggling with PTSD symptoms, ketamine infusion therapy may be able to help. Research has shown that ketamine can provide relief from depression, anxiety, and other PTSD-related conditions with minimal side effects. Ketamine has been used as a potential treatment for PTSD since the 1970s. However, early research and development of the drug during this time focused more on its anesthetic and analgesic properties. Its antidepressant properties were discovered and further evaluated in the 1990’s when the FDA approved and categorized the drug as an “investigational new drug”. This opened the door for further investigation into using ketamine to treat depression.
Traditionally, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotoninnorepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have been used for PTSD. Some researchers suggest that the symptoms experienced in PTSD may be caused by a loss of synaptic connectivity, most of which is mediated by glutamate. As glutamate synapses play a crucial role in these neuronal circuits, it is possible that the treatments administered by InVita Health and Wellness may enhance sypatic connectivity in these circuits, ultimately reversing the effects of stress.
Since then, a multitude of clinical trials has been conducted relating to the use of ketamine in treating PTSD. The results of these trials have been promising and a number of studies have found that ketamine may have a positive effect on PTSD symptoms. The mechanism behind this effect is not well understood. However, one theory is that the drug increases the production of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are known to play a role in regulating mood and the stress response in the brain. Ketamine is an NMDA-antagonist, meaning it works to block the NMDA receptors. When these receptors are blocked, it can reduce the symptoms of trauma-related memories, flashbacks, nightmares, and other forms of sensory overload and emotional problems.
For those looking for a safe, non-invasive treatment option, ketamine infusion therapy is a promising and potentially life-changing form of treatment. Connect with us at InVita Health and Wellness today and learn if our ketamine infusion therapy program could work for you.
