Ketamine, which although is most often considered an anesthetic or even a recreational drug, has been found to be a highly effective and fast-acting treatment for many psychological disorders. It is especially useful when consumed as a ketamine infusion, with many people now using ketamine infusion for depression and burnout with incredible results.
As people are working more and more hours each day, the risk of burnout is on the increase. This condition is mainly associated with high-achieving professionals such as business executives, investment bankers and doctors, but can affect anybody pushing their bodies and minds beyond their limits. Those passionate about their profession often do not notice the toll their long working days is taking on their bodies, which often results in burnout.
Burnout – what is it?
‘Burnout’ was coined in the 1970s by Dr Herbert Freundenberger, and is now recognised as a disease with symptoms much like those related to other disorders such as PTSD, anxiety and depression. This condition now has its own classification in the most recent edition of the International Classification of Disease handbook. Symptoms associated with burnout include:
• Physical/emotional exhaustion
• Detachment and cynicism
• Feelings of lack of accomplishment and ineffectiveness
Such symptoms are present in a multitude of psychological disorders such as PTSD and anxiety, and many people are now turning to ketamine for depression and burnout as a faster-acting and more effective alternative to traditional treatments such as antidepressants.
Current Treatments for Burnout and Depression
Rather than seeking to determine the cause, current treatments for burnout and depression focus on alleviating the symptoms. Antidepressants are often prescribed, which until recently were thought to correct an imbalance in neurotransmitters to ‘correct’ the condition. However, this approach has been found to be an ineffective long-term solution, leading to scientists exploring alternative methods to understanding the causes of illnesses such as depression and burnout, and how to best treat them.
Scientists are now able to get an incredible ‘inside look’ into the brain through revolutionary means like DTI (Diffusion Tensor Imaging), enabling them to view the differences between a depressed brain and a healthy brain. Many of the connections within a healthy brain were found to have been lost in that of a depressed patient, suggesting that there may be a way to restore and regenerate these connections.
New evidence supports the idea that treatments such as ketamine infusion can reorganise the ‘software wiring’ of a depressed patient’s brain. This evidence has also lead to many medical professionals considering the prescription of ketamine for depression due to its ability to rapidly regenerate these lost connections and relieve the associated symptoms.
Ketamine for Treating and Preventing Depression
Medical professionals are considering the use of ketamine infusions as a treatment for many brain disorders such as burnout and depression. Research has shown that symptoms can be alleviated within minutes after only one ketamine infusion. Although ketamine is not yet approved by the FDA for this use, there are some medical professionals who are currently using it with their own patients who present severe symptoms of burnout.
They state that many executives are coming to them with traditional diagnoses of illnesses such as depression or anxiety. After evaluation, it often becomes clear that their chronic profession-related stress is causing them to suffer from burnout syndrome. Their symptoms often put them at risk of quitting or being fired from the job that is causing the issue, with many finding the condition not only affecting their professional lives, but also their home lives.
The right dose of a ketamine infusion can provide remarkably therapeutic properties in not only alleviating, but reversing the symptoms related to depression and burnout. Patients report that after only just a few ketamine treatments, there is a rapid improvement in their anxiety levels and mood, with many noting an improved ability to concentrate and focus. This often leads to an increase in their effectiveness both professionally and at home. Recent studies have also shown that not only can it be useful to provide ketamine for depression as a treatment, but also as a preventative measure for a variety of mental disorders such as burnout and anxiety.
How Does Ketamine Treat Burnout?
People who suffer from the symptoms of burnout and depression must often wait many weeks for the effects of antidepressants or other medications to take place. These medicines, which need to build up in a patient’s system before taking effect, only truly benefit around 38% of patients. Ketamine, however, is different as it alleviates symptoms of burnout, anxiety, depression and PTSD as it is naturally broken down and expelled by the body.
Rather than weeks as with other medicines such as antidepressants, the effects of ketamine take place in just a few hours. Its effectiveness is found to be over 75%, making it twice as other more traditional treatments or medications. Researcher are not yet certain as to how a ketamine infusion eases the associated symptoms, but findings have shown that its ability to aid the regeneration of connections between brain cells that affect mood could be the key.
Many scientists claim that the profound effects of ketamine, when provided intravenously, could be the most important discovery in decades regarding the treatment of anxiety-related disorders such as depression and burnout.
There may be a time when doctors routinely prescribe ketamine for depression and other psychological disorders, and perhaps for other related conditions like alcohol and substance abuse.
Although the science behind the discovery is highly promising, ketamine should not be considered lightly and ought to be monitored carefully when it is being used. However, as early results have generated excitement within the scientific community, it is likely that there will be much more information available before long.
About The Ketamine Institute
The Ketamine Institute was founded by Dr. G. Grass, a board-certified anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist. Dr. Grass is a former Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine, where the use of ketamine to treat depression was first discovered. He has over 15 years of experience treating patients with ketamine. He has pioneered the new and innovative Restore Ketamine Infusion protocol to successfully and rapidly treat severe depression, anxiety and pain disorders.