Trauma is something that nearly everyone deals with to some degree. However, some individuals experience more chronic cases that could use a little extra help. A prominent example of this would be the prevalence of PTSD.
This affects roughly 8% of the American population, and it’s something that can stem from many kinds of traumatic events. It also significantly affects one’s perspective of themselves, making it even harder to feel good mentally or physically.
People experience many physical and psychological complications from trauma, which is why therapy and certain medications can be so vital. While ketamine in this context was first introduced as an anesthetic, it has shown promise to combat symptoms related to trauma. This article will break into the benefits and potential risks of ketamine trauma therapy.
Understanding Ketamine and Its Use in Therapy
The word ketamine has caused quite a bit of confusion over the years. While there’s plenty of evidence of it being abused, many people forget that it can be common in medical and therapeutic treatments.
More specifically, low-dose ketamine has been recognized for its rapid ability to combat aspects of mental health and mood regulation. To provide a broader overview, several details about ketamine are helpful to keep in mind.
- Ketamine use in trauma therapy is commonly used when patients aren’t responsive to traditional treatments
- Although there are many types of trauma, low-dose ketamine treatments have a strong tie to those dealing with PTSD
- There are also specific ketamine-focused therapies, such as ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP)
- Low-dose ketamine treatments are often paired with other effective therapy treatments to support more comprehensive results
It’s in no way a perfect solution to dealing with trauma, but the benefits can’t be ignored. Some patients experience immense mental and physical distress from their trauma. Combining KAP with surrounding therapies has shown promising efficacy over the years.
Benefits of Ketamine Trauma Therapy
There’s more than enough evidence to support that ketamine trauma therapy can quickly reduce trauma-related symptoms. How well the treatment works will vary from one person to the next, but it’s a treatment that’s rarely applied all on its own.
While it’s understood that potential risks are possible, that doesn’t mean there aren’t notable benefits involved. The list below provides a brief look at the known benefits of ketamine trauma therapy.
- Helps to minimize anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts
- Patients can see and feel a significant difference within three hours of their dose
- Works to rewire neural pathways related to trauma, helping patients break their mental cycle
- Ketamine can enhance the ability to process trauma when coupled with other common therapy treatments, such as CBT
- Can be used alongside cognitive supportive diets
- It’s able to activate opioid receptors without the looming risk of drudge abuse and addiction
The list continues from there, and even though it isn’t a perfect treatment for everyone, ketamine therapy isn’t so uncommon. It might sound like an outlandish solution, but a minor therapy treatment like this could very well save someone’s life.
However, that doesn’t mean the potential risks should be ignored. Traditional mental health treatments might need some additional support, but this should be explored with tact. In some circumstances, the patient’s current condition and surrounding health conditions could prevent them from being eligible in the first place.
The world of science isn’t foreign to the known health risks of ketamine. This is partly why there’s such a focus on low-dose treatments. Medical and psychotherapy professionals are only interested in using finite amounts of ketamine when it comes to these treatments.
When surface-level therapies to heal the body and mind aren’t being effective, stronger solutions might need to be explored. Due to the potential risk factors, understanding how ketamine affects the mind and body is crucial.
Risks and Considerations
While the benefits of low-dose ketamine trauma therapy are pretty clear, the downsides deserve equal attention, if not more. In the short term, ketamine therapy can lead to certain side effects such as confusion, dissociation, and altered perception. These could be non-existent, extremely mild, or uncomfortable enough to stop the treatment altogether.
For patients with long-term exposure to the therapeutic treatment, the potential risks start to look more severe. A few examples of this include risks like bladder dysfunction or general issues with tolerance and dependence.
That’s why monitoring administration closely is so important. The ketamine may be used to mitigate trauma symptoms, but it can also cause other health complications at the same time. Another aspect of the controversy of this topic heavily pertains to the downsides related to ketamine.
While ketamine has been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms in some patients, it has also caused the opposite experience for others. Some cases have reported that ketamine therapy actually heightened the patient’s PTSD symptoms instead.
This is a clear example of why this type of trauma therapy might not be the best choice for every patient. Aside from medical concerns, ethics are also a part of this conversation. Between the VA program and medical professionals, many people have concerns due to the drug’s overall reputation.
Ethics of Ketamine Trauma Therapy
First and foremost, medical practitioners should always be up to date on the latest research in ketamine trauma therapy. The outlook and application of ketamine have changed immensely over the years, and new pros and cons are being found as time goes on.
Strict oversight of the treatment and regular, scheduled patient assessments are a vital component. Regardless of modern research in ketamine therapies, it isn’t a treatment that should be taken lightly.
For the most part, you won’t have any trouble finding ethical applications of this therapy. On the other hand, research is ongoing, which means the rules could change at any time. Remember that low-dose ketamine therapies are commonly used in conjunction with other treatments. While there may be decades of research on the topic, ketamine’s application in therapy still has a long way to go.
Endnote
There’s enough science to back up ketamine trauma therapy, but it’s important to understand the pros and cons. The same sentiment applies to any medical or therapeutic treatment, as every mind and body will respond in its own unique way.
Above all else, safety and education should be the focal point here, as people need to feel comfortable sharing these emotions. The more we understand about ketamine trauma therapy, the better chance we’ll have at using it effectively and driving results.