Depression

Ketamine Therapy: The Best New Depression Treatment in Spartanburg, SC

Ketamine has a robust and rapid effect on depression, with many patients reporting immediate relief shortly after their very first ketamine infusion session.

At Upstate Ketamine & Wellness Center in Spartanburg, SC, we are proud to offer the latest mental health treatment options. In addition to high levels of safety standards and patient care, we utilize ketamine infusion therapy for the treatment of depression, as well as other mental health conditions like anxiety and PTSD.

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What are the Symptoms of Depression?

Some sufferers may only experience a depressive episode once, but for most, depression will linger and bring on many episodes throughout one’s life. Below are just a few of the many symptoms one can experience when going through a depressive episode:

• Persistent feelings of hopelessness or emptiness
• Unexplained physical aches
• Changes in appetite (fluctuating weight)
• Slowed thinking and body movements

• Angry outbursts
• Mood swings
• Fixation on self-blame
• Fatigue and lack of energy

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Quick Relief for Depression

Ketamine infusions are quickly becoming one of the most popular treatment options for various disorders, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and bipolar disorder.

Unlike many traditional medications like SSRIs which can take months to start working, ketamine therapy offers patients relief quickly, with some individuals reporting relief within a few hours of their first infusion session.

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How Does Ketamine Help Treat Depression?

Scientists believe that ketamine helps with depression by rapidly boosting the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter inside the frontal cortex of the human brain, while also allowing new pathways to form in the same area.

The promptness of ketamine in yielding an antidepressant effect occurs because this drug bypasses the conventional serotonin path and goes straight to switching on glutamate.

This is remarkably different from conventional antidepressants, which initially boost serotonin activity levels in several different areas of the brain to ultimately affect glutamate. This process usually takes weeks, sometimes months, while ketamine produces an almost instant result and relief from depression symptoms.

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Side Effects of Ketamine Treatment for Depression

As a new treatment option for depression, ketamine has a few minor side effects. These can include a dream-like feeling, double or blurred vision, lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting, and slight anxiety feelings after being given a dose. This treatment method is not in development because this is an FDA-approved drug utilized for “off-label” or less typical use.

An “off-label” use indicates a treatment that the FDA did not initially authorize. The FDA approves prescription medications only for specific uses, but most medications at some point develop off-label uses as a result of the clinical experience that develops in time.

As a good example, the medication Prazosin’s purpose was to treat hypertension in 1976. Still, it is now mainly used to treat nightmares in individuals with PTSD, a use that was not initially approved.

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What To Expect During Your Ketamine Infusion

We strive to ensure all of our patients feel as comfortable as possible in their private rooms during treatment.

A number of our patients refer to a “dissociation” effect. This disconnection effect aids your treatment and delivers a positive response to your ketamine therapy for many patients.

This is all an ordinary component of the treatment. You will always remain in a safe atmosphere with our team to monitor you and be readily available to you during your infusion.