Your Depression is Unique. Is Your Treatment?

Jan 31

Perhaps you’ve been in treatment for depression for years and you’ve tried a handful (or more) of antidepressant medications but you just haven’t found the sense of relief you seek. Maybe medication or therapy work for a while but you feel like it’s not an effective long-term plan.

You can’t shake the feeling that you want another type of treatment, but feel like you’re out of options. Your psychiatrist and therapist are unsure of what’s next, yet you really do want to manage your Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). You’re open to trying something different...but what?

You’ve probably heard about Psychedelic Therapy or read Michael Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind. Interesting...but finding some “magic mushrooms” or MDMA and a guide seems like a lot of work (not to mention illegal unless you can become a research study participant) and especially so with symptoms of Depression. Yet you still wonder if Psychedelic healing is a possibility for you.

Sounds like your intuition is leading you on a deeper search toward the potential of a more individualized, specialized depression treatment. We all have an inner healer that calls out to guide us toward our healing path. Your healer might be at work when you hear about Psychedelic Therapy and Integration through friends, community, or the news and notice yourself feeling curious. You may feel the sense that you could be doing something different. And you want to listen to your inner healer, but wonder how else can I treat my depression?

If you’re curious about another type of treatment for depression, I’m glad to have your attention. Turns out your intuitive feeling may be inviting you into deeper healing.

Another Tool:

Treatment with Ketamine

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that is currently being prescribed as a treatment for depression. While it is not considered a traditional psychedelic drug, it can inspire changes in perception including psychedelic experiences. Researchers are currently unsure of exactly how Ketamine works but it’s known to target receptors in the brain that impact mood, thoughts, and patterns.

If it’s going to support my brain in helping me change my perceptions...is it any different from my Antidepressant medication?

There are many important distinctions to be made between antidepressants and Ketamine but this conversation focuses on the amount of time each takes to impact symptoms and the possibility that Ketamine may inspire a non-ordinary (psychedelic) experience.

Antidepressants can be life-saving tools that bring many people a sense of relief and some ability to return to functioning. In general, it takes four to eight weeks of daily usage for a noticeable alleviation of symptoms using antidepressant medications. However, many people who take them do not experience complete remission of depression. At times, the dosage may need to be increased or a second medication may need to be added for a more effective treatment.

Ketamine may impact thinking patterns almost immediately with the onset of the drug’s effects. The shifts in brain chemistry that happen after the administration of Ketamine helps neurons communicate via different pathways through a process called synaptogenesis. These shifts are what inspires a psychedelic or dissociated (out of body) experience that can last an hour or longer.

You might be ready to sign up for treatment with Ketamine to shift your mood and have a psychedelic experience. Perhaps you’re looking for the nearest trash can to ditch your antidepressant and drafting an email to your therapist to end therapy in favor of beginning treatment with Ketamine, but there’s no need to make sudden moves. Many (but not all) antidepressants can be used at the same time as treatment with Ketamine. Also, therapists with additional training in Ketamine Integration or Psychedelic Integration can help you make meaning from treatment experiences and bring changes inspired by these experiences into the day-to-day.

You may be asking, “How do I sign up for Ketamine Treatment?”

If you’re insured, your insurance company is a good place to start. In particular for individuals who have a diagnosis of Treatment-Resistant Depression and have tried multiple antidepressants. If Ketamine Therapy is covered by your insurance, they can refer you to a psychiatrist. After assessing your needs and making sure there aren’t contraindications, they may prescribe Ketamine. If you are currently working with a provider for therapy or psychiatry they may be able to help you access Ketamine treatment.

Support for Ketamine Treatment:

Integration Therapy

Here’s where I come into the picture by offering Integration Therapy in Oakland & online in California. Ketamine therapy should not be done without a support system.

Ketamine Integration Therapy or Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) can offer a bridge between the dissociated or psychedelic experience to help you make the changes you would like to see in your day-to-day life. It took specialized training for me to learn to work competently with “non-ordinary” or psychedelic experiences as it’s not something we’re taught in most therapy programs. Your experiences on Ketamine may consist of somatic sensations, emotions or feelings, or content that can be tough to translate into words. I am trained in art therapy so we can communicate from the unconscious without as much labor. Everyone’s depression is different so I create a treatment plan that is customized to your needs.

Ketamine does have its downsides as well. Its noticeable effects on mood improvement may be short-lived. It can be challenging to feel better...and then not. We can explore ways to support you in between treatments and cope with the ups and downs. Another issue is that Ketamine can also be an addictive substance. While your prescribing psychiatrist should assess your history for addiction, part of the holding Integration Therapy offers includes helping you further explore your relationship with this substance and how it impacts your healing path.

Treatment for YOUR Depression

So what does all of this mean for your depression treatment? Without knowing about the specifics of your depression, I can only imagine that you’d like a treatment that focuses on YOUR symptoms to help you feel better and live better. Not everyone is a candidate for Ketamine therapy, but for those suffering from Depression, it may be an invaluable tool. While the drug itself and treatment eligibility are at the discretion of your psychiatrist, I’m here to support you in making the most of this tool through Ketamine Integration Therapy/ Psychedelic Integration Therapy. If you live in California, reach out via email: journeyinward@oliviaclear.com or here.

And please copy & paste a link to this post on your social media pages- I’d imagine there’s someone in your circle who is suffering from depression and looking for information about this type of treatment.

Publishing, H. (2009, May). Advice about which antidepressant to choose first. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Advice-about-which-antidepressant-to-choose-first

Robert C. Meisner, M. (2019, May 20). Ketamine for major depression: New tool, new questions. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketamine-for-major-depression-new-tool-new-questions-2019052216673

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