Ketamine Therapy for Severe Anxiety: What to Expect

Living with severe anxiety is like a rollercoaster of emotions all the time. One minute, you may feel okay, then the next, you're spiraling downward and dealing with extreme worry and panic for what seems like no reason.

Unfortunately, severe anxiety is difficult to control, even with medications and therapy. If you feel anxious more often than not, it's essential to find something that eases the constant worry. Ketamine therapy is an up-and-coming option that offers quick and efficient results for some.

If you're ready to explore ketamine therapy as a treatment option for severe anxiety or treatment-resistant depression, Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry & TMS provides that in the form of Spravato™ nasal spray and other therapies at their offices in Salmon Creek, Steilacoom-Lakewood, and Vancouver, Washington.

Dr. Elia R. Gonzalez-Rodriguez is our in-house psychiatrist specializing in TMS therapy along with ketamine and Spravato™ for mental health disorders and veterans with PTSD.

Understanding severe anxiety

Severe anxiety is something with which many people live. It's a mental health issue that affects every aspect of your life and causes you to feel intense fear or worry all the time. Irrational thoughts often cause concerns and worries, but you can't seem to kick the feeling.

The symptoms of severe anxiety may come on suddenly or appear over time. They affect your home life, work, and even your social life. Medications and therapy can help, but sometimes, they aren’t enough to get the condition under control.

How does ketamine work?

Ketamine is a potent anesthetic drug that doctors use during surgery to induce anesthesia and pain management. However, in recent years, it's become a medication that's growing in popularity for various mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

In smaller doses, ketamine changes the brain where your mood is concerned. It does this by targeting glutamate, which is a vital chemical messenger. Glutamate is directly responsible for mood regulation and learning.

Ketamine works by immediately increasing glutamate activity throughout the brain. One way glutamate reduces anxiety symptoms is through neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to learn and adapt.

The increased glutamate activity allows the brain to recognize harmful thought patterns and develop new pathways to support better mood regulation. It also allows the brain to adapt to changes, allowing for positive thoughts and less anxiety.

What to expect from ketamine therapy

Ketamine can be administered in various ways, including IV infusion, intramuscular (IM) injection, sublingual (under the tongue), or nasal spray (Spravato). At Pacific Phoenix Psychiatry we offer Spracato treatment. However, Dr. Rodriguez-Gonzalez can review all of these options with you to help you decide what's best for your needs.

Whatever option she recommends must be done in a medical office, so that a doctor can  monitor you for reactions and side effects. We also monitor your vital signs to ensure your safety during treatment.

IV infusions can be used to treat anxiety, and they provide immediate relief. However, they don't last as long and often require repeat treatments to maintain your results. 

IM injections are a single injection, and you may need repeat treatments to maintain your results. Sublingual tablets are typically used in between other treatments.

Spravato™ is a non-invasive nasal spray that works rapidly by quickly getting into your bloodstream. It can be an effective treatment for severe anxiety and depression.

Are there any side effects?

Just like any other medication, ketamine has side effects that you should know about before treatment. It's a powerful anesthetic, which means it produces feelings of euphoria and amnesia in higher doses.

We monitor you closely while you're taking ketamine to ensure you get the correct dose and avoid more severe side effects. A few of the effects you may feel during ketamine therapy include:

• Double vision
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Agitation
• Memory loss

Some people may also experience vivid dreams, hallucinations, and disorientation. However, many side effects go away after we stop the treatment. You may feel drowsy or disoriented for several hours after the treatment.

Will my anxiety go away completely?

Ketamine is still a newer treatment when it comes to anxiety, so it's hard to predict the results. Most people who receive ketamine therapy report immediately feeling better, with results that last up to two weeks after an IV infusion.

The goal of repeat ketamine treatments is to continue triggering increased glutamate and creating new pathways in the brain. That hopefully triggers new positive thoughts and emotions to help eliminate severe anxiety.

However, there's no guarantee that you won't ever have anxiety again; some anxiety throughout life is necessary in certain situations. But ketamine therapy should help you find relief, primarily when you utilize it with other medications and treatments.

Call Pacific Phoenix TMS today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez-Gonzalez for anxiety or depression treatment, or request a consultation on our website.