To Try or Not Try Ketamine
Every candidate for ketamine treatment will undergo a risk-benefit assessment to evaluate if ketamine is going to be a good option for them or not. Many patients suffering from pain, anxiety and depression may discover that ketamine is a low-risk and fast-acting option for treatment. Ketamine is also typically a good option for those who are actutely suicidal due to the rapid reduction in suicidal thoughts during administration.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, 47,511 americans died by sucide in 2019 and there were 1.38M suicide attempts in 2019 as well. Ketamine as suicide intervention gives doctors the time they need to put a long-term care plan into motion for the patient. Many ketamine providers see ketamine as a starting point for intensive treatment, not a cure.
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Those suffering from treatment-resistant depression also are good candidates for ketamine therapy. A third of depressed patients do not respond to modern ant-depressants. People who suffer from treatment-resistant depression or other major mood disorders die, on average, 20 years before their peers. Knowing this fact, the benefits of ketamine therapy greatly outweighs the risks. Doctors have also known that individuals with serious mental illnesses are more likely to have medical problems- diabetes, obesity, hypertension, respiratory illnesses, and heart disease.
Others who may benefit the most from ketamine are those suffering from:
bipolar
OCD
PTSD
Anxiety disorders
Eating disorders
Depressive disorders
Epilepsy
Traumatic Brain Injury
Priapism
L-Dopa Induced Dyskinesia
Those who should not try ketamine include:
Those suffering from schizophrenia
Those who are allergic (very rare)
Those with cardiovascular conditions such as uncontrolled high blood pressure (though ketamine may still be a viable option under close supervision)
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
Those with liver and kidney failure
Depression is a debilitating illness that affects millions of people every year. The global economic loss due to depression, anxiety and bipolar is massive. Traditional antidepressants have a slew of unwanted side-effects. Sexual dysfunction, weight gain, sleep difficulties, issues with memory and thinking to name a few. On the contrary, ketamine has minimal side effects and individuals don’t need to take any extra time off of work for recovery.
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