Ketamine is a drug that is used as an anesthetic, pain medication, and sedative. It’s widely popular in hospitals and clinics, but is gaining popularity as a psychological drug as well! Ketamine-assisted therapy is when ketamine is administered by a doctor to help someone who has been diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or bipolar disorder. It helps them to feel better about themselves and their situation by reducing their anxiety and depression symptoms. Let’s talk more about how ketamine can help with bipolar disorder.
How Ketamine Assisted Therapy Works
Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic drug that is often used to treat people with depression. The drug works by increasing the amount of available serotonin in the brain. Patients usually receive ketamine through IV, in which a doctor or nurse injects it into their bloodstream. The dose of ketamine is injected every five minutes for approximately 25 minutes. The effects from the anesthetic drugs tend to start within 10-20 seconds and last anywhere form hours to days, pending the patient and severity of symptoms.
Ketamine Assisted Therapy Side Effects
When discussing how ketamine can help with bipolar disorder, we have to discuss the potential side effects. The use of ketamine during therapy is monitored by a doctor or nurse to ensure safety to all patients. Side effects from ketamine use include nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, slurred speech, confusion, impaired coordination and a drop in blood pressure. These symptoms are monitored and should not be something that steers anyone away from treatment!
There are also several positive side effects to ketamine assisted therapy! Patients often report feelings of peace, joy, and calm, in ways they hadn’t before. They get the chance to rest, unwind, and let their mind relax which can be difficult to without the treatment. Additionally, many patients report feeling a sense of freedom as their symptoms are relieved during and post treatment. Some patients even report a complete reduction in symptoms, which they don’t obtain from any other drug-assisted therapy.
Ketamine Assisted Therapy for Bipolar Disorder
Many people wonder how ketamine can help with bipolar disorder. Ketamine is a drug that has been used as an anesthetic since 1970s and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of bipolar disorder, including mania and depression.
In a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers looked at the effects of ketamine on patients with bipolar disorder. The study found that patients who were given ketamine had significant reductions in manic and depressive symptoms when compared to those who were given a placebo or an antidepressant medication. This study shows that ketamine can be a promising treatment for people with bipolar disorder.
Ketamine has this ability to induce the happy hormones like serotonin, while reducing feelings of anxiety, fear, impulsivity, and irrationality. All of which are common in patients with bipolar disorder.
Conclusion
If you have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and have struggled to find relief with any medications, you may want to give ketamine assisted therapy a try! Contact us at Balanced Ketamine for a consultation and detailed overview of what to expect and how ketamine can help with bipolar disorder!