Ketamine treatment for PTSD is breaking new ground and offering rapid symptom relief for PTSD sufferers. When combined with conventional talk therapy, it can be especially effective.
Learn more about PTSD and how ketamine therapy can help in this article.
What is PTSD and What are its Symptoms?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the inability to recover following exposure to a traumatic event. Exposure can be direct exposure to the traumatic event, witnessing a traumatic event, or learning about the details of a traumatic event, especially of those close to you. PTSD can have a very destabilizing effect on a person’s life. Many people with PTSD are unaware of their diagnosis until they see a mental health professional.
The symptoms of PTSD may include flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. People suffering from PTSD are usually aware of their symptoms, but it’s not unusual for them to be unaware of the source or just how far-reaching the effects of PTSD are. Luckily, ketamine therapy for PTSD offers a welcome option for fast symptom relief.
How Do I Know If I Have PTSD?
The only way to know for certain if a person has PTSD is to be evaluated and formally diagnosed by a mental health professional. That said, learning more about PTSD and its symptoms may help you decide if it’s time for you to take the next step and get an assessment.
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types:
- Avoidance
- Intrusive memories
- Negative changes in thinking and mood
- Changes in physical and emotional reactions
What is PTSD Treatment Like?
Conventional PTSD treatment usually consists of talk therapy, typically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which helps people better understand their thinking and behavior and begin to change unhelpful patterns.
The challenge with conventional approaches to PTSD is that, while they can be effective, they can take a long time to deliver meaningful results and may never get to the root of one’s symptoms. In the meantime, the PTSD sufferer must endure their symptoms.
The demand for more effective and faster-acting treatment for PTSD has led to some exciting innovations. They include things like experiential therapy, EMDR treatment, and more recently, PTSD treatment with ketamine.
How is Ketamine Treatment for PTSD Different?
Ketamine treatment for PTSD is an entirely different approach because it addresses symptoms head-on. Rather than letting the PTSD sufferer endure the same symptoms at the same level of intensity for months — they get some symptom relief almost immediately.
Ketamine acts on the NMDA receptors in the brain, which are involved in mood regulation and thought patterns. It’s believed to promote the growth of new neural connections, offering relief from symptoms of PTSD and other conditions more rapidly than conventional PTSD treatment or even psychiatric medications.
PTSD treatment with ketamine does not need to be independent of other treatments. Ketamine treatments can help sufferers to approach their traumatic experiences during treatments like psychotherapy. We recommend combining ketamine PTSD treatment with psychotherapy, counseling, and/or other conventional treatments.
What makes PTSD treatment with ketamine different?
- Ketamine is fast-acting, providing much quicker symptom relief even for conditions like depression.
- Ketamine affects different parts of the brain than other treatments or medications.
- Ketamine does not have most of the side effects of SSRIs and other antidepressants.
Is PTSD Treatment with Ketamine Right for Me?
Ketamine therapy is considered safe and has a long track record of medical use. The easiest way to find out if PTSD treatment with ketamine may be a good fit for you is to schedule a consultation with Quest Ketamine Therapies. Our free 15-minute consultation can be done over the phone for your convenience.
If you’d like to contact us directly, you are welcome to email us at info@questketamineclinics.com, call (425) 654-5433, or send a text to (206) 589-5958. Be sure to leave your name, contact information, and the best time(s) for us to reach you.
