With an expanding number of refractory or treatment-resistant cases, depression is no longer a diagnosis but a state of mind. Treatment-resistant depression is a relatively common mental illness normally defined as a condition in which a person fails to respond to at least one type of antidepressant medication.
Approximately 350,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year in the U.S. alone. Increasingly, practitioners are turning to an emerging field called neuromodulation to treat it. However, like any other medical intervention, this technique comes with its fair share of pros and cons. In this article, we explore the advantages and disadvantages of ketamine therapy. This overview will help you make informed decisions about this treatment option.
What is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
Ketamine infusion therapy involves the use of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic typically used as a veterinary tranquilizer. This drug is administered intravenously, and it is known to have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant effects. In ketamine infusion therapy, the drug is applied intermittently to induce relief from depression symptoms.
The Basics of Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Ketamine is a drug that can induce anesthesia, treat pain and induce dreams or hallucinations. It was first given by the intravenous route in Canada in 1978 to treat depression. Ketamine therapy has been gaining traction as a popular treatment for refractory depression.
In this form of treatment, patients are administered ketamine intravenously over a period of 40 minutes to 2 hours. Though there are no common long-term side effects associated with this treatment, it does have some uncomfortable and inconvenient immediate side effects like vomiting, loss of bladder control, and hallucinations. Patients may also experience prolonged confusion and mood swings following the infusion.
Another drawback is that this treatment is expensive in comparison to traditional antidepressants. The cost of obtaining a ketamine prescription ranges from $250-350 per session, and those who can’t afford it are often left with no other option than to stay on their previous regimen, which they may not respond well to.
Ketamine’s disadvantages notwithstanding, it remains an excellent option for treating people who suffer from chronic depression but don’t seem to benefit from current treatments options that include traditional antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In high doses, ketamine can cause sedation as well as euphoria, but at lower doses – typically used in infusion therapy – it can produce an antidepressant effect without any sedation or euphoria symptoms being experienced.
Ketamine for Depression: The Pros
Ketamine is an emerging treatment option for refractory depression. It’s a safe, effective, and cost-effective technique that has been gaining traction among practitioners. The pros of ketamine for depression are as follows:
- Low risk of adverse effects
- No addiction potential
- Rapid onset (within 30 minutes)
- Short duration of effect (2-4 hours)
- Reduced need for other therapies
- Enhanced mood and sense of wellbeing
Ketamine for Depression: The Cons
Neuromodulation is a promising treatment when it comes to depression. However, this method still has its fair share of cons. One of the most concerning disadvantages is that ketamine infusion therapy can cause cognitive impairments in patients. For example, ketamine infusion therapy can make it difficult for people to plan and organize thoughts. It also sometimes impairs their moods and emotions, which can be problematic for patients already struggling with depression. More research needs to be done regarding the long-term effectiveness of ketamine infusion therapy.
Summary
Ketamine infusion therapy is a therapeutic technique that has been used to treat depression. Ketamine infusions are typically given in the form of an IV drip, with sessions lasting between 30 minutes and one hour. The administration is not yet FDA-approved, but it has shown promising results. One of the main disadvantages of ketamine infusion therapy is that side effects can include hallucinations and dissociation. Other cons include high cost and a need for more research on the long-term effects of ketamine infusions.
