Thanks for stopping by on Zoombag.ca today! The subject of today's article has definitely resonated with you in one way or the other - directly or through a close friend/loved one. This is especially so because at some point people found it hard to talk about due to criticism, shame, etc. That’s why we are here: to provide alternative that will allow you enjoy your life and not feel like your existence is trapped.
Severe depressive disorder is an incredibly debilitating condition. For a person living with a major depressive disorder, it can be challenging to find an effective treatment plan that is sustainable and continues to provide long lasting relief without discomforting side effects. Conventional pharmacotherapy usually takes several weeks (usually 4–12 weeks) to improve symptoms. As such traditional antidepressants and regular therapy sessions aren’t always an effective solution.
Ketamine is a widely used FDA-approved anesthetic. It is also a medication with fast-acting antidepressant properties which has been a subject of interest to psychotherapists and mental health experts.
Ketamine is not considered a first-line or induction therapy for depression and other mental health disorders. However, it can be used off-label to treat severe cases of depression, anxiety, and PTSD that have been treatment-resistant to conventional therapy or medication.
Types of ketamine therapy
Ketamine which was mainly used as an anesthetic, has fast become a prospective treatment for depressive disorders and suicidal ideation in clinical settings. Medical practitioners may administer ketamine directly into a vein (intravenous or IV) or into a muscle (intramuscular injection) in clinical settings.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also recently approved esketamine, a form of ketamine that is administered through a nasal spray. Esketamine therapy may be used along with an oral antidepressant for treatment of people with depression who did not respond to antidepressants alone.
In addition, ketamine tablets may also be dissolved under the tongue (sublingual), which has been shown to improve symptoms in people with treatment-resistant depression. (Sublingual ketamine therapy was used in the new study). Its easiest to start growing mushrooms with a ZoomBag magic mushroom grow kit, you can get yours here. These psilocybin magic mushroom grow kits are made in Canada with all organic ingredients. This is a good place to start if you want to know how to grow magic mushrooms.
How does ketamine work?
It is not completely certain how ketamine works. This is due to the fact that it causes an antidepressant effect through a novel mechanism. Ketamine may be able to help people successfully manage depression when other treatments have not worked.
One likely target for ketamine is N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain. Ketamine has the potential to increase the amount of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the spaces between neurons by binding these receptors. Glutamate then activates connections in another receptor, called the AMPA receptor (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor). I know - its a lot to take in at once. Make sure you leave a comment if you didn't even bother reading that part.
In conjunction, the initial blockage of NMDA receptors and activation of AMPA receptors result in the release of other molecules that enable neurons to communicate with each other along new pathways. This process is known as synaptogenesis, and is likely to affect mood, thought patterns, and cognition.
Ketamine has the potential of influencing depression in other ways. For instance, it could decrease signals involved in inflammation, which has been linked to mood disorders, or facilitate communication within specific areas in the brain. There is a great possibility that ketamine works in several ways at the same time, many of which are still being discovered.
Benefits of Ketamine
The effectiveness of ketamine for TRD was first demonstrated for short-term treatment. This research resulted in clinically and statistically significant decreases in depression scores for ketamine versus placebo. In both groups, the patients continued with their regular antidepressants due to the concern of not treating TRD in the placebo arm. In a study where ketamine (plus the regular antidepressant) helped people stay in stable remission 16 weeks into treatment, nasal ketamine was shown to have longer-term results.
Relief from TRD with ketamine occurs quickly. Instead of waiting for Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) to possibly provide some relief over the course of weeks, people who suffer this debilitating depression can start to experience the effectiveness of ketamine within about 40 minutes.
A Look Into an Alternative: Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms May Improve Mental Health and Mood
According to a growing body of research, microdosing psychedelics may also offer unique health benefits. A new study found that people who reported microdosing psilocybin saw improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to people who did not microdose psychedelics.
Psychedelic research is expanding and the results seem promising.
However, more rigorous studies are needed to determine whether psychedelic microdosing may be effective for treating mental health conditions. Speaking of mushrooms, checkout our magic mushroom grow kit here. You'll be happy you did. I mean, if you were wondering how to grow magic mushrooms... Or you can buy mushrooms that have already been grown right here.
Exploring At-home Ketamine Therapy
Based on the results from the largest-ever clinical study on ketamine therapy to date, at-home ketamine therapy is also a safe and effective way to treat symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. It is believed that at-home therapy using ketamine tablets that dissolve under the tongue could make ketamine therapy more accessible than when administered intravenously or intramuscularly in clinical settings.
A new study also found that several sessions of at-home ketamine therapy supported by telehealth are a safe and effective way to treat moderate to severe anxiety and depression. The results, recently published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, suggest that an at-home approach using ketamine tablets that dissolve under the tongue rather than intravenous (IV) infusion or intramuscular injection could make ketamine therapy more accessible. However, experts caution that more studies are still needed to determine how well ketamine therapy compares to traditional treatments for anxiety and depression.
How does at-home ketamine therapy work?
In the current study, which was the largest clinical study of its kind to date, over 1,200 adults received at-home sublingual ketamine therapy through Mindbloom, a telehealth platform that offers this therapy in 30 U.S. states.
All participants included in the study were diagnosed with severe anxiety, moderate to severe depression, or both.
Prior to their first medication session, participants met with a psychiatrist through a video call. The clinician evaluated people to see if ketamine therapy would be a good fit for them.
“Although at-home sublingual ketamine therapy can be an effective, safe treatment option for people experiencing anxiety or depression, it is not for everyone,” said study author Dr. Leonardo Vando, Mindbloom’s medical director. “That’s why Mindbloom’s clinicians play a critical role in determining whether treatment is appropriate for each prospective client.”
Throughout the study, participants met with a behavioral coach who helped participants prepare for their first session and provided support between sessions, including by text message. The at-home therapy protocol included four weekly medication sessions. During each session, participants dissolved the ketamine tablet under their tongue, put on an eye mask, and listened to music for an hour. Afterward, they wrote in a journal about the experience, which helped them reflect on and integrate their feelings and insights.
As a precaution, study participants were also given a digital blood pressure cuff so they could monitor their blood pressure after taking the medication since ketamine can increase blood pressure.
Is ketamine the right treatment for you?
In order to adequately determine if Ketamine is a right treatment for you, it is important to consult your primary care doctor, your mental health provider, and any other health care practitioner who knows your medical record. It is expedient to note that ketamine is not a first-line or induction treatment for depression, and it is usually used only when other, more longstanding treatments have not been effective. Ketamine is not considered curative; rather, it helps to improve symptoms for a period of time. It is easier to determine who is not suitable for ketamine treatment, based on the patient's medical records and the possible side effects of Ketamine.
Possible Side Effects of Ketamine
Every medication has its side effects, and Ketamine is not an exception. Despite the rapid results and benefits Ketamine may provide, there are possible side effect to it. However, when someone is suicidal or severely depressed, possible benefits may outweigh possible risks. Ketamine given by infusion may cause:
high blood pressure
nausea and vomiting
perceptual disturbances (time appearing to speed up or slow down; colors, textures, and noises that seem especially stimulating; blurry vision)
dissociation (sometimes called out-of-body experiences); rarely, a person may feel as if they are looking down on their body, for example.
Generally, any changes in perception or dissociation are often apparent during the initial infusion and rapidly fade away afterwards.
Esketamine nasal spray may produce similar side effects. However, the timing and intensity of such effects differ.
Long-term or frequent use of ketamine may have additional side effects.
Takeaway
Treatment-resistant depression can be debilitating and take away from patients the optimism of getting better. Ketamine has the promising potential to help patients who have been resistant to other treatments. Ketamin can be considered lifesaving due to its previous results in helping suicidal patients.
As more research is developed and findings are made on ketamine, we will be better able to answer the questions of ketamine’s sustainable effectiveness and the necessary safeguards for treatment.
We may also unravel who is most likely to safely benefit from ketamine therapies, and the most appropriate method of administration: intravenous infusion, a nasal spray, or a pill. Interested in alternative forms of medicine and the healing properties of psilocybin? Examine other people's stories to discover how much of a difference it has made.
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