Ketamine and Depression
The search for medications to alleviate the suffering of those with both depression and anxiety has led to many strange places. Now, one of the most promising drugs that is being looked at with renewed interest is ketamine, known in clubs as "Special K" because of the quick high it brings. It is also used in surgery on both humans and animals as an effective anesthetic.
Ketamine, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), seems to be effective in treating depression in hours, not days or weeks as current medications. The doses being studied are very low and the research is proceeding cautiously.
Not so long ago, we heard that LSD may hold promise for treating certain anxiety disorders, but that research doesn't seem as promising as ketamine. The research study on ketamine appears in the July 23, 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry. The director of NIMH, Dr. Thomas R. Insel, believes that this study will point the way to new target areas in the brain that may provide even more promising research into the treatment of depression.
Link to the NIMH release
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: ketamine, Special K, anxiety, depression
Ketamine, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), seems to be effective in treating depression in hours, not days or weeks as current medications. The doses being studied are very low and the research is proceeding cautiously.
Not so long ago, we heard that LSD may hold promise for treating certain anxiety disorders, but that research doesn't seem as promising as ketamine. The research study on ketamine appears in the July 23, 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry. The director of NIMH, Dr. Thomas R. Insel, believes that this study will point the way to new target areas in the brain that may provide even more promising research into the treatment of depression.
Link to the NIMH release
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: ketamine, Special K, anxiety, depression
7 Comments:
My elderly Mom, I believe has been plagued with depression and anxiety for decades. She is in complete denial of this, yet I remain hopeful that something will trigger her to seek help. Maybe if this new drug's preliminary results are commented on in the media, this may be what gets her to act.
My Friend is living in California and has been diagnosed with Treatment Resistant Depression. He is currently getting paid by a medical research company and is doing tests for them on the Ketamine based drugs effectiveness. This is a person who is a severly depressed alcoholic whom has no reason to care for himself. Results are being made with him now. It is Promising, and the more people know about these kinds of treatments, as "Radical" as they sound, need to be viewed with objectivity.
Doesn't ketamine produce hallucinations?
Is Ketamine used for chronic pain as well as anxiety/depression? Also, is it available by prescription, or still in the trial's? I have diabetic neuropathy and I don't think I can last much longer with this and retain my sanity...so I'm ready to look into anything that might help.
Rob
To Rob
I'm currently taking low doses of ketamine in capsule form 25mg 3x
a day for chronic lower back pain and three failed back surgeries. Ketamine is also used as anethesia during my epidurals AND surgeries. Ketamine blocks the pain receptors in the brain which lowers your pain level! even better, after an epidural using liquid ketamine, my depression lifts for about 3 weeks. My ketamine capsules are prescribed by my pain manegment doctor, whom is licensed to prescribe this medication. It is not available at the pharmacy. Your doctor contacts A special lab that makes the ketamine capsule. Ketamine for me has been a lifesaver for me, but it may not be for everyone. You need to find a doctor that is working with ketamine! SIGNED FBSS
I suffer from severe depression and pain from fibromyalgia. I am going to a doctor that uses Rx drugs and supplements,hormones,etc to treat fibromyalgia. She has proscribed Ketamine 50mg 3 per day for me. I get it from a compounding pharmacy in CO. It must be proscribed and compounded for each individual's needs.
I have researched hours online about this drug because I always want to know what I am putting into my body. I have high hopes that Ketamine will help my pain.
i am doing far too much ketamine and i wish somebody could PLEASE help me. i keep telling myself that that's it, then go and do another line. is there anybody out there who can help me?
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