PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can develop after you experience or witness a traumatic event. While most people associate PTSD exclusively with military personnel and veterans, it can also happen to sexual assault victims, accident survivors, childhood abuse victims, and even those who have witnessed one of these experiences.
Those suffering from PTSD often feel sad, angry, lost, or detached from the people they love. In some cases, patients with PTSD can relive their traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares.
PTSD can occur at any time after a traumatic incident. Some people begin to display telltale PTSD symptoms within one month of the event in question, while others may not notice a change in their behavior for several years.
Ketamine for PTSD
PTSD is typically treated with a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—a type of psychotherapy designed to change harmful thinking and behavior patterns—and serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication.
Unfortunately, SSRIs—which increase your brain’s serotonin levels to reduce depression and PTSD symptoms—take approximately 4-6 weeks to work. Ketamine infusion therapy, meanwhile, can begin to take effect in as little as a single 45-minute treatment.
Medical experts believe that ketamine works by binding to the NMDA receptors in the brain, increasing the amount of the neurotransmitter glutamate. This neurotransmitter then activates your AMPA receptors, which affect mood, cognition, and thought patterns.
While some PTSD patients have experienced dramatic improvements, results vary so you and your provider will work together to design the right ketamine infusion therapy plan for you.
If your PTSD symptoms haven’t responded to traditional treatments, call the expert team at Apex Ketamine Therapy to learn more about ketamine infusion therapy.