Mental health is still heavily misunderstood and undertreated in the United States, but science is slowly seeing how psychedelics and mental illness can be intertwined positively.
Ketamine is receiving increased attention due to its beneficial and holistic method of treating conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and OCD.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a vastly trivialized yet serious ailment that affects millions of people. People living with OCD are seeking alternative treatments such as ketamine therapy to quell their devastating symptoms rather than turning to typical antidepressants. Today, there are still so few medicines that counteract OCD. That is why ketamine therapy is on the rise and becoming more popular as a form of treatment. Klarisana is a clinic that is dedicated to ketamine treatment and is here to educate you about the effects of ketamine therapy on OCD.
Does ketamine work for OCD?
Klarisana’s 5 locations throughout the United States are specialized in intramuscular ketamine therapy. Ketamine therapy is becoming increasingly accepted and popularized by those struggling with mental health conditions such as OCD. While the scientific community continues to explore how and why ketamine therapy is as effective as it is, society and our communities are beginning to embrace its positive and therapeutic effects.
When Columbia University conducted a study of 15 participants struggling with OCD, researchers found that ketamine largely reduced OCD symptoms in comparison to the placebo.
In 2006, the National Institute of Mental Health conducted a study that found ketamine to improve depression symptoms within two hours of an intramuscular treatment. This study attracted the attention of many other researchers who found the same results and improvements in their participants. The transformative and mind-expanding experience has been described by patients who have gone through treatment as “life-changing”. While ketamine therapy can significantly reduce OCD-related symptoms within minutes, some studies showed that the benefits could last for up to three weeks.
With the increase of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of ketamine, ketamine is proving to be a realistic alternative to antidepressants. Unlike ketamine, antidepressants have side effects that can lead to suicidal ideation or loss of appetite. Ketamine’s use as an anesthetic has also led the way to know ketamine’s safety profile early allowing ketamine therapy, which is administered at subanesthetic doses, to remain a safe treatment alternative for mental health conditions.
Ketamine therapy for OCD
At Klarisana, we understand that you want a safe place where you can heal with effective and holistic therapies. Our clinics provide in-depth medical and behavioral health consultations to provide all the information you need to make an educated decision with peace of mind. Klarisana’s Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants are there to ensure your safety and well-being during your ketamine appointments, while our Behavioral Health providers ensure your headspace follows its path toward happiness and relaxation. At Klarisana, you can feel at ease and ameliorate your OCD symptoms today.
Understanding OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly known as OCD, is a widespread mental disorder where people have recurring, unwanted, and obsessive thoughts that cause repetitive and cyclical compulsions. It harms lifestyles and is medically time-consuming for those who suffer from it. Common symptoms include obsessive hand washing, compulsive checking of knobs, germophobia, and the like. People struggling with OCD often know the compulsions are irrational, but they can not stop focusing on them regardless of their awareness. Typically OCD is treated with antidepressants and CBT therapy but the medicine, as mentioned, has side effects that ketamine does not.
Pros and cons of ketamine therapy
Pro: Ketamine therapy and its fast relief and alleviation. Patients do not have to wait weeks to know whether the medication is helping or working. Ketamine provides fast-acting relief to where the patient can feel a reduction in symptoms within days of their induction series.
Con: As with any new form of treatment, there is so much to learn. Research is still studying its effects, how tolerance can change over time, and its overall effects on the mind and body with long-term use. Ketamine’s antidepressant effects depend on many factors. It is difficult to know how long the positive effects may last due to it affecting every individual differently.
If you are unsure about ketamine therapy, call Klarisana and schedule a consultation. Klarisana makes it easier to consider with great rates and a knowledgeable mental health staff that can help you determine if ketamine therapy is the right fit for you.
Learn more about ketamine and OCD with Klarisana
If you or a loved one suffer from OCD, call us to schedule an appointment at Klarisana. Klarisana has locations in Austin, TX, San Antonio, TX, Denver, CO, Westminster, CO, and Longmont, CO. Our staff is available to answer any questions at 844-4-KLARISANA (455-2747).
Ketamine is a wonderful and helpful alternative to untangle your life and make you feel whole again.
