Ketamine Proving Effective in Fight Against PTSD
Find the right ketamine-assisted therapy program near you at Forum Health.
There is new hope for people struggling with the difficult symptoms of PTSD. Ketamine-assisted therapy is emerging as a reliable therapy to help alleviate symptoms of PTSD and shows promise for long-term healing.
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as, “a condition in which a traumatic event is persistently reexperienced in the form of intrusive recollections, dreams or dissociative flashback episodes.”
Examples of significant traumatic events that may lead to PTSD:
- Disasters
- Criminal Violence
- Combat
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Sexual Assault
- Physical Abuse
The DSM-V diagnosis criteria for PTSD includes symptoms like:
- Intrusive Memories
- Avoidance of Reminders
- Negative Changes in Cognitions and Mood
- Changes in Arousal and Reactivity
Other events can also lead to PTSD and may include a variety of physical, mental and emotional symptoms. Working with your medical provider to determine if you may be suffering from PTSD is recommended.
How Ketamine-Assisted Therapy is Effective Against PTSD Symptoms, Where Traditional Medications Fall Short
Ketamine is a safe, FDA-approved dissociative medication for treatment-resistant mood disorders, PTSD and chronic pain. When paired with therapy, it allows you to work through subconscious, repressed feelings that underlie unproductive behavior patterns, poor mental and emotional functioning and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Ultimately, it expedites the healing process to promote calm, openness, healing, and empowerment.
Ongoing randomized clinical trials show the efficacy of repeated ketamine infusions are effective in rapidly reducing symptoms and maintaining improvement in samples of individuals with PTSD stemming from civilian and military traumas.
Ketamine-assisted therapy combines the powerful anesthetic and dissociative effects of ketamine, with talk-therapy to address the possible underlying causes of PTSD and facilitate a path to recovery.
Scholarly journals investigating the effects of ketamine as a treatment for PTSD show that “ketamine infusion was associated with significant and rapid reduction in PTSD symptom severity, … [and] greater reduction of PTSD symptoms following treatment with ketamine was evident. Ketamine was also associated with reduction in comorbid depressive symptoms and with improvement in overall clinical presentation.”
At Forum Health, ketamine-assisted therapy is different in four significant ways to promote optimal healing.
What Makes a Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Session Different at Forum Health:
- Nuanced Dosing: We are not a one-size-fits-all clinic. We consider your age, metabolism, lifestyle, and medications to determine the appropriate dose for your session. We believe this personal approach is the key to long-term healing.
- Ensured Comfort: Experienced medical technicians supervise the infusion to ensure your safety and comfort the entire time, so that you full benefits of your session in a comfortable environment.
- Expert Guides: Highly trained, trauma-informed guides are in the room, physically or virtually, to lead you through the session and to integrate the traumas and information that comes up. A ketamine experience without integration is just an experience. The long-term benefits come from applying new insight into your life.
- Integrative Approach: We take an integrative, root-cause approach to healing the mind-body connection to promote full-body healing.
