For those struggling with depression, PTSD, eating disorders and other mental health conditions, a powerful anesthetic called ketamine is providing an innovative new treatment option in Los Angeles. Several specialized “ketamine clinics” have opened in the city to administer this once controversial drug in a clinical setting to help rewire the brain and alleviate psychiatric symptoms. In this article we talk about How Ketamine Clinics in LA Work.
How Ketamine Infusion Therapy Works
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been used for decades, but clinicians have found it can produce rapid antidepressant effects when administered in controlled infusions. At ketamine clinics like Ketamine Clinics Los Angeles, the drug is delivered intravenously over the course of six infusion sessions spanning about three weeks.
“It’s the fastest reliever of depression that we have” explains Dr. Steven Mandel, a board-certified anesthesiologist and co-founder of KCLA. “It essentially rewires the brain to create new connections, restoring key circuits in regulating moods.”
Each ketamine infusion session at KCLA costs $600. While not a permanent “magic” cure, Mandel says the treatments can help the brain develop new neural pathways and growth to provide mental health relief.
Relief for Depression, PTSD, Eating Disorders and More
According to Mandel, ketamine therapy has proven effective for a wide range of mental health conditions beyond just treatment-resistant depression. Patients grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, and eating disorders like anorexia have also found the infusions beneficial.
“People who couldn’t get out of bed in the morning and go to work they are going to work,” Mandel said of the impacts he has witnessed from ketamine treatments.
The KCLA clinic has served over 6,000 patients to date with its ketamine infusion protocol. Mandel says the treatments are even safe and effective for teenagers struggling with psychiatric issues when appropriate screening is conducted.
Addressing Stigma and Risks
While the anesthetic ketamine was once widely abused as a recreational party drug, its therapeutic use in controlled clinical environments is a key distinction. Mandel hopes patients don’t let the substance’s history prevent them from accessing its legitimate mental health benefits from licensed providers.
“I hope those who are grappling with mental health disorders look beyond the stigma surrounding ketamine and get the help they need,” he stated.
Ketamine Side Effects
According to Cleveland Clinic Ketamine does carry risks of drug dissociation, elevated blood pressure, nausea and other side effects when administered at anesthetic doses. However, the doses used in ketamine therapy are much lower and more tailored with medical supervision to manage any adverse effects.
Clinics like KCLA also have protocols to ensure ketamine is only used for legitimate treatment purposes and not diverted for recreational abuse. Patients cannot simply walk in off the street, as referrals from physicians or psychologists are required after an initial psychiatric evaluation.
The Future of Ketamine Therapy
Promising published research from Yale, the University of California, and other institutions on ketamine’s rapid anti-depressant benefits have helped fuel its therapeutic use in recent years. In 2019, the FDA approved a ketamine-derived nasal spray called Esketamine for treatment-resistant depression.
As more data emerges and ketamine clinics establish better safety protocols, some mental health professionals believe this could become a much more mainstream treatment option integrated with conventional therapy and psychiatric care.
For now, the clinics operate in a bit of a regulatory grey area as the therapy is still considered an “off-label” use of ketamine. But the anecdotal success stories from patients provide a hopeful sign that this unique brain treatment could revolutionize mental health care as an effective new tool in the arsenal against depression, PTSD and other disorders. I sincerely hope you find this “How Ketamine Clinics in LA Work-Your Burning Questions Answered” article helpful.
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