Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a life-altering mental health condition that affects an estimated 6% of people in the U.S., with about 15 million adults facing PTSD in a given year (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs).

Although the condition can vary over time and from person to person, for all individuals facing PTSD, the symptoms can be devastating. But there is hope for treatment and recovery, and it comes in the form of an innovative new approach that uses legal, doctor-supervised ketamine therapy for PTSD.

What is PTSD and how is PTSD treated?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can be triggered by exposure to a traumatic event (or events), with symptoms that include:

• Intrusive thoughts that may include flashbacks, nightmares, and/or involuntary memories;
• Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event (such as people, objects, places, situations, or activities), and/or avoiding talking about the event;
• Difficulty remembering important details of the traumatic event;
• Negative thoughts/feelings;
• Disinterest in hobbies/activities;
• Detachment and/or the absence of positive emotions;
• Being easily startled;
• Problems sleeping or concentrating;
• Being irritable or quick to anger;
• Reckless behavior.

PTSD treatment options

Treatment for PTSD can be challenging, largely because each individual experiences the condition so differently. The severity of symptoms, as well as the most effective PTSD treatments, are inevitably unique from person to person.

However, there are a few treatments for PTSD that can be helpful for some individuals, such as therapy or prescription medications (SSRIs or SNRIs).

Unfortunately, not all people are able to achieve relief from PTSD symptoms through these treatment routes. In these cases, patients often feel as if they have no other choice than to simply try to “live with” PTSD (or medication side effects) and settle for an extremely reduced quality of life.

But now, ketamine therapy for PTSD has become an incredibly promising option for individuals at all stages of their treatment journey.

Ketamine treatment for PTSD is changing lives – and it can change yours, too

You may be vaguely familiar with ketamine as a general anesthetic traditionally used in the operating room. Or, you may have heard of its illicit use in the form of an illegal “street drug.” However, ketamine has emerged as a viable treatment option for individuals suffering from PTSD and other mental health conditions.

At our centers for ketamine therapy in Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico, we have found that one of the simplest ways to describe how ketamine works for PTSD is by likening posttraumatic stress disorder to the feeling of being “stuck” on the same, terrible “radio station.” Unable to change the “channel,” you are subjected to the same upsetting content over and over again, in the form of PTSD symptoms. But with your first ketamine therapy for PTSD, you can gain the ability to change the channel altogether.

Does ketamine work for PTSD?

Decades of study and clinical experiences have gone into the practice of ketamine therapy for PTSD and other mental health and chronic pain conditions. And in the last few years, a growing number of research studies are highlighting what our team already knows: ketamine therapy can be the key to unlocking long-term recovery from PTSD.

A 2021 study examined the efficacy of ketamine therapy for PTSD and found that nearly 70% of participants responded to treatment, showing significant improvements after 6 infusions over the course of 2 weeks.

A 2019 study proposed that ketamine’s ability to serve as an NMDA receptor antagonist may be the reason for its efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms, also referencing multiple case studies in which patients achieved success using ketamine treatments for PTSD
These are just two of the many studies that have established clear connections between ketamine therapy and positive outcomes for PTSD sufferers. And at Klarisana ketamine therapy centers, we have witnessed such an inspiring variety of success stories firsthand. For so many of our patients, freedom from PTSD seemed like it was impossibly out of reach. But by using ketamine to address the root of the issue, rather than other treatments that simply mask the symptoms, they were able to reclaim their lives once and for all.

Learn more about how to treat PTSD with ketamine at Klarisana

Klarisana is a leader in the field of ketamine therapy, providing doctor-administered ketamine treatments at our clinics in Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico. Our research-based ketamine therapies are designed to be safe, effective, and accessible for patients with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, and we take pride in empowering our patients to rediscover their health and happiness.

For more information about our ketamine therapy centers, contact us today.