Plagued by Treatment-Resistant Depression? Ketamine Therapy Could Help

You’ve taken the medications. You’ve gone to therapy. You’ve done your best to power through sad days, and yet you’re still depressed. 

At Greathope Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services in Garland, Texas, Chima Asikaiwe, MD, Cecilia Chanda, DNP, PMHNP, and Amy Baynash, PMHNP, encounter individuals with treatment-resistant depression every day. 

They work closely with many patients who feel discouraged after multiple treatments haven’t brought the relief they were hoping for. If that’s you, you’re not out of options. There is hope.

Thankfully, ketamine therapy is a potential solution when other options have failed. 

Understanding treatment-resistant depression

When depression doesn’t improve after you’ve tried several treatments, it’s called treatment-resistant depression (TRD). TRD falls under the umbrella of major depressive disorder (MDD).

About 30% of people with MDD also have TRD and don’t respond well to antidepressant medications. 

When traditional antidepressants aren’t working

Most antidepressants work by targeting serotonin, a brain chemical that helps regulate your mood. They work well for many people, but they can take a long time to make a noticeable difference, and unfortunately, they don’t work for everyone.

Ketamine is different, though. Instead of targeting serotonin, ketamine acts on your glutamate system, which is involved in your brain’s ability to form new connections and function optimally. 

According to research from the National Institutes of Health, ketamine can quickly improve symptoms of depression by stimulating new neural pathways. Many of our patients with TRD experience improvement within hours of ketamine therapy. That rapid response matters when you’re suffering from suicidal thoughts or other severe symptoms.

How ketamine therapy works

First, our team conducts a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. We review your treatment history, current symptoms, medical background, and goals. If ketamine is appropriate for your condition, your provider designs a plan to address your specific needs.

During a series of treatments over several weeks, we monitor your vital signs and response, track symptom changes, and adjust your plan as needed. During and after each session, you may notice clearer thinking, renewed motivation, and improved mood. Ketamine is known to provide significant improvement when other therapies have fallen short.

Ketamine is a part of your overall care plan

Ketamine works best as one component of a multifaceted approach. When your depression symptoms begin to ease with ketamine, your provider may cycle in other strategies, including:

• Ongoing medication management
• Psychotherapy to build coping skills and resilience
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Ketamine can create the momentum you need, while these other treatments can help you sustain it.

There’s hope for you

Ketamine therapy can bring you urgently needed relief when nothing else has. If you’ve been trying a variety of medications without improvement, turn to our compassionate team here at Greathope Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services for skilled psychiatric care.

To schedule a ketamine consultation, call us today or request an appointment online.