Can Ketamine Treat Depression?

In recent years, ketamine, an anaesthetic and pain relief medication, has gained attention as a potential breakthrough for treatment-resistant depression.

Depression is a complex and often debilitating condition affecting millions of people worldwide. Traditional treatments like antidepressants and therapy help many people, but we also have cases known as treatment-resistant depression; this is where traditional treatments fail to help the person suffering from depression.

This article explores the science, benefits, and risks of using ketamine for depression.

Key Points

• Medical-grade ketamine can help people with treatment-resistant depression
• Ketamine is an alternative depression treatment only explored when other treatments have failed
• Administration of medical-grade ketamine should only be given under professional supervision
• Street ketamine is not medical-grade ketamine and should not be considered a depression treatment
• Prolonged use is not recommended

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine was first approved in the 1960s as an anaesthetic for surgical procedures. Unlike traditional anaesthetics, ketamine doesn’t suppress breathing or circulation, making it a safer option in many medical contexts. It is also commonly used in veterinary medicine. Beyond its medical use, ketamine became infamous as a party drug due to its dissociative effects, earning nicknames like “Special K.”

In recent years, ketamine’s potential as a treatment for mental health disorders, particularly depression, come into focus. It’s important to distinguish between medical-grade ketamine administered in clinical settings and illicit ketamine used recreationally.

Buying ketamine off the street will not help you with depression; this is often mixed with other ingredients and not administered in a clinical setting. This self-administration, can lead to incorrect dosing and an increased risk of harmful side effects or overdose.

How Does Ketamine Work for Depression?

Traditional antidepressants target serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine levels in the body. Ketamine works on a different neurotransmitter: glutamate.

Glutamate plays a role in synaptic plasticity, basically, the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself. By modulating glutamate activity and stimulating the growth of new neural connections, ketamine appears to “reset” brain circuits implicated in depression.

The stimulation of the glutamate system only works at low doses; at high doses, ketamine blocks glutamate and acts more as an anaesthetic through this dissociative property.

This unique mechanism offers several advantages:

• Rapid Onset: While most antidepressants take weeks to show results, ketamine often alleviates depressive symptoms within hours.
• Efficacy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Research indicates ketamine can help patients who have not responded to traditional treatments.
• Potential to Reduce Suicidal Thoughts: In emergency settings, ketamine has been used to quickly reduce suicidal thoughts in some patients.

Scientific Evidence Supporting Ketamine for Depression

There have now been many studies and clinical trials exploring ketamine’s effectiveness for depression. Key findings include:

1. Rapid Relief: A study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that a single ketamine infusion significantly reduced depressive symptoms within 24 hours for 70% of participants.
2. Sustained Benefits: Although the effects of a single dose may fade within a week, repeated doses (administered under supervision) have shown longer-lasting benefits.
3. Suicidal Ideation: Research has demonstrated ketamine’s ability to reduce suicidal thoughts even when depressive symptoms persist, making it a valuable option in crisis situations.

Despite these promising results, experts caution that more research is needed to fully understand long-term outcomes and optimal dosing protocols.

There is some evidence to suggest that after a 6-week course of IV-infused ketamine, if depressive symptoms have not faded, the treatment will not work with further administration.

Benefits of Ketamine for Depression

Ketamine is only administered to patients who have treatment-resistant depression in clinical settings. Benefits include:

• Fast-Acting Relief: Ketamine is often described as a lifeline for people in severe distress, providing relief when other treatments fail.
• Alternative for Treatment-Resistant Depression: For those who have exhausted other options, ketamine represents a new frontier in mental health care.
• Improved Neuroplasticity: By fostering new connections between brain cells, ketamine may help repair the damage caused by chronic stress and depression.

Risks and Concerns

While ketamine shows immense potential, it’s not without risks. Some people can grow psychological dependencies with ketamine, and there is also the risk of overdose, which is why it should only ever be administered under medical supervision.

In recent times, Matthew Perry, the actor from Friends, passed away due to a ketamine overdose. Court documents also explained that he started off getting treatment administered professionally before becoming dependent and sourcing the drug from the underground, so it undoubtedly has its risks.

Many drugs can be addictive or cause psychological dependencies; this is why dosing and ensuring continued use is strictly limited if it has not made the breakthrough in your mental health disorder.

 Common concerns of using Ketamine include:

• Side Effects: These may include dissociation (feeling detached from reality), nausea, dizziness, and increased blood pressure. These effects typically subside within hours.
• Abuse Potential: Ketamine is classified as a controlled substance due to its potential for misuse.
• Cost and Accessibility: Ketamine infusions are often expensive and not covered by insurance in many regions, including the UK.

The long-term effects of repeated ketamine use for depression are not yet fully understood, underscoring the need for cautious and supervised treatment.

What physicians need to be careful of is the patient developing a psychological dependency on ketamine that leads to further damage as opposed to being a beneficial remedy for depression. If a patient has a history of addiction, ketamine treatment would not be recommended due to the increased risks of the person developing a ketamine use disorder.

Ketamine Treatment in the UK

In the UK, ketamine is not yet widely available as a standard treatment for depression, but select clinics and research centres offer ketamine-assisted therapy under strict guidelines. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates its use, ensuring that treatments are safe and ethical.

Scotland, with its growing focus on mental health innovation, has seen a rise in interest in ketamine treatments. Clinics like Eulas offering ketamine therapy emphasise comprehensive care, combining the medication with psychotherapy and careful monitoring.

Supporting People with Depression

Ketamine is an exciting development in the treatment of depression, particularly for people who have not found relief with traditional methods. Its rapid onset, unique mechanism, and potential to reduce suicidal ideation make it a valuable option for many. However, it is very important to approach ketamine treatment with caution, ensuring it is administered by trained professionals in a controlled environment.

At Nova Recovery, we are committed to helping people explore innovative treatments while prioritising safety and holistic care. If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction-related depression, contact us to learn more about how we can support your journey to recovery.

If you’re ready to explore the latest in mental health care, get in touch with Nova Recovery today. Together, we can help you take the first steps toward a brighter future.

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John Gillen - Author - Last updated: November 15, 2024

John has travelled extensively around the world, culminating in 19 years’ experience looking at different models. He is the European pioneer of NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) treatment to Europe in 2010; and recently back from the USA bringing state of the art Virtual Reality Relapse Prevention and stress reduction therapy. His passion extends to other metabolic disturbances and neurodegenerative diseases. The journey continues. In recent times, John has travelled to Russia to study and research into a new therapy photobiomudulation or systemic laser therapy working with NAD+ scientists and the very best of the medical professionals in the UK and the USA, together with Nadcell, Bionad Hospitals own select Doctors, nurses, dieticians and therapists. Johns’ passion continues to endeavour to bring to the UK and Europe new developments with NAD+ Therapy in preventive and restorative medicine and Wellness. In 2017 John Gillen was made a visiting Professor at the John Naisbitt university in Belgrade Serbia.