PTSD

How do Infusions Help PTSD?

PTSD can arise from diverse triggers, both internal and external. Some patients may have an underlying genetic susceptibility. Other patients may have medical conditions that exacerbate their addictions and obsessions:

1. Genetic susceptibility to impaired memory formation from traumatic events
2. Concomitant depression and anxiety that may increase the risk of impaired memory consolidation
3. Medical conditions that cause or exacerbate PTSD symptoms (eg chronic pain, substance use disorder)
4. Environmental triggers (death, separation, personal or financial hardship, etc.)
5. Medications can influence PTSD susceptibility, such as opioid or benzodiazepine (eg Xanax) use

Some patients may not be able to control the effects of PTSD with medications and psychotherapy alone. Ketamine infusions and medication assisted psychotherapy offer a breakthrough treatment for treatment resistant chronic pain and its debilitating health consequences.

PTSD treatment failure is high with traditional treatments

Traditional PTSD treatments include psychotherapy but only limited medication therapy. The low effectiveness of medications for PTSD has led to the "PTSD treatment crisis" in individuals suffering from PTSD in need of rapid relief. Furthermore, side effects of daily medications, like anti-depressants for PTSD, also lead to early discontinuation of treatment.

Cognitive rigidity can exacerbate PTSD

Cognitive rigidity underlies many psychiatric conditions and personality traits, including compulsivity (OCD), eating disorders, and trichotillomania. It's not an unwillingness to change, but it's a neurochemical inertia that can make changing habits and routines incredibly difficult. Ketamine and medication assisted hypnotherapy can help restructure rigid cognitive loops through neuroplasticity - literally helping re-wire rigid neurological habit loops. Restoring cognitive flexibility is believed to be a powerful contributor to healing PTSD.

Ketamine modifies glutamate levels, enhancing neurogenesis

Glutamate is a powerful neurotransmitter involved in synaptogenesis, or the formation of new neural connections. Forming new neural connections may help relieve PTSD. Ketamine modulates glutamate levels and NMDA receptor activity to fundamentally alter our response to triggering stimuli.

While PTSD can arise from many different experiences, there are underlying biochemical and psychological disturbances that limit our ability to reconsolidate the affected memory, even when we fully recognize the destructive effects of the trauma arising with that memory. Ketamine appears to "rewrite the maladaptive memories" leading to reducing the trauma of engaging with traumatic memories with rapid effect.

The powerful action of ketamine on NMDA and AMPA receptors is believed to promote neuroplasticity to help overcome traumatic experiences leading to PTSD. Furthermore, these NMDA and glutamate receptor antagonistic effects can particularly enhance PTSD treatment in patients suffering from both depression and addiction. This can re-shift the biochemical balance in your brain to help restore your inner healing potential. Traditional chronic pain treatments simply don't have this same effect.

Safety of ketamine and clinical hypnosis treatments

Unlike traditional anti-anxiety medications, in particular benzodiazepines like Xanax, our infusion treatments are very safe.

By reducing the need for traditional medications, many risks can be reduced, including risks of benzodiazepine addiction and cognitive decline from untreated PTSD.

Infusions allow for faster action

Unlike oral dosing, IV infusion rates can be modified instantaneously to allow for more rapid therapeutic effect. There is no need to wait for the effect of a pill to decide if the next pill dose should be changed a week later.