Participating in IV ketamine infusions is a big deal. You have been suffering for years while trying medications, therapy, and alternative treatments. No matter what you tried, nothing seemed to work. Now, you are learning that a ketamine IV infusion is a viable option for those who do not respond to traditional medicines and medicine combinations.
Ketamine can be administered by a clinical psychiatrist or doctor specializing in mental health, in their office, with the assistance of a nurse. The drug can be given in three forms:
- A nasal spray
- Injection into a muscle
- and Intravenously (IV)
IV ketamine is a preferred method by many. One reason may be that there are numerous ways to get the most out of a Ketamine IV infusion.
What is a Ketamine IV Infusion?
Receiving a drug intravenously means your doctor delivers ketamine directly into your veins. There are two types of intravenous techniques, including injection and infusion. With an injection, your doctor places the tip of a needle into your vein and releases the medicine. You receive the total dose of the drug at once. Your doctor may also choose to inject a drug directly into your muscle.
An infusion involves attaching a line to your vein. The line is connected to a bag of medicine on a pole near you, and the medication drips through the line and into your bloodstream in a controlled manner over a specific period. You do not receive the entire dose at once.
Using a ketamine IV infusion means the drug does not have to pass through your digestive system, risk degradation, and take longer to start acting. You get the full, immediate effects of ketamine.
What Are the Effects of Ketamine?
Most people report feeling like they have an out-of-body experience. They dissociate and often enter a euphoric state. This happens because when you take ketamine, it changes how the brain communicates. If you are suffering from severe depression or an anxiety condition, the neurotransmitters in your brain that work to make you feel happy are not working correctly. Ketamine works to fix this problem.
Also, ketamine has been found to work to reduce inflammation responses in the body. Inflammation is, directly and indirectly, connected to mental health. For example, diabetes is a disease associated with inflammation and depressive symptoms, both of which improve with ketamine IV infusions.
Ketamine and the Brain
Ketamine works with glutamate neurotransmitters in the brain, which help regulate the nervous system and promotes neuron communication. Glutamate helps reconnect neurons so they can tell each other how to respond. But too much glutamate is a bad thing. For example, if glutamate becomes overactive, it can lead to depression and anxiety. If you take a high dose of ketamine, glutamate is blocked, acting as an anesthetic.
At low doses, it can make you feel happy, relaxed, euphoric, and like you are floating. Receiving the correct amount of ketamine is crucial, which is why it is only administered in a clinical setting. The right dose has many benefits.
You can do many things to ensure you get the most out of a ketamine IV infusion. Below are five suggestions.
1. Stress Management
Before and after your ketamine IV infusion, incorporate activities that help you reduce stress, relax, and have a calm mind. Avoid activities that cause stress, like arguing with someone, watching a horror film, or attending work meetings. Stress can induce depression. While ketamine is an anti-depressant, having a positive mindset will produce better results.
Stress management may include meditation, yoga, listening to a relaxation APP, journaling, or getting a massage.
2. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy involves working with a licensed mental health counselor who uses evidence-based behavioral therapies to improve your daily functioning. You learn to recognize negative thought patterns that prevent you from achieving mental health goals. In treatment, you learn skills to help you cope, communicate, resolve problems, and improve relationships.
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a treatment that occurs during your ketamine IV infusion. While your mind is open and receptive to learning, your therapist will use affirmations to retrain your brain.
3. Listen to Music
Music is now a form of therapy and can be used during ketamine IV infusions to promote overall well-being and a positive state of mind. Numerous treatment centers use music therapy for mental health and substance use disorder recovery.
In studies, music has been found to regulate stress and emotions. It also helps you express yourself and become more aware of yourself and your surroundings. Another study found participants who listened to music achieved lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels.
4. Physical Comfort
Have you ever gone to lunch with a friend, eaten too much, and spent the rest of the day at work feeling miserable? Unfortunately, this is common. When you don’t feel good physically, it can influence your mental health. Going into a ketamine IV infusion feeling physically uncomfortable for any reason may negatively impact the treatment outcomes.
Many doctors recommend fasting or eating only light, healthy meals before treatment. Research shows that because many neurotransmitters exist in the gut, what you eat does influence your mood.
5. Integrate
Integration refers to processing your ketamine IV infusion experience using various methods, with talk therapy recommended the most. Working with a therapist is reported to extend the positive effects of ketamine, like reducing anxiety and depression.
Successful integration includes self-reflection. You can do this by writing in a journal or recording your thoughts. Self-care is a must. It involves engaging in activities that promote your physical, mental, and spiritual health. It also means improving your lifestyle, so it matches your other goals. Eat healthier, exercise, and have fun.
Final Tip
If you have severe depression or anxiety and think you may benefit from ketamine infusion therapies, call for help today. Reach out to the Mental Health Center for an appointment with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional to discuss if ketamine IV infusions can play a role in your mental health recovery.