Ketamine therapy can help treat many mental illnesses. And while it’s most commonly used to treat depression, patients with other needs can also benefit from ketamine. Do these benefits extend to OCD patients? Read on to get the facts on ketamine and OCD.
What is OCD?
Before we get into ketamine and OCD, let’s first explain what this condition is. OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s an often debilitating mental illness that is unfortunately quite misunderstood. People with this disorder have obsessive, intrusive thoughts that cause are agonizing and uncontrollable. People then develop compulsions in an attempt to control these obsessions. Many of these patients also struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other mental illnesses.
Can Ketamine Help?
Ketamine is a promising new treatment option for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s been proven effective at treating treatment-resistant depression, and is also used in treating other mental illnesses. One of the benefits of ketamine is that it provides fast-acting relief, whereas medications and behavioral therapy can take months to work. Many patients choose to supplement their other therapies (such as talk therapy) with ketamine infusions for a powerful combination of short-term and long-term relief.
Reducing Unwanted Thoughts
Unwanted thoughts plague people with the obsessive compulsive disorder. These thoughts lead to a tremendous amount of anxiety and can make it difficult to lead a normal life. Ketamine therapy is not only helpful for depressive symptoms, but also symptoms like unwanted thoughts. Studies show ketamine is effective in treating anxiety and can help patients deal with racing, unpleasant thoughts.
Is Ketamine Right For You?
Ketamine therapy is safe and effective. But of course, that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. For instance, you should avoid treatment if you have certain health conditions or if your mental illness causes delusions or hallucinations. Before your first infusion, you will go over all of your physical and mental symptoms with a professional to make sure the treatment is safe for you.
Learn More About Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine therapy can help treatment-resistant patients find mental health relief. Call us today to learn if ketamine therapy is a good treatment option for you.