Ketamine Treatment for PTSD
PTSD (Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a condition that develops in the aftermath of a traumatic incident. While PTSD has long been associated with veterans of war (once known as being “shell-shocked”), the disorder can cripple anyone who has experienced a life-altering or dangerous incident. Survivors of childhood abuse, sexual assault, accidents, violence and natural disasters can all suffer from PTSD. Ketamine for PTSD is a growing option.
Is Ketamine Treatment for PTSD Effective?
Despite being a relatively new treatment for PTSD, a study funded by the VA Office of Research and Development showed that two ketamine treatments for PTSD a week for four weeks, via infusion, alleviated symptoms in a majority of veteran patients with treatment-resistant PTSD. A Yale School of Medicine study concluded that “ketamine increases the number and function of synapses,” which means that a ketamine treatment for PTSD helps heal and enhance the functionality of the brain in patients suffering from PTSD.
A Mount Sinai Hospital study with a general population also found Ketamine to be a fast and effective alternative treatment for PTSD. The study shows that “a single dose of IV ketamine was associated with rapid reduction of core PTSD symptoms and reduction in comorbid depressive symptoms in patients with chronic PTSD.”
Learn more about how ketamine works and check out answers to some of the most common questions people have about the efficacy of ketamine for PTSD.
How Does a Ketamine Treatment for PTSD Work?
Ketamine affects the brain differently than other medicines prescribed for PTSD. Scientific research has shown that ketamine for PTSD works by quickly increasing levels of the most common neurotransmitter in the brain – glutamate. Normal amounts of glutamate are necessary for healthy brain function.
Much research has been done on the effects of ketamine on the brain. According to the VA National Center for PTSD and Yale University, “Accumulating evidence demonstrates aberrant glutamatergic function in mood, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders and dysfunction in glutamate neurotransmission is increasingly considered a cardinal feature of stress-related psychiatric disorders including PTSD.”
Ketamine-mediated synaptic plasticity changes appear to occur within a matter of hours after ketamine administration
Additionally, through FMRI brain scans, ketamine has been shown to grow new neural pathways and repair damaged neural pathways, allowing the brain a chance to heal. “Ketamine-mediated synaptic plasticity changes appear to occur within a matter of hours after ketamine administration.” (Mt. Sinai Hospital)
Ketamine alleviates the worst symptoms of PTSD, allowing them to grow past their trauma in a unique manner. While Ketamine is not a cure for PTSD, it presents a window of opportunity for healing that many patients have never experienced.
Why Choose New Pathways Clinic for Your Ketamine Treatment for PTSD?
At New Pathways Clinic, we have the most experienced team in Ohio for providing ketamine for PTSD. We want to show you the promise these treatments have for alleviating the worst symptoms of PTSD.
We believe in holistic mental wellness and encourage you to maintain or engage in mental-health therapy during your ketamine treatments, as studies show that ketamine + therapy produces the best results. New Pathways Clinic always has a network of psychologists available to accompany treatments, upon request.
Have you suffered from PTSD and not yet found the healing you desire?
Do you wonder why medications don’t seem to help your treatment plan?
Why not consider the success of ketamine for PTSD for your condition?
Reach out and schedule a free consultation with our experienced team today to discover if ketamine for PTSD can work for you.
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