Depression and COVID-19: Is Ketamine a Helpful Treatment Option?

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has completely uprooted the way we live our lives in 2020. Activities that were once celebrated and encouraged, such as going outside and having dinner with friends and family, are now facing strict regulations. The trouble is that people relied on many of these activities for their mental health. Making social connections with people, letting loose at the bar after work, going on vacation, and even spending casual time with friends are all things that are well-known serotonin boosting activities, thus helping people fight back against things like depression and anxiety.

Depression and COVID-19

Depression rates have risen greatly since the onset of COVID-19, and there’s a multitude of reasons. Not only are people not able to participate in their normal activities, they also are not able to visit their normal places of leisure. In addition, unemployment rates are spiking to shocking levels, which in turn causes stress and anxiety over how the bills are going to get paid and where the next meal is going to come from. Lastly, there are stressors like difficult routine and schedule changes, fear over getting exposed and being sick, and the challenges of caring for loved ones and navigating e-learning. Most people are facing more than one of the above and it’s leading to depression rates that have not been seen in quite some time.

Fortunately, ketamine treatment for depression can help with some of these issues.

Ketamine Treatment

Many clinics are now turning to ketamine to treat some of the depression brought on by COVID-19. It’s true that there are already several classes and options of medicine for depression, but ketamine treatment for depression takes this in a new direction. Where typical antidepressants can take weeks to months to find the right medication and dose, treatment in a ketamine clinic can have patients feeling effects in hours to days. What’s more, research suggests ketamine helps regrow some of the connections between brain cells, leaving you with a more effective and sustained long-term treatment for depression compared to most other medications

Conclusion

As you can see, seeking treatment for depression from Austin Ketamine Specialists can help navigate the mental impact of COVID-19. The side effects and potential negative outcomes of this medication should be very clearly discussed with your doctor to ensure the ketamine won’t interact with any other medicine for depression you may be taking. Treatment for depression with the use of ketamine certainly has some great potential, but only a trained professional is going to be able to determine if it’s appropriate for your specific situation and at what dosing.