According to Khaled Bowarshi, MD, a psychiatrist at Florida TMS Clinic, ketamine works by quickly increasing the activity of glutamate in the brain.
Ketamine Therapy for Anxiety
Ketamine's Origin
Ketamine was originally developed in the 1950s. It was used in the 1960s as a general anesthetic for medical procedures due to its pain-reducing and sedative effects.
In recent years, though, researchers have started investigating the potential benefits of ketamine for treating certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
While there are a variety of medications used to treat anxiety, research suggests around 50% of people undergoing treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are “treatment-resistant.” That means they don’t experience any improvement after a course of anti-anxiety medication.
An increasing number of experts believe ketamine might be an effective alternative for treating anxiety that doesn’t respond to other approaches.
The FDA has only approved a particular form of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, not anxiety. However, doctors may still prescribe ketamine “off-label” to treat anxiety. This is known as ketamine therapy, and the research on its potential benefits has been steadily growing.
Here’s a closer look at how ketamine therapy may help with anxiety, the risks involved, and how to find a qualified mental health professional who can administer ketamine therapy.
In recent years, though, researchers have started investigating the potential benefits of ketamine for treating certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
While there are a variety of medications used to treat anxiety, research suggests around 50% of people undergoing treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are “treatment-resistant.” That means they don’t experience any improvement after a course of anti-anxiety medication.
An increasing number of experts believe ketamine might be an effective alternative for treating anxiety that doesn’t respond to other approaches.
The FDA has only approved a particular form of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, not anxiety. However, doctors may still prescribe ketamine “off-label” to treat anxiety. This is known as ketamine therapy, and the research on its potential benefits has been steadily growing.
Here’s a closer look at how ketamine therapy may help with anxiety, the risks involved, and how to find a qualified mental health professional who can administer ketamine therapy.
How it works
According to Khaled Bowarshi, MD, a psychiatrist at Florida TMS Clinic, ketamine works by quickly increasing the activity of glutamate in the brain.
Glutamate is one of the brain’s chemical messengers, and it plays an important roleTrusted Source in mood regulation, as well as memory and learning.
Glutamate also supports neuroplasticity, or your brain’s ability to adapt and change with every new experience you have. By increasing neuroplasticity, researchers believe ketamine may help “re-wire” your brain, disrupting problematic or harmful thought patterns and allowing you to form new pathways. Those new pathways allow you to create more positive thoughts, which can help to relieve anxiety symptoms.
Glutamate is one of the brain’s chemical messengers, and it plays an important roleTrusted Source in mood regulation, as well as memory and learning.
Glutamate also supports neuroplasticity, or your brain’s ability to adapt and change with every new experience you have. By increasing neuroplasticity, researchers believe ketamine may help “re-wire” your brain, disrupting problematic or harmful thought patterns and allowing you to form new pathways. Those new pathways allow you to create more positive thoughts, which can help to relieve anxiety symptoms.
Ketamine vs. other medications
Traditional anti-anxiety medications start by boosting other brain chemicals, like serotonin, before targeting glutamate.
What sets ketamine apart is that it immediately activates glutamate. This can translate to faster results, according to Kai Lewis, a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice. While it can take 2 to 6 weeks for anti-anxiety medications to work, Lewis notes ketamine can help to relieve anxiety in as little as 2 hours.
Bowarshi notes that ketamine has shown benefits for both GAD and social anxiety disorder.
What sets ketamine apart is that it immediately activates glutamate. This can translate to faster results, according to Kai Lewis, a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice. While it can take 2 to 6 weeks for anti-anxiety medications to work, Lewis notes ketamine can help to relieve anxiety in as little as 2 hours.
Bowarshi notes that ketamine has shown benefits for both GAD and social anxiety disorder.
* Information gathered from: healthline.com
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