Are You A Veteran With PTSD? 3 Tips For Using Ketamine Psychiatric Therapy To Address Your Symptoms
Living with PTSD can make each day unpredictable. After your service, you may have developed symptoms of PTSD that interfere with your daily life. Flashbacks, depression and frequent nightmares are just a few of the symptoms that people find hard to overcome. While you might have sought other forms of treatment in the past, you may have found that your symptoms were unresponsive or that the treatment didn't provide enough relief to improve your daily functioning.
Ketamine psychiatric therapy is an option that could help you find greater relief from your symptoms. Although this type of therapy has been primarily used for its anesthetic properties in the past, professional therapists use it now to provide prompt and long-lasting relief from the symptoms of PTSD. When you need something new to help you overcome your symptoms, you can use these tips to prepare for your first ketamine infusion.
Start With a Professional Consultation
As with many medications that are used to treat psychiatric conditions, ketamine is a controlled substance that is legally used within the medical field by trained professionals. When it is used correctly, there should be minimal side effects. However, the psychiatrists who use the medication do need to make sure that they give you the appropriate amount and that it is right for you.
During your professional consultation, you should expect to be asked some basic questions about your PTSD, such as when you were diagnosed and the severity of your symptoms. They'll then take down important information such as your height and weight to make sure that you receive the accurate dose for your body.
Expect Some Short-Term Side Effects
One of the reasons why ketamine therapy is so effective for people with PTSD is that there are usually no lingering side effects. However, some people do experience a few short-term side effects such as nausea or dizziness during and after their infusion. If you do experience these symptoms, you may be able to manage them with over-the-counter medications. They also typically tend to go away within a few hours, and most people feel perfectly fine by the next day.
Plan for Someone to Accompany You to Your Appointment
Many people find that they feel an initial sense of deep calm after their infusion that may include dissociative feelings. These are also short-lived but could cause you to struggle with getting home safely. Make sure to have someone bring you to and from your therapy sessions to be on the safe side. Coming to your appointment relaxed and knowing that everything is taken care of helps you get the most out of your therapy.
For more information, contact a health care clinic that offers ketamine therapy.