Lori Calabrese, MD

Category: Depression

Articles about Depression by Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

The World Health Organization asserts that depression causes more disability worldwide than any other illness. In addition to standing alone as a disabling disorder, it also worsens other illnesses from diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, and brain injuries. We present these articles about depression to show the many ways this disorder is expressed, ways to treat it, and to dispel stigma caused by lack of information.

Causes

Depression and stress create a self-defeating cycle. Prolonged stress prunes the synapses, the dendrites attached to them, and the dendritic spines, reducing the network necessary for optimal signaling in the brain. Consequently, thinking slows and outlook darkens. In addition, creativity all but disappears. Depression follows this process, imposing yet more stress on the these all-important signaling structures.

Other structures in the brain enter the process. These structures in turn malfunction and make the symptoms worse. The lateral habenula, the amygdala, the thalamus, and the hippocampus each play a role in depression. By the same token, depression impacts them, too.

Treatment

Only about a third of people who suffer with depression find relief with traditional antidepressants. These medicines increase neurotransmitters in the brain and eventually increase neuron growth. But the actions of these medicines delay the process and these patients improve slowly. Sometimes, if the first trial with a medication doesn’t help, a different one or combination can help another one third or so of those who didn’t feel better after the first trial. Unfortunately, 33% of people suffering from depression find no relief from these medications. Until recently, they were left with little or no hope of relief for the rest of their lives.

Benefits of Ketamine Treatment

However, ketamine treatment is a novel and advanced treatment that has changed the prognosis for those treatment-resistant patients. Ketamine switches the mRNA to “On” which turns on the DNA to turboboost the brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) that proliferates neuronal growth along with synapses, dendrites, and dendritic spines which play such a vital role in improving signaling throughout the brain.

Another benefit of ketamine is how rapidly it causes the G proteins to slide off the lipid rafts in the cell membrane. This allows them to get back to work enhancing signals. It also causes the cell bursting in the lateral habenula to be dampened. Another process that allows you to experience a sense of reward – and feel better – when something good happens. Basically, ketamine treatment goes to work to help you feel better fast.

Then you enjoy clearer thinking and more creativity. Also a rewarding and upbeat outlook filled with light and joy. Add to that the improved initiative, increased motivation, and hope that makes life worth living again. This remarkable outcome occurs in 65-70% of treatment-resistant patients in general, and much more than that when the treatment is highly personalized. And the results are rapid and robust. Extraordinary.

As you read these articles about depression, keep in mind that there is always hope. Researchers continue to work to find more aspects ketamine’s effects on the brain that can impact the outcome.

  • Coping with Anticipatory Grief in the Covid-19 Crisis

    Coping with Anticipatory Grief in the Covid-19 Crisis

    Jocelyn and her friends missed their interaction on Friday nights after a week of work.

    They’d meet somewhere and have dinner and talk about work, their plans for the weekend, the people they knew, and their hopes for the future. But since the COVID-19 crisis, they worked from home and Friday was just another day.  So they decided to have a meet-up online. Jack set up a zoom meeting so they could all see each other, and it commenced Friday night at 7pm like they’d always done before. They ate their dinner in front of their laptops and chatted about this and that, vented about isolation, about technical problems when all work had to take place online, and family frustrations. And they talked about the horrid emotions they felt. The idea that millions were expected to get sick and die. Scott, a therapist, mentioned ways of coping with anticipatory grief. Someone else said, “Wha..??” Jack said, “What the heck is anticipatory grief??”

    Scott went on to explain that horrid feeling they all described, the dread they felt about all the sickness and death, the fear that their friends or family members would likely be among the dead…that this all falls under the category of anticipatory grief: Grieving about losses that haven’t happened yet, but might. 

    He also said that when you read all the articles that come out every day about the potential damage the COVID-19 virus can do, that dread increases day by day. Then you hear about someone’s co-worker or family member who tested positive for the virus, it gets a bit closer to home, and your dread and fear of loss increases.

    When Fear and Grief Hit Home

    Next, you get word that your own relative or co-worker dies… or the relative or coworker of someone close to you dies, then you feel the loss up close.  It becomes your own loss.  And it hangs on you, weighing you down, long after…because it goes so deep. 

    Celia hesitated, then spoke up. “My aunt died. It’s been so sad I haven’t wanted to talk about it. But she lives in New York City, and tested positive. She tried to recover at home…then her breathing got really bad one night and they had to take her to the ER. She was in the ICU with a ventilator for 17 days. Just about the time she seemed to be getting better, she suddenly got bad again…and died that day.”

    Everyone told Celia how sorry they were. How terrible it was to lose someone you love over a virus.

    Nick spoke up. He had a sadness about him most of them had noticed.  He said, “ A friend of our family…someone I grew up with…started feeling bad, and called the doctor. The doctor told her to go for a test at a drive through testing center. She tested positive and her cough was so intense, her breathing so bad, they admitted her to the hospital, too. Within 3 days she was gone.  She was my age! It’s so hard to make sense of it.

    “I hear about people protesting the lock down…or throwing COVID parties…and I want to scream. So many people don’t get it. I wondered myself in the beginning. But as I saw the numbers increase around the world, I realized this is real. I wish each one of those people who went to one of those parties could see how it feels to lose someone you care about. And who knows who’s next?? It could be one of us!”

    Celia jumped in and said, “Yes…or to see what’s it like to be sick with this. Sure there are people who aren’t having symptoms, but talk to the ones who are! My friend got sick and had to let someone take care of her child while she convalesced.  She said it was the worst thing she ever experienced.”

    Scott then pointed out how THIS is anticipatory grief. Realizing that someone you care about could get sick. Could die. And worrying about it. 

    “And,” he said, “there are things you and I can do to help us get through this.”

    Study: 40% Say Anticipatory Grief Is The Worst

    “A Swedish study,” he went on,” found that no matter how much you grieve before you experience the loss, it doesn’t reduce your grief after the loss really happens. And that 40% of the people studied felt the grief you experience when you anticipate loss is far more stressful than the grief you experience afterward.”

    Jocelyn asked, “If that’s the case, then it sounds as though I’d be much better off waiting until someone dies to grieve, than grieving about everyone in advance. But I do feel fearful…I have anxiety all day and especially at night…On top of that, I’m drinking more than I ever have. Just to try to relax and not think about what could happen.”  

    Scott agreed. “But how do you wait until you have someone’s death to actually grieve??? Coping with anticipatory grief is so much harder than we could have expected!”

    Celia finally blurted out, “My husband is beside himself. He’s so angry, filled with doom and gloom. Constantly rehearsing the latest statistic in illnesses and deaths in every country around the world. His rage is so hard to be around, even though I know it’s just how he’s coping. But it all makes me all the more lonely…

    Symptoms of Anticipatory Grief

    “Ok let’s all look at this, guys…” Scott was talking in a softer voice now. “We have Nick, who’s been so sad, and has lost a lifelong friend, and Celia’s husband who is irritable and furious about what’s happening…and likely struggling with feeling out of control…which he is… and Jocelyn who feels fear, anxiety, and uncertainty… and Celia who’s sad about her aunt, stressed about her husband, and lonely.  
    “You know what?  All of these things are symptoms of anticipatory grief. So what can you do, what can WE do, to cope right now…and get through this?

    Coping With Anticipatory Grief – We Need Each Other

    Nick, Celia, and Jack all said at the same time: “Keep getting together like this!”

    Scott and Jocelyn laughed…and heartily agreed.

    Nick admitted that meeting and talking, opening up and feeling understood were all amazing for him. He could see that spending time together was great medicine.

    So they agreed that the lockdown would no longer interfere with their mutual support. And they would continue their Friday night @ 7 gathering online, until they could meet in person again.

    Grief is a looming and saturating condition for many, if not most, of us during this COVID-19 crisis. Grieving over the death of someone we care about is a form of grief that’s inescapable when we lose someone, no matter the circumstances. 

    But anticipatory grief is another form that can cause anxiety, depression, and overwhelm. In trying to prepare for loss, it magnifies the suffering of loss itself, and can continue to cause more pain months or more after that loss occurs. Right now, news from government and medical experts can ignite enough fear to trigger anticipatory grief. 

    How long will I be out of work?  Will we lose the house?  How will we feed the family?  What if one of us dies?  Who will take care of the children?…And that suffering intensifies the actual suffering from this global crisis. Coping with anticipatory grief includes finding ways to stop the cycle of fear in our thinking.

    Like these friends, fear of what might happen, fear of losing loved ones or other things in life you hold dear, can overwhelm your outlook, and drown your perspective.

    But if you have friends like these, people who care about you and with whom you can discuss your feelings and listen to theirs, you may be able to restore balance to the way you look at life.

    But What if You’re NOT Coping with Anticipatory Grief? And Friends Don’t Help?

    Unfortunately, sometimes talking, listening, and caring isn’t enough. Sometimes you realize you don’t have many friends. Sometimes you need help. If the stressors of life, and of this period of isolation, have worn you down, stripped your resilience, and damaged your hope, then you may need the help of a treatment that can make a real difference in everything for you.

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we know that the COVID-19 crisis, and the enforced isolation that has been necessary because of it, can drain your hope, your energy, and your motivation.

    You may find you’re drinking more than you mean to, or that you’re using other substances and it’s getting out of hand.

    It can make it almost impossible to just keep being brave, and willing, and steadfast. It can make you feel like you’re afloat at sea, all alone, without hope or remedy.

    But as we’ve talked about so many times before, this is caused by the pruning and wearing down of synapses in your brain. That’s what stress does. But ketamine treatment gets your brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) going…burgeoning…which works like a rich compost to produce…no — more than that…to PROLIFERATE… the dendrites and dendritic spines that create those synaptic connection between the neurons in your brain.

    And when that happens, your outlook brightens like the sunrise, your thoughts begin to flash through your mind, your creativity starts blooming, and your joy and hope are restored.

    That same dose of ketamine can also help reduce your drinking, and your use of substances.

    With all that going on, believe it or not, you can be resilient whether you’re isolated or not.

    Ketamine Treatment Can Erase Suicidal Thoughts, Too

    That’s the beauty of ketamine treatment. And what’s more? It’s so effective.

    And remember. The kind of discouragement, depression, and fear we’ve been talking about can make some people want to stop living. If you have struggled with those thoughts, if you’re not coping well with anticipatory grief, we want to help. Because ketamine treatment can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon.

    This is why we’re open when everything else is closed. Because taking care of you is essential. And that’s what we’re here to do.

    If you’ve struggled with some of the feelings Jocelyn, Nick, Jack, Celia, and Scott were talking about, call us.

    We’re here and still providing ketamine treatment right now with safety protocols to protect you and to protect our staff. Just call us, and we’ll talk you through the process.

    You don’t have to suffer alone. We’re here to help you get through this confusing time, and to help you experience the joy and hope that will see you through.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • When Coronavirus Illness and Grief Hit Home

    When Coronavirus Illness and Grief Hit Home

    Leia dragged herself off the couch.

    Good grief. She felt soooo tired. She didn’t sleep that well last night…couldn’t get comfortable… maybe that’s why, she guessed. After walking into the kitchen to brew some tea, she decided to just take it easy and read a book on the coffee table. After awhile…she dozed off. Then, her phone beeped and woke her with a start. Shoot. Her tea was cold. She dragged herself up to go make more… uggghhh… what was this burning…?  Sort of a weird sensation from her windpipe to her lungs…  strange. Surely not, she thought.  She hadn’t heard anyone mention this sensation when she read about symptoms of the dreaded coronavirus. Covid-19, they called it. Coronavirus illness and grief was all over the news. But she and her friends never expected it to affect them.

    Leia realized she was too tired to wait for hot water for her tea. She slunk back to the couch and collapsed. She needed to go to the bathroom but didn’t know if she could get there without rest first.

    What’s the matter with me??

    Then, Leia remembered a little test people talked about online to help you see if this was “the virus.”  They said to fill your lungs with air, hold it for ten seconds, then let it out. 

    They said if it hurt to hold it, it might be a sign you’ve contracted the covid-19 virus.

    Ok, she thought to herself. I’ll do that.

    She filled her lungs and counted…1… 2…3…owww!

    She quickly exhaled.

    That really hurt. Leia wished she had tried the test when she was well so she could see what it’s supposed to feel like. But it had never been painful to hold her breath.  She knew that much.

    The Coronavirus Illness and Grief Is Worse Than Imagined

    The next morning, Leia woke up feeling desperately worse. The aching all over her body felt like her body was breaking. To call it an ache was far too mild a description. Especially in her back and all her joints.

    She had to get to the bathroom. She steadied herself on the side of her bed… then gingerly crept slowly to the bathroom. This is overwhelming…! What was she going to do ?  The severity of whatever this was surprised her.

    After she awoke from a nap, she let out a little cry from the body pain. It occurred to her to take her temperature. Where was the thermometer…? She pulled herself up from the couch, holding onto the lamp table until she was upright. Her chest hurt… exerting herself a little made her gasp for air.

    The coronavirus illness and grief requires checking for fevers.

    Inching slowly, she made her way into the bathroom and searched for it. When she thought she couldn’t stay on her feet much longer, she spotted the thermometer, grabbed the alcohol and made her way back to the couch. Her labored breathing alarmed her…

    Once near the couch she started coughing…long and hard. She leaned in to get the alcohol bottle and thermometer to the coffee table. Then, holding onto the table she braced herself till she reached the couch and collapsed.

    This is terrible! What’s going to happen to me here..? Her thoughts scared her, so she tried to calm herself.

    Honestly, she needed someone there with her. Even getting her own fluids was so hard. The simple act of going to the bathroom was terribly difficult. 

    Leia wondered if she should carry her pillow and blanket with her on her next trip to the bathroom so she could lay down there and not have to walk back to the couch.

    Coronavirus illness and grief is hard to bear when you're alone.
    She thought about the night she had dinner at a friend’s house with a few other friends. Everyone there was sure they hadn’t been exposed to that virus. These were 20-somethings who’d lived their lives without incident and had come to call this pandemic an “old person’s disease.”

    They had even laughed at the thought that they needed to be that careful, locked in their houses, washing hands all the time. Sillyness.

    That was six days ago.

    Oh dear… how could we all have been so naive..? So wrong??

    She needed help, but knew she mustn’t ask anyone to come over. This was an awful illness, and even though she felt scared, she wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

    She’d heard about someone in their circle of friends who was staying with his girlfriend’s family while he fought it. She wondered how he could expose them that way. It seemed wrong to her.

    She coughed hard again. A dry cough with nothing that came up. But it hurt. Her lungs hurt. She thought to herself that it would be hard to describe to someone what it felt like.

    She managed to reach her thermometer from the coffee table, and checked her temperature. 

    102.4F

    Oh no.

    The cough, the aching and weakness, the fever… she’d bet the farm she had “it.” If she had the energy she’d text others who were there that night at the dinner… see who else was sick. But it was too much.  Coronavirus illness and grief was a Goliath… She drifted off to sleep again.

    Leia woke up drenched in sweat. But she was too weak to move to get dry clothes… This must be COVID-19. She’d never felt anything this severe. Coronavirus illness and grief filled her with sorrow and regret. How she wished she’d stayed home and avoided that dinner.

    Her chest felt tight. She tried to take a deep breath but couldn’t.  And it hurt so much.

    The next time she woke up, she could barely breathe. She could barely move. She could tell her fever was up again but it was too hard to reach the thermometer.

    Leia drifted off to sleep, fighting for air…

    Avoiding Coronavirus Illness and Grief Justifies Isolation

    Is COVID-19 just like the flu? Really?? Is that what you’ve heard? One report after another emerges where you read that someone believed all this caution was part of an elaborate hoax. And then they suffer from this infection themselves… and try to spread the word that this sickness is terrible, so take it seriously.

    Worse than anything they’ve experienced before. Unfortunately, some even die.

    You know, it’s probably safe to say that our whole country’s population is grieving on some level.  Elizabeth Kübler Ross wrote a book decades ago about the stages of grief. It starts with denial, then advances to anger, then  bargaining, then depression/resignation …and finally acceptance.

    Do you find yourself in any of these stages?

    Actually, you may experience more than one stage at the same time…and you may repeat stages, too.

    Coronavirus illness and grief can be so suffocating when you're alone at home feeling scared and sick.

    If you’ve heard about “corona parties” where people thumb their noses at quarantine and lockdowns by gathering for a party… Not only are they likely to be cited or arrested, but these people are in the first stage of grief…Denial.  It’s really not a river in Egypt, right?  

    Denial’s about telling yourself something isn’t really happening, and as a result you can sometimes put yourself and others at risk..  and even in grave danger.

    So, when you see that going on, don’t adopt that outlook. Leia, in our story above, made that mistake along with her friends. And she paid a dear price.

    Even so, you need connections, interactions, exchanges that say you care, and that others care about you, too.

    If you have complied with self-quarantine, you may still be grieving. Most are. And that’s ok.

    It’s hard to see the changes taking place in the world, and to not know what to expect.

    Will life ever return to the way it used to be?

    It’s ok to ask the questions, and to ponder the answers. There’s uncertainty for everyone. 

    Coronavirus Illness and Grief Can Seem Overwhelming

    Still, try to reassure yourself that you’re not alone. Most people are grappling with the same questions, and will find answers together.

    Even so, just knowing that may not be enough. If you find the questions and uncertainties go around and around in your mind, if you find that you’re weary and losing hope… if it seems insurmountable, call us.

    We’re here to help you through times like these. It’s possible you may need treatment beyond what’s been in place up till now for your depression and anxiety or PTSD. Being cooped up and losing your routine can be so unsettling. Possibly frightening.

    Ketamine treatment can bring you resilience to cope with the coronavirus illness and grief.

    Our patients find that ketamine treatment can help them balance, restore, and become resilient again in the face of times like these.

    If you wonder, call us. We’ll speak with you on the phone to determine if you’re a good candidate for ketamine treatment and to screen you for possible exposure to COVID-19.

    You will get through this, and we’re here to help. While non-essential workers are locked in their homes, our medical services are essential for helping you cope with your life now, and to help you get better for your future.

    We’re here to help you breathe in life again.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Fight the Effects of Isolation Depression By Reaching Out to Help Someone

    Fight the Effects of Isolation Depression By Reaching Out to Help Someone

    Cameron pulled back the drape to look out into the empty street. No cars were moving, but an endless row of them lined each side of the street. A recent rain left the pavement dark and glistening. He let the curtain drop and walked into the kitchen for some herbal tea. The house was dark. Quiet. He had to admit to himself, it was lonely, too. Ok there. He said it. He felt lonely…as in alone. The effects of isolation depression were getting to him.

    Cam woke up each day wondering what his purpose in life could possibly be. There was no point in this endless endurance. He didn’t have the energy or motivation to do much at all. He’d been to the doctor a few times, only to take medicine that didn’t change anything except make him gain weight.

    The more he thought about it the more he wanted to die. His mind focused on how he could help that happen.

    He’d been fighting off this wretched despair for weeks … trying as hard as he could to rise above the gloomy, empty feeling that had been trying to drown him. Even though he’d tried cooking, he got bored with that pretty quickly. He’d tried reading. But the constant silence stifled his outlook.

    They’d been told on the news to stay home. Some sort of pandemic. But Cam didn’t care …he never went out much anyway. 

    He kept the blinds closed, the drapes pulled, and the door locked. The idea of seeing someone, or anyone, peering into his apartment made his heart race and the hair stand up on the back of his neck.

    To pay his bills, he offered accounting work for people online. You might say a virtual assistant, of sorts. He could work on his own timetable…when he could function. Office hours never had worked for him.

    The effrects of isolation depression are making this senior citizen want to give up hope.

    Then, he saw a post on social media. Something about how to reduce your own anxiety and depression. 

    That caught his attention.

    It said to find a way to help someone. Offer to do a favor for a friend or a stranger. That by doing that, it could help lift your own mood.

    Cam thought about it a moment. Hmm. The idea seemed far-fetched, even ludicrous. (Like, really ludicrous.) People who feel crummy, who have no energy, and who are miserable around others…have got to be the worst possible candidates for acts of kindness and helpfulness. People with energy should do those things.

    Right..??

    After digging around in the fridge, he came up with some frozen potato fries and put a generous pile of them on a baking sheet in the oven. He checked for ketchup, confirmed there was half a bottle, and returned to his desk.

    While he worked on a customer account, that message about generosity and kindness ran laps around his mind.

    Finally, he turned around in his chair and stretched.

    Could it be? Is it possible that a melancholy loner could actually do anything that would benefit someone else?

    Thoughtfully, he laced his fingers behind his head.

    Good grief, he thought. We’re not supposed to leave our homes. How on earth could someone like him do anyone any sort of favor?

    Aaaacccckkk!  Forget about it. It’s a crazy thought and it’s not happening.

    He reluctantly turned back to his work, then the timer sounded. 

    After serving the hot, steamy potatoes up on a plate, he decided they smelled sort of good. He poured himself a glass of iced tea, and munched away. It was unusual for him to have an appetite at all. 

    He studied the fried potato in his hand…rolling it to examine it top and bottom distractedly. 

    Finally, he dipped it in ketchup, put it in his mouth, and then it hit him.

    Numbers! That’s something I have to give, he thought. Something I understand. And all the kids are schooling at home. I wonder if they need math tutoring!  

    Maybe it was a little thing, but for someone who had found no purpose for his life, it was a world-changing revelation for Cam.

    He realized he could fight the effects of isolation depression with his own skill with numbers.

    Before self doubt had a chance to suffocate his idea, Cam got on the neighborhood social app, and announced that if there were any children or teens needing math tutoring, he would be happy to offer it online. For free.

    He pushed send, then his heart sank.

    What had he done???

    He couldn’t face people he didn’t know. He didn’t feel like they’d like him, and his way of explaining math probably wouldn’t  help at all.  The effects of isolation depression had intensified his social anxiety… but could he push through ?

    After all, he was weird… he knew he was.

    Just thinking about someone contacting him for math help — then failing at it — made him die a thousand deaths. He just didn’t need any more failure.

    An hour later, he heard the familiar :::BING:::  It was a message.  Someone in his building had a 12 year-old struggling with math. They were happy to pay him but just didn’t know how to help their son themselves. 

    Doing his best to sound like he was taking it in stride, he arranged a time the next day to talk with their son.

    His heart was beating pretty fast …but it wasn’t as much anxiety, he thought, but maybe more excitement.

    And he had discovered something he’d been missing.

    PURPOSE.

    Suddenly he had the purpose to help a preteen boy develop stronger math skills.

    The next morning, he woke up, got his coffee, and sat down at his desk. There were five more messages. People whose kids needed tutoring…ranging in age from 11 to 17.

    Oh yikes.

    He didn’t know if he should try to work with all of them. What if he had a bad day and couldn’t function?  That happened pretty often.

    What if he got sick ?

    The responsibility for all these kids loomed over him.

    But finally, he made himself calm down.  He decided he would try to do this a day at a time, and if it got to be too much he’d call his doctor.  Or he could quit.  

    But for the first time in a very long time, he wanted to try.

    Cameron isn’t alone, is he? You may be in a position a lot like his. Feeling cooped up, dragging from day to day, seeing no purpose in life, and wondering how long you can endure the days.

    The Effects of Isolation Depression

    If you live in a city that’s been “locked down” it can be hard to fight the isolated feeling of aloneness and despair.

    It may be that finding a way to reach out and help someone in a small way could give you a lift, too.

    IV Ketamine Serial Infusions Can Help You Fight The Effects Of Isolation Depression

    Or, it may be too much to try without some help.

    If that’s the case for you,…if you’ve tried prescriptions for many months that just never did help… and you would like to see what
    can do for you, we have good news. We’re offering this treatment at our office. Still.
    The effects of isolation depression are eased by family.
    Because it’s essential. Because it can be life-saving. 

    We’re sympathetic to your situation, and in this climate of lockdowns, isolation, and uncertainty, we want to help you with the equipping to not only face the days, but to enjoy them. To have the initiative and hope to find ways to help others, and to enjoy the reward of it.

    This public virus situation is temporary, but for now you need all the help you can get weathering the uncomfortable circumstances that arise, and to have the resilience to help others manage them, too.

    Give yourself the chance to rise above these difficulties. Give yourself the strength of resilience. We’re here to help.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • COVID-19 Anxiety Has Gone Viral – How You Can Weather The Uncertainty

    COVID-19 Anxiety Has Gone Viral – How You Can Weather The Uncertainty

    Covid 19 anxiety has gone viral, and fear of catching the virus results in isolation.

    The President has declared a national emergency.

    Schools have been closed and gatherings cancelled. Your plans for Spring 2020 have been turned upside down. The news is filled with the increasing numbers of cases of this strange virus, and everywhere you turn, conversations focus on discussing the dangers and risks. What do you do with this information overload? COVID-19 anxiety has gone viral – How do you weather the uncertainty?

    Thousands Self-Quarantine

    Lilyanne, a mother of five, returned from a spring break trip to the northwest. It was a chance to see grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They were able to get outside and camp, and take in the beauty of the rugged Oregon coast. After she and her children arrived back in their small rural town in Oklahoma, she didn’t feel right. She checked her temperature and it was 102. No wonder!

    Before long she was coughing…hard. It was a dry cough but it hurt. Her preschooler was wheezing, and with her daughter’s asthma history she thought it best to take her to the doctor. The doctor prescribed Tamiflu for both Lilyanne and her little girl. 

    Her daughter Bessie started feeling better quickly but Lilyanne felt no improvement. She asked the doctor for a COVID-19 test, and the doctor said he wasn’t sure yet how to test for that.

    A couple days went by, and Lilyanne decided to go to an urgent care. She worried that she might get too sick to care for her children, and also wanted to know if she should isolate herself away from them. The urgent care had no idea how to do the testing either. 

    So Lilyanne went to the ER. She hated to expose others there but tried to be very careful. She needed to know if she’d been infected in Oregon or in the plane…or somewhere else.
    Covid 19 has gone viral with shortage of testing kits.

    The ER doctor tested her for other infections, but explained that she didn’t meet criteria for a COVID-19 test.

    “I don’t meet criteria?? Why not??” She felt overwhelmed.

    Covid 19 anxiety has gone viral, and she wished she knew what to do…

    The best thing she knew to do was to quarantine herself and her five children in the house. But to do that…she needed groceries so they could eat.

    Again, she tried to be really careful, using hand sanitizer every few minutes at the store. She quickly filled her cart with necessities since they’d been out of town 9 days. Then, she chose frozen meats, veggies, and snacks, along with milk, juice, pasta, and produce. 

    She paid without touching the cashier, wiped down the terminal where she inserted her card, and hurried out of the store.

    Once home, the kids helped with unloading groceries, and she took off her clothes, put on her nightgown, and crawled under the covers.  Before long, her oldest son, Colton, brought her a steaming mug of herbal tea.

    So far, none of her children showed symptoms, but how was this going to go? Her two oldest kids could handle meals, but how long could they manage the young ones? The laundry? Keeping the peace..?  How bad would this get?

    Could she trust all 5 of them to stay in the house, when she was in bed?

    Her temperature had risen higher. 102.9. The coughing was hard to control and painful. Her lungs hurt.  

    She called the CDC to ask them what to do…

    Anxiety is a natural response to a situation with an unknown outcome. 

    And just because the outcome is unknown, it doesn’t mean you’re facing doom. That’s the thing about anxiety. It feels foreboding. Scary. Threatening. 

    But if you can decide to think about it differently, you just might find a way to relax a little…and patiently see what happens next.

    For instance…

    Covid 19 anxiety has gone viral but you can take a walk in the fresh air like this puppy.
    If you’ve been watching the news or reading articles on the internet and you feel your heart rate increasing, turn off the TV for awhile, walk away from your computer, and take a short walk in the fresh air, do a little gardening, or go in the kitchen and cook something. 

    That heart rate rises to give you more energy to fight or run in a crisis, so put that energy to work for something productive and enjoyable.

    An unsolicited act of kindness, no matter how small, can help you redirect your energy and focus, and the smile you bring to the recipient will give you good feelings that help you feel a little better, too.

    Facetime or Skype a friend, and talk and laugh. Just because you’re isolated doesn’t mean you can’t continue to nurture your friendships, and show others you care. Keeping the connections in your life strong will gird up your own resilience to get through this challenge.

    There are also apps for your phone like Marco Polo, where you can talk back and forth and see each other’s faces. Just being able to talk face-to-face can help you relax, feel connected, and encouraged.

    Because COVID-19 anxiety has gone viral, and the people you care about are comforted hearing from you.

    And remember that by isolating yourself at home, you’re taking care of others. Odds are that you’re likely to recover fine if you’re infected with the COVID-19 but you quarantine yourself for the sake of those who might not recover as easily.

    When you isolate yourself, it’s an act of kindness toward all of those people whose paths you would cross.

    We’re all surrounded with people who have compromised immune systems, or underlying conditions, and we don’t even realize it. A colleague who suffers from Crohn’s Disease, Type 1 Diabetes, leukemia, or any other immunocompromised condition could be made critically ill by contact with you.

    And any of the people you see at the grocery store, on the train, in an airplane, or on an elevator are protected because you chose to isolate yourself until you’re no longer contagious.

    Now, even though we talk about productive things to do with the anxiety you might feel, sometimes you just can’t manage it. 

    Sometimes you need help.

    And just as we’ve used IV ketamine treatment for depression, it’s also shown significant efficacy for anxiety. We know that anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, don’t we?

    We know that that breakdown for treatment effectiveness goes something like this:

    About a third of patients with depression improve with their first trial of antidepressants, and another one third or so respond well to a second trial of a different antidepressant or combination. That leaves about 1/3 who aren’t helped by that method of treatment. The ones we might call treatment resistant.

    Still it’s not so much that those patients are treatment resistant, it’s that traditional antidepressants are the wrong treatment for those patients.

    But that group of patients shows wonderful response to IV ketamine treatment, with 80% responding remarkably well.

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we’re seeing patients every week who walk out with their heads high, a spring in their step, and full of anticipation and joy about what lies ahead.

    And the resilience these patients can enjoy that IV ketamine can supply, can give them the flexibility and resilience to bounce back in the atmosphere we’re challenged with right now in this country and the world.

    What’s more, IV ketamine infusions can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon.

    It’s so good to know you don’t need a hospital stay to receive this extraordinary treatment. You can come to the office, relax in a private area, and after your infusion, slip out quickly and head home with a ride.

    Covid 19 anxiety has gone viral but you can be happy and at peace through it all.

    Don’t let our current challenges tear down your confidence in your ability to manage your life. COVID-19 anxiety has gone viral, but it doesn’t have to affect you.

    If you’re part of that last 1/3 and need relief, call us.

    We’re here to help you safely receive treatment, so you can emerge with a new outlook on your life, new energy and resilience to face these challenges, and new hope and joy to build your future.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Ketamine Restoration in the Amygdala Repairs Social Connections

    Ketamine Restoration in the Amygdala Repairs Social Connections

    Nick walked in after school, slamming the door behind him.

    His mom looked up, startled by the noise. “What’s that dirty look about..?? You’re so judgmental!!” Nick was fuming, and with that he headed upstairs. His mom followed him upstairs and spoke softly, knowing her son was apparently volatile. She didn’t realize that what just happened could be repaired by ketamine restoration in the amygdala.

    “Nicholas, I’m sorry my face looked judgmental. I wasn’t feeling judgmental…I was startled by the noise the door made, and concerned that you seemed so upset. Did something happen..?”

    Nick crumbled. 

    He didn’t know why he misread his mom, or why he was so angry. Nick hated himself for being hateful. He just felt so angry so much of the time, and when he wasn’t angry, he just wanted to cry… what was wrong with him?

    “Sorry, mom.  I thought you were mad about me slamming the door. I have a lot of homework and I just don’t want to do it. It all seems pointless.”

    Nick’s mom knew he’d been under a cloud since the last school year. He was seeing a psychiatrist, which he always dreaded. The medications didn’t seem to be helping, in spite of the fact he was on his third different medicine.

    He’d all but refused to see the therapist any more. As his mom, she just wanted him to feel better and enjoy his adolescent life, but she was hitting a wall. All she knew to do was to encourage him to keep trying and to provide a little comfort where she could.

    “Why don’t you come downstairs, and I’ll make you a sandwich. Eating something might help your homework seem a little easier to face.”

    Ketamine Restoration in the Amygdala

    While Nick ate, he decided to mention to his mom what his buddy in History had told him.

    “Mom, you know Zach? He’s been down for a long time…even longer than me. He told me today that he’s getting IV ketamine treatment. He said he took pills for a year and they didn’t help, no matter what brand the doctor ordered. Anyway, his dad read about this treatment, and Zach says it’s already helping.”

    “Really Nicholas? Does his doctor give him the treatment?”

    “No, he said his dad is taking him to a different psychiatrist who does it. He says his own doctor is all for it. He’ll go for two or three weeks and he’ll be done. So far, he’s finished the first week.  I can tell he’s doing better. He smiles and laughs. It’s weird. But I also envy him…”

    “I tell you what, Nicholas. You go work on homework, and I’ll see what I can find out about this treatment. IV ketamine you say? We’re going to find help, honey.”

    Three months later, Nick walked in the door, smiling ear to ear.  

    “Hi Mom. Since it’s Friday, is it ok for me to go to a movie tonight with Zach and Tim?  Oh and by the way, Chelsea said she’ll go to prom with me.”

    Nick beamed.

    “Oh that’s fantastic, Nicholas! I’m so glad she said yes. She’ll be on the arm of the nicest and best looking guy at school!  And sure, the movie’s fine. Zach and Tim are great guys.”

    IV ketamine restoration in the amygdala can make all the difference.

    Depression Can Impair the Amygdala’s Ability to Process Faces

    To the casual observer, this may all sound a little too easy. And for some people, it might be. Everyone’s different. But for most people like Zach and Nicholas, their misery is reversed by a series of 6 IV ketamine infusions, sometimes a few more.

    And in some cases supplements are needed to address low blood levels of certain hormones or nutrients first. But, when you consider the comparison of that to years of traditional antidepressants that aren’t working, it’s an easy choice.

    On top of that, the prospect of joy – and hope – in place of the damaged relationships caused by a short temper, a hopeless outlook, and absent motivation, is again…an easy choice.

    Humans like to feel good. When you don’t, you’re not very pleasant to be around, you know? Is there anything that makes you feel worse than severe, unrelenting depression complicated by anxiety and phobias?  It’s misery.

    And the thing is, it colors the way you see everything. You can be looking in someone’s face who’s just preoccupied, and interpret their expression as angry, critical, irritable… then you snap at them about it, and they feel attacked from out of nowhere.

    Guess what?  There’s a scientific reason you do that. It’s not just your imagination. And the good news is that IV ketamine treatment actually changes something deep in your brain to help you interpret their facial expression for what it’s intended to be.

    To understand this, we need to talk about the a wonderful structure in the brain called the amygdala.

    Ketamine Restoration in the Amygdala

    The amygdala consists of 2 almond shaped structures deep in the sides of the brain at the temporal lobe. It’s one part of the limbic system which processes emotion, records emotional memories, influences behavior, motivation, and the sense of smell, as well. 

    One key job the amygdala performs is helping you to look at facial expressions in others and determine their emotion. For instance, if you see someone frowning, with their face tense and lips tight, do you assume they’re happy? Of course not. It’s your amygdala that sees their expression and determines they may be angry.

    Well, when someone is suffering from a disorder like severe depression or bipolar depression, their amygdala may be malfunctioning.

    Study Explores Ketamine’s Effect on Amygdala Function

    So recently, a team of researchers led by Joana R.A. Loureiro in Los Angeles and Chicago set out to study what effect two rapid acting depression treatments have on the amygdala’s ability to accurately process facial expressions. Using functional MRIs (fMRI) they tested 44 adults who were all experiencing an episode of severe depression.

    They divided the group into two parts: 17 subjects were given an individualized number of treatments of ECT and 27 were given IV ketamine infusions 2 or 3 times a week until they had received 4 infusions. 

    This was an interesting approach because both forms of treatment affect brain function and emotional processing, so they wanted to see if it worked at the level of the brain cells. 

    Since interpreting the facial expressions of others is such an important part of social functioning, they focused on the subjects’ ability to accurately do that. The subjects were tested by the task of matching emotional faces on a screen. If the face at the top of the screen was smiling, they needed to match the face at the bottom of the screen that was also smiling.

    They found that both modes of treatment improved the accuracy of the subjects’ amygdala function.

    When Depression Impairs – Ketamine Repairs

    Now, about the type of scenario that Nicholas and his mom experienced. At the moment he walked in the door he believed he saw criticism and judgment in her facial expression, when her look was actually surprise and concern.

    When someone is severely depressed, it’s as though they have an affinity for negative feelings and beliefs. So, when they see a facial expression that appears negative to them, it goes to the bone. They feel it so deeply and lightening fast.

    It’s easy to see that this type of misinterpretation and reaction only further damages relationships that are already fragile when someone is severely depressed.

    And even though both ECT and ketamine improved the amygdala’s function, ECT is a treatment that carries some bias and even stigma for its side effects and history.

    We also know that ketamine not only blocks the NMDA receptors but it also activates AMPA receptors and an array of other actions that can make you feel remarkably better.

    And there’s another life-changing benefit ketamine can provide:

    IV ketamine can stop suicidal thoughts in a few hours.

    This in-depth study shows yet another way that depression impairs your function, and how ketamine treatment can restore it better than ever.

    Reach Out for Ketamine Restoration in the Amygdala – And Get Your Joy Back

    At Innovative Psychiatry, want to help you feel a lot better than just “less depressed.” We want you to experience joy, a song in your heart, hope for the future, and energized motivation to build the life you want, with healthy and strong relationships.

    It’s almost like using a car jack to crank up your life and replace the pain and loss with new ideas, new projects, new joy in relationships.

    If you can relate to Nick, and you want to feel joyful and able to care about others as you put your best foot forward, call us.

    We want to work with you and your healthcare team to help you experience extraordinary relief. 

    Reach out now for hope.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Student Need for Psychiatric Care on Campus Quadrupled

    Student Need for Psychiatric Care on Campus Quadrupled

    Mason walked to the student union and plopped down to drink his coffee.

    Man, he just wasn’t feeling it. He went to class, but the studying and note taking, and researching all year was getting to him. He just wanted to go to bed and stay there. Just another example of student need for psychiatric care on campus. I’m a statistic, he thought to himself. Great.

    It was that time in the semester for another round of exams, and he was worried he couldn’t pass them. He tried to study but it just didn’t stick. He’d go over it and over it…but couldn’t seem to retain much at all. 

    It’s not like he was partying or anything…he wasn’t doing much of anything social. He didn’t feel like seeing anybody. Just wanted to be alone.  So he’d try to study then just lay his book down and turn over and go back to sleep. 

    Spiring Break was 3 weeks away.  Maybe that would help.  But he had to pass all his exams before then. What was he going to do?  His self-confidence was fading, and he was feeling more and more like a real loser. What was wrong with him?

    “Hey Mase! What’s up? Are you going to the campus movie night tonight?”

    “No man.  I’ve gotta study…”  Mason felt like he was lying, because he knew studying wouldn’t help anything. His brain was a lump of cold oatmeal.  Useless.

    “Oh really? You know we’ve got a study group going for Chemistry, right?  You wanna join us?”

    “Maybe, man.  Where do you meet…? “  He knew he wouldn’t go.  He couldn’t handle being around people right now…

    “We meet in Greg’s dorm room. At Stratton Hall.  327 Tomorrow after lunch.”

    “Thanks man. Maybe I will…”

    Depressed or Anxious Students Seek Solitude to Avoid Embarrassment

    Mason trudged off toward his dorm before someone else came along to strike up more conversation.  He felt like he was dumb as a rock. What had happened to him?  It used to be easy to learn. Mason’s self doubts were common for students suffering from disorders. Student need for psychiatric care was weighing down the healthcare system on campus.

    Once in his dorm, he sat at his desk and opened his economics book…determined to get something out of it. He opened to the page he was supposed to be reading and started reading.

    Then his mind wandered off to an online game he had played last year…  the action was really good in it. And it was challenging.  He had to really work at making points. There were some cool guys who played… Wonder why they…

    Aaackkk!!! Mason realized his mind was wondering again.  He put his eyes back on the beginning of that page and started reading again.  He read the first half of that page 4 times…and couldn’t recall what it said.  

    He slammed his book shut and dove into his bed and covered his head with his pillow. And that’s when his roommate walked in talking out loud. Mason pulled another pillow over his head.

    If only he could sleep. I mean really sleep. When was the last time he’d actually slept all night?  Laying there in the dark, his mind wandering…his worry about school choking him… listening to his roommate snore.  How does he do that??  He’s over there sleeping like he doesn’t have a care in the world. 
    Student need for psychiatric care is tripled what it used to be on campus and this young man needs treatment.

    He knew his parents would disown him if he didn’t make the grades. He was so tired…

    Student Need for Psychiatric Care on Campus Soars

    It’s true. Mason isn’t alone. The Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) at Pennsylvania State University released an annual report in 2018 that showed that student demand for mental health care on 550 university campuses increased by 30-40% between 2009-2015. The increase in enrollment was only 5%. 

    The primary complaints have been much the same as they’ve always been as students seek counseling for depression, anxiety, and relationship struggles. 

    And there’s a difference between relationship counseling and student need for psychiatric care due to depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and PTSD.

    But, a recent article in Psychiatric News, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, indicated that students carry more distress than they used to, and it’s more upsetting and worrisome to them.

    So they tend to take things harder, and if they never struggled before, they still are more likely to struggle in college.

    Social Media is Again at Fault

    Students now are also tormented by the belief that everyone else around them has a perfect life, and that they’re the only one struggling.

    This is largely related to the facade they see on social media. As they internalize these false beliefs, some students succumb to self-doubt and self-hatred, because of these comparisons.

    Suicide May Be a Consideration..?

    On top of that, suicide has become less implausible…more common place—at least from some students’ perspectives.  Obviously, this is a grave concern for campus counseling services. Through surveys, the CCMH has found that suicidal thoughts have increased among students every year for the 8th year in a row.

    Student need for psychiatric care on campus is overwhelming, and some students slip through the cracks.

    The reality of it has burdened these organizations to not only train their own staff for suicidal thoughts in students.

    They also must train everyone on campus to recognize signs and symptoms and take action… including campus police, professors, residential advisors, librarians, and anyone else whose job includes student contact.

    Some campuses focus on meeting the need in more minorities and male students, who tend to avoid mental health services. Other campus are including a counseling office in the campus clinic to make counseling more accessible with less stigma. 

    At any rate, while all these campuses scramble to provide services their students’ needs, the demand has risen so fast that they remain limited in resources for what they can do.

    Meanwhile, more intervention is needed. The demand overwhelms the system.

    Many of These Suffering Students Can Achieve Remission Off Campus

    Many of these students are diagnosed for the first time with depressive or anxiety disorders in college. But many more were diagnosed years earlier, and have been undergoing treatment before college. The increased pressure and demands of college often push them into more severe symptoms.

    For these who’re being treated before they enter college, or for whom treatment has become inadequate, a very real option can be IV ketamine treatment. When medicines are no longer helping, or never did, IV ketamine infusions can relieve symptoms dramatically. 

    The lack of energy, the struggle to learn, the despair, can be replaced by motivation, initiative, and the creativity to study and perform once again. 

    The restoration of brain circuitry, and proliferation of structures in the brain can rapidly build the resilience to embrace school again.

    On top of that, suicidal thoughts or behaviors can be eradicated in an afternoon with IV ketamine treatment. It’s a remarkable way to reverse suicidal thoughts, so a student can focus on getting better.

    IV Ketamine Can Transform Students and Reduce Student Need for Psychiatric Care on Campus

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we see students like this regain their joy and hope after IV ketamine treatment and walk out with confidence. IV ketamine treatment can lift your student’s outlook and energy. Despair can become hope, and listlessness can turn into purpose-driven initiative.

    These students are resilient and happily studying together because of IV ketamine treatment.

    That sullen student can wake up with new ideas, energy to socialize, and a song he’s singing. 

    This treatment can be transformative. And the more ill your child is, the more powerfully it seems to work.

    If your child sounds like Mason, or if his symptoms are even worse, call us. 

    And if you can relate to Mason’s story, and don’t know where to turn for help, call us… we want to help you rediscover your creativity, energy for work, relationships, and fun. We want to see your hope restored.

    Don’t let something like your education or your future fall by the wayside. You don’t have to because you do have options. 

    Let us help you live again with joy.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Relieve the Heartbreak of Elderly Depression with IV Ketamine

    Relieve the Heartbreak of Elderly Depression with IV Ketamine

    Ruby’s daughter let herself in with her key at the back door.

    When she walked in, the house was dark. Strange…she thought. Her mom was usually home on Saturdays.  She quietly stepped through the house looking for some sign of her mom.  A grave sense of dread came over her as the house continued to be silent…what was she going to find…? She stepped into her mom’s bedroom, and saw her form lying in bed. Joan stopped and caught her breath. Joan had been worried about her mom lately, and the heartbreak of elderly depression, since her husband died 11 months ago.

    Then a weak voice said, “Hi honey…”

    Joan exhaled. What a relief.

    “Hi Mom! The house was dark and quiet…  I was concerned.  You rarely leave the house on Saturday…”

    Joan stopped short of voicing what she’d feared.

    “Are you feeling ok? Why are you in bed..? It’s really dark in here…”

    “What day is it?” Ruby quietly asked.

    “It’s Saturday, Mom. How long have you been in bed..?”

    “Well, I remember watching the weather on Tuesday…I was wondering if I needed to wrap the pipes.”

    “Ok.  That was Tuesday…  Do you remember what happened Wednesday?”

    “I guess I’ve just been sleeping…”

    “Mom?  Since Tuesday?”

    “I don’t know…maybe? I got up and went to the bathroom at times then just felt tired and went back to bed…”

    “Do you remember if you ate anything..?”

    “No…not really.”

    Joan was alarmed.  Her mom hadn’t eaten since Tuesday.  No wonder she was weak. And she’d gone four days without her medicines. 

    Four Days without Her Medication

    Joan headed to the kitchen to make her mom some soup.  She wanted to go easy and see how she digested soup before solid food.  After opening the can of soup and dumping it in the pan, she looked at her mom’s medicines.

    Well, that confirmed it. The pills were still in the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday compartments.

    Joan was shaken to think if she hadn’t dropped by, and another week had gone by, what could have happened.

    Joan brought her mom the bowl of soup with some crackers and a glass of milk on a tray.  She helped her 84 year-old mom sit up and propped her with pillows, then set the tray in front of her.  Slowly, her mom nibbled on a cracker, sipped the milk and finally scooped a spoonful of hot chicken noodle soup.  She closed her eyes as she swallowed.

    “Ok mom?”

    “ Yes, it tastes good.”

    Joan talked about trivial things to try to lighten the mood. Ruby had looked after everyone all her life, but since Joan’s dad, her mom had seemed less and less engaged in her own life.

    Maybe listless was the word. 

    She’d withdrawn from her bridge friends. She’d said it didn’t seem as fun anymore. Her grandkids were all grown with families of their own. Cleaning house and cooking was a chore without Charles to do it for.

    She just got tired of the struggle. What was the point?

    She felt tired all the time, and found herself taking more and more naps.  

    How do you find purpose in life after the companion who’s been there for 62 years is suddenly gone?

    The Heartbreak of Elderly Depression

    The more questions Joan asked, the clearer it became that her mom wasn’t fighting the flu, she was depressed. At least she seemed to be.

    Joan wondered how long she’d been depressed. And whether she’d thought about ending her life… It had really shaken her to walk through that dark silent house.

    She asked her mom more questions. Ruby was matter-of-fact. “Yes, the doctor told me I was depressed a couple years before your dad died. He prescribed some pills for me, and I took them, but they didn’t do anything. I think they must have been those sugar pills you hear people talk about. I finally stopped taking them.  There was no point.”

    “Joan,” Ruby said, “I miss your dad. Charles and I talked about everything. Without him, life is flat. It’s just so empty. I have you and your sister, and I love you both, and all the grandkids and their families. But I feel so empty.”

    “Mom, I can only try to imagine how much loss you feel with Dad gone. We all miss him, but he was your constant companion and love for 62 years. I ache for you… and I can’t help but feel that even though grief has made you feel empty, that does’t mean your time on earth is finished. Maybe something can be done to help you feel better, you know? Would you be ok with me making an appointment to see Dr. McShane? We can go together.. Ok?”

    The Heartbreak of Elderly Depression – How Can We Help?

    Here’s the thing. Our parents (and grandparents) do look after everyone else all their lives. Then, they slow down, and the the rest of the family can easily forget to touch base. Why? Because life is busy. We all live with packed schedules, and a week can go by without our even noticing it.

    Our elderly loved ones can find themselves withdrawing, slowing down, and feeling somewhat useless. It’s not that unusual for depression to follow. 

    In many cases, prescribed antidepressants help. But in some, they don’t help in spite of trying more than one. When the disorder doesn’t respond to multiple treatments, something more advanced is needed.

    IV Ketamine Treatment Can Reverse Elderly Depression

    IV ketamine for treatment resistant depression may just be the treatment of choice, to restore your parent’s brain circuity. By turning on mRNA which switches DNA to “ON” your brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) turbo boosts the prolific and rapid production of dendrites and dendritic spines to sweep through the important parts of the brain with connections to send signals at the speed of light.

    Depression lifts, joy surges, creative thought grows, and Grandma gets that sparkle back in her eye,  and has the energy to play bridge with the girls again… and make cookies for children in the neighborhood.

    At Innovative Psychiatry we love treating grandparents and watching them get a new lease on life. Of course, if they’re grieving losses, they can grieve while still enjoying life. 

    Ketamine treatment doesn’t prevent grief, which is a part of life.  But ketamine can help them think through the grief in a healthy, healing way. And meanwhile, they can also enjoy their friends, family, and grandchildren.

    Your Loved One Can Recover from the Heartbreak of Elderly Depression, and So Can You

    Do you have a parent or grandparent who seems to have lost their joy for living? Maybe they’ve tried antidepressants but still seem serious, irritable, edgy… or bland, shut down, and without energy. Maybe you notice they don’t bathe very often anymore, and have lost interest in their appearance, or in things they normally love to do. 

    If this sounds familiar, and you have loved ones you hope can be helped by IV ketamine treatment, call us. 

    In fact, if this describes you, please call us and let us help you find your joy again.

    IV ketamine treatment rapidly proliferates your brain circuits with an abundance of new synapse connections that make the way for restored creativity, emotion like joy, happiness, love…and hope. You want to do things you enjoy again.

    Amazingly, this proliferation also increases emotional energy that can translate to more physical energy, too. Initiative and motivation increase, and joie de vivre abounds. Few phrases express what ketamine can do like this French phrase, which means “a cheerful enjoyment of life and exultation of spirit.” 

    If you have lost the song in your heart, you can have that restored. Some of our patients report waking up in the mornings singing. 

    How about you?  Have you lost your song? IV ketamine treatment can restore it, and give you that, “Oh what a beautiful morning!” feeling. 

    It’s amazing to realize that people with joy and a song in their heart are that way because they have a LOT more synapses than others, isn’t it? 

    Let us help you and your mom find your songs again.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Depression in Pregnant Mom Can Affect Baby Before and After Birth

    Depression in Pregnant Mom Can Affect Baby Before and After Birth

    Depression in pregnant mom can affect her baby's brain development.

    Sarah Driscoll had looked forward to her first pregnancy for years.

    She had to complete her graduate degree first, so she could relax and enjoy every moment. Now she was pregnant, and it was going well. Every visit to the doctor revealed more growth in her baby. It was an exciting time. But as her delivery date approached, something seemed off. She’d heard of depression in pregnant moms but she had no reason to be depressed!

    Still, rather than feeling excited about her baby’s birth, she found herself with mixed feelings. The idea of the work ahead, the sleepless nights, the exhaustion… began to weigh on her. Each day she felt more nervous about it than the day before.

    She mentioned her fears to her husband who reassured her that it would probably all fall into place once she saw her beautiful baby’s face. She secretly hoped so, but was skeptical.

    One day she asked her mom if she felt the same way before her first baby, and her mom told her no, she was so excited about having the baby in her arms, she didn’t care what it required of her.

    That just made her feel more selfish and guilty.

    Her best friend chimed in with a similar perspective, except admitted she was worried whether she would be able to handle everything after her third baby was born. But she reassured Sarah that it turned out to not be a problem. Caring for her 3 children was not so hard to take in stride.

    Sarah’s anxiety rose higher and higher, and by the time she began having labor contractions, she felt exhausted about the whole thing.

    After 9 hours of labor, her baby boy was born healthy, looking around the room with big bright eyes. And he quickly began to nurse when the doctor placed him on her chest.

    Postpartum isn’t always a fairy tale

    Sarah felt she should feel happier. Pangs of guilt shot through her that she felt so little for this beautiful baby boy. Her lack of emotion seemed to confirm she just wasn’t fit to be a mother.  And now this poor child was stuck with her.  What should she do?

    The first 2 weeks after he was born seemed like a test of endurance. How long can you live without sleep, she wondered. She went through the motions of changing diapers, feeding, and holding this baby. But she felt like a robot. And she was consumed with guilt.

    Help Arrived: Her Sister Came to Visit

    When her sister came to visit, Sarah tried to be a hostess in her exhausted, bedraggled state. Her sister sensed she wasn’t doing well and finally asked. 

    “How are you feeling emotionally..?”

    Sarah’s chin quivered. “I feel like a terrible mom. I love my baby but I don’t feel it. I’m so tired. I thought this would be a happy time….”

    Her sister arrives to help new mom with depression.

    Her sister wrapped her arms around her. 

    “Sarah. You’re NOT a terrible mom. But you do need some rest and a chance to see the doctor.  Tell you what.  Go to bed.  Let me take over with Jake.  I’ll love every minute of it and you need rest. Then we can talk more.”

    No surprise, the nap helped Sarah feel revived, but it didn’t help the empty, blank, nervous feeling go away. So she Said that to her sister… who told her she had a friend who was diagnosed with postpartum depression and had described feelings kind of like Sarah did.

    She suggested they make an appointment to see the doctor, who then referred Sarah to his trusted psychiatrist friend. That psychiatrist explained that depression in pregnant moms happens sometimes. She recommended a special treatment that could give Sarah rejuvenation in her emotions, her bond with little Jake, and hope for the future.

    She called it IV ketamine treatment.  Sarah had never heard of it, and her only concern was whether it would hurt her baby through her breastmilk.

    The doctor explained how it worked, how quickly it’s eliminated, and how infusions are usually scheduled, but if she liked she could pump her breast milk for the next 2-3 weeks then resume breastfeeding afterwards. Sarah was fine with that, and frankly was game to try anything at that point…

    We don’t talk about depression in pregnant moms very often, do we? 

    In fact, at this point it’s been nearly 2 years since the last time. But treating depression is important. And when it comes to bringing a child into the world, that depression may have a reach beyond just you.  It may impact your baby as well.

    A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry this past September authored by Zou, Tiemeier, et al, showed that maternal depressive symptoms during the time before and after childbirth actually can affect the development of the baby’s brain. 

    For the study, researchers collected data from 3469 mothers and their babies related to whether the mother experienced depression symptoms during pregnancy and afterward, through the baby’s childhood up to age 10. They measured behavioral and emotional problems in these children, at the end when the children were ten years old. 

    Children were assessed at age 2 months, 3 years, and 10 years. The timing of the mother’s depressive symptoms were charted as they pertained to these age points.

    What they found out was that at the age of 2 months, babies whose mothers had been depressed had less gray matter — meaning the volume of their brain was smaller. They also had less white matter, which is the areas of the brain where brain cell connections happen. The color is the result of the myelin that covers and protects these circuits. 

    This was not the case in older children, but was significant at the 2 month mark after birth.

    However, those children who had these changes at two months were more likely to have attention deficit problems at 10 years. Depression in pregnant moms can have a lasting effect in their children.

    Preparing for Your Child’s Best Future

    Seems pretty important, doesn’t it?

    Especially as you plan and prepare for conception. If you’ve been depressed, and medicines haven’t helped, consider IV ketamine treatment before you get pregnant. 

    On the other hand, we all know that not all pregnancies are carefully planned. So what happens if you find out you’re pregnant and you’re also depressed?

    The FDA classifies ketamine as a Category B drug, meaning it is believed to be relatively safe during pregnancy, but it really hasn’t been adequately studied during pregnancy yet.

    You Have Options

    The good news is that you can wait until the baby is born, then receive ketamine treatment to hopefully relieve the depression symptoms right after your baby is born. 

    As always, remember that ketamine isn’t for everyone. But those who’ve been severely depressed and not helped by traditional medications are usually dramatically improved with IV ketamine treatment, even to achieving remission.

    With that said, the best hope for you to have the well-being to bond with your baby, and to enjoy your life and motherhood, may lie in ketamine treatment.

    And just as important as your wellbeing, is your baby’s brain health and development during infancy and childhood. If your wellbeing could protect your baby from attention deficit problems later.. well, that’s a no-brainer. Right??

    We think about prenatal vitamins, exercise, and childbirth classes. But the idea of IV ketamine treatment before pregnancy hasn’t really been on the list, you know? 

    That’s because we didn’t have the info we have now about the effect of depression in pregnant moms on the developing baby.

    The more we learn, the more we can do to give our babies the best possible start in life. And the beauty of it is, taking care of baby this way will help you enjoy life, too.

    Moms, Dads, and Babies All Live Better

    At Innovative Psychiatry, we like to see moms come in for IV ketamine treatment because they deserve to feel good, to have the joy, energy, and initiative to give their families what they need, while enjoying their lives themselves. 

    This mom's depression is in remission and she's enjoying her baby and her life.

    But we’re especially happy for women who’d like to achieve remission from their life-long depression before they start their family.

    What a wonderful beginning. But you know what?  It’s not just about moms, either.  It’s also about dads.

    And when a dad realizes he wants a child but is depressed, this may be the ideal time to reach out for treatment and the potential of remission. Because if he hasn’t benefitted from other medicines, he may be a great candidate for IV ketamine treatment. It can help him be the best dad he can be…and enjoy his life and family to the fullest.

    Wouldn’t you love to have the zest for life to enjoy your children, camping with the family, coaching your kids’ soccer team …dancing with your spouse? IV ketamine treatment can give you your life back, and give you the freedom and stamina to do things you love to do, the initiative to invest in your career and hobbies, and to build strong, lasting relationships. 

    If you’ve suffered from symptoms of disorders that hold you back from moving forward in your life, call us.

    We want to help you plug in to a life that really matters to you.  

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Fighting Meanness, Hatred, and Cyberbullying in Schools

    Fighting Meanness, Hatred, and Cyberbullying in Schools

    Social media use can be good or destructive to teen users.

    We recently talked about the prominence of depression in teen girls.

    And the fact that it’s rising at a faster rate than depression in teen boys. We also talked about the impact of social media on growing and developing preteens and teens. But let’s talk a little more about the meanness and bullying that is perpetrated over social media. Where it comes from… and what can be done about fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying among our youth.

    Meanness is often a symptom of unresolved emotional issues. At least, that’s what psychotherapist Peter Michaelson says, and I agree with him. He describes meanness as a repetitive behavior that can be difficult to remedy without deeper insight. 

    The meanness may be a one-time remark that’s hurtful. Or it may be habitual, purposeful criticism and intimidation. Either way, it can cause damage that keeps on delivering for many years to come.

    It’s true that thoughtless comments may not necessarily be fueled by meanness. They may be unfiltered observations made by one child to another, without realizing the painful sting the words cause. 

    “Your teeth look like a rabbit,” a fifth grader might say to another. The speaker, because of age, may not realize the recipient actually feels painfully self-conscious about her teeth. Comments like this can reverberate for a lifetime, but they don’t usually cause despair and depression.  

    However, if the same comment were made over and over by friends and classmates online and in person, it would hurt. And if it was passed around on Instagram or Snapchat with photoshopped pictures of the child, it could even be traumatic. Then, if the photos compared him to a rabbit eating a slice of cabbage, the hurt, ridicule, and betrayal he might feel could trigger something worse. 

    Teaching the Difference in Thoughtlessness and Meanness

    We want to help our children learn to be sensitive and considerate of the feelings of others — and also help them cope with thoughtless remarks of others that aren’t intended to offend.

    We live in a world where things like this happen. But this is simpler than fighting the meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying our older children contend with every day.

    Instagram and Snapchat – For Good or Evil

    The increase in the hostile culture that has grown up around our teens seems to have erupted in cadence with social media platforms. From MySpace, to Facebook, to Instagram, Snapchat, and scores of others, people of all ages have increased their use of these platforms to stay up to date with family and friends. 

    While some studies reveal that many people feel these digital platforms improve their relationships by giving them more context about the lives of those they care about, other studies show that use of them reduces face to face contact with the people in their lives who matter.

    But for teens, social media is perceived as being a necessary part of their social life, and school life, as well.

    Revealing Study about Social Media

    Kasperksy Lab conducted a global study measuring the impact of social media use on our personal lives and relationships. It revealed that about 1/3 of social media users communicate less with their parents, their partners, their children, and their friends because they follow them on social media and just keep up by reading.

    Since social media profiles and posts tend to show those things people want the world to see, their profiles seem ideal, often generating negative feelings like jealousy and resentment in their followers.

    Fighting meanness, hatred and cyberbullying is painful, so this girl chooses to spend time alone in the woods.

    Nearly 60% of respondents in the study (which included 16,750!) admitted that they believed their friends lived better lives than they did, based on their posts. 59% felt hurt or angry when someone posted a critical comment on their profile. And almost half expressed their pain after seeing their friend’s holiday photos online.

    And only 31% said they weren’t bothered by the number of likes they receive.

    Teens Feel the Impact of Instagram and Snapchat Most Deeply

    Nowhere is this more true than among preteens and teens, whose developing views of others and the world are being molded by interaction on digital platforms.

    And while some teens feel more closely connected to their friends and their friends’ feelings through these platforms, many more feel trapped by them.

    Once they’ve been bullied, they report that they’re afraid to close out their account because they know others will continue to talk about them …. and they want to know what they’re saying.

    Fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying in our teens’ social culture is vital, though daunting.

    Because of the impact this distorted social environment is having on kids today, it’s important to think outside the box to find strategies that can serve as rudders to change the course and help our children choose healthier and safer methods of relationship building.

    Small Rural School Set Out to Find Solutions

    One school in a rural community in New Hampshire has set out to find ways to guide their students in developing a healthier social environment. Their story was published in The Atlantic early in 2017.

    Pittsfield, NH is a community of around 4600 residents and a school for both middle school and high school in one building, about 260 students in all.

    Fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying can leave a young girl like this lost, isolated, and hopeless.

    One 14 year-old we’ll call Tori, received a snapchat (or Snap, as they say now) of a picture of her from behind taking notes in class. The caption read, “I literally hate you. You’re a round cereal box.” 

    The screenshot circulated, and soon everyone was calling her Cereal Box.  She’s a petite girl with neat braids, and rarely drew this type of meanness. Plus, knowing who sat behind her in that class made the task of figuring out who sent the message pretty simple.

    Public Attacks Hurt

    But, even though the name-calling (what’s a round cereal box anyway?) didn’t seem to target anything she was insecure about, the fact that someone told her, “I literally hate you” stung. And why? She had had no interaction with this girl to speak of…certainly nothing negative. 

    She wondered why the girl didn’t just tell her she hated her, rather than broadcasting it to the whole world.  

    And it made her so uncomfortable that she realized how much attacks like this must hurt those who were often targets of meanness and hatred.

    When she told her parents about it, they encouraged her to go straight to this girl and confront her directly without texting or social media retaliation. Wise parents. Brave girl.

    When she did, the girl looked at her with a look that said, Sooo? What did I do?

    And herein lies the problem.

    This distortion in social interaction hasn’t taught kids productive ways to cope with the feelings they have. Instead, lashing out on social media has just become an accepted method …no matter who it hurts.

    Student-Directed Programs Prove the Most Successful In Fighting Meanness, Hatred, and Cyberbullying

    One teacher at Pittsfield sponsored a group known as Drop the Drama, a name coined by the students. It started out with 5, and soon grew to 20. Students work together to look for more productive ways of interacting than social media, and  more positive responses geared at inclusiveness as opposed to exclusion. 

    Their belief is that a small group of students with a passion for change can impact the entire student body far better than any lecture or workbook presented by adults. 

    The administration plays an important role here: they take a survey among the students at the beginning of each year to find out how happy, how content, and how safe the students feel in the learning environment.  They were disappointed to see a sharp decline in recent years.

    The rising use of social media on cell phones has resulted in depression and suicide in teens.

    But they’re hoping to see the surveys report improvements at the beginning of next year as these new programs have time to improve the social environment.

    Tori, our friend they called a Cereal Box, decided to be proactive, rather than letting the hurt of the experience continue to torment her.  She went with her dad to the grocery store, and posed with a box of Fruity Pebbles. Her dad snapped a photo of her which she in turn posted on Instagram. 

    The caption read: “Cuz I’m a box of cereal. LOL”

    By owning the name, the original offense lost its power to hurt her. And she didn’t need to hurt anyone else to make herself feel better.  The teacher who sponsored Drop the Drama was so proud of her.

    And Tori is determined to help so many other wounded students to recover. She believes through Drop the Drama she can help them turn the negatives into positives on campus.

    ADULTS Provide the Support When Teens Work to Change Their Culture

    In our busy world of packed schedules, we listen to our teens talk about their crises. (Car talks are a good place for this.) And we feel helpless to change the culture.

    But, the meanness our children are faced with every day is desperately in need of intervention. Dramatic change is needed in every city and township, and in every middle school and high school. 

    In every one. And in everyone.

    In Pittsfield, the administration developed a program to begin in elementary school with training for responding to uncomfortable feelings like jealousy and anger, and to do so without hurting others in the process.

    There are as many ways to fight meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying as there are people to think of them!

    To prepare them to view social media in a mature way, and to protect themselves from inappropriate “drama.” To help each other, and to rise above those who lash out with hurt. And to defend each other.

    Teachers help with academic classes and also with fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying.

    The program continues into middle and high school. 

    In addition, the Drop the Drama group is reaching out to the student body to support change. They’re encouraging them to use kindness, promote inclusiveness, and face-to-face interaction.

    We talked about a school in an earlier post, where students were moved by a string of 6 suicides. They developed a program to befriend anyone who seemed to be isolated, depressed, or lonely.

    This new perspective quickly spread through the student body fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying.

    This student-promoted policy has created a social atmosphere that has become more warm, inviting, and safe for students overall. As a result the students bounce back from offenses and embarrassment more easily because of the supportive environment.

    What ideas do you have for your child’s school?

    Innovative Psychiatry Provides IV Ketamine for Teen Crises

    Sometimes students who’ve been traumatized by meanness and bullying become depressed. In fact, sometimes they see no way to go on with their lives and they even want to die.

    IV ketamine treatment can end suicidal thoughts very quickly so those teens can be helped with ongoing treatment — sometimes psychotherapy, sometimes medication. And in those cases where medications don’t seem to help, we offer novel and advanced treatments like IV ketamine treatment in a beautiful and relaxing office setting.

    A worthwhile mission is fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying in schools.

    Our teens and our children need the opportunity to develop in healthy ways. To be immersed in balanced and friendly environments to learn healthy interaction skills.

    And so, we want to see an environment develop where kids and teens learn to lead by EXAMPLE rather than dysfunction. Where they can join forces to forge an inviting world … to bond, interact, collaborate, and reach out to those in pain.

    An environment where they can learn to be caring, compassionate, and responsible as they mature to adulthood.

    Life Can Be Joyful. You Can Have Hope…

    If you continue to suffer after taking traditional medications that haven’t helped, call us. If you have a teenager who seems to continue to suffer in spite of trials with medications, do call us. We want to help.

    The medicines available to help patients with severe depression, bipolar depression, PTSD, social anxiety, substance use disorders, or suicidal thoughts, only help some people some of the time.

    Fighting meanness, hatred, and cyberbullying is worth the work so teen girls like this one can be happy.

    IV ketamine treatment is more rapid — and for many, much more effective. Even when other medicines fail, when words can’t reach you, when TMS doesn’t work, when you’ve done ECT. (Our own published research shows that.)

    Not perfectly, not always. But it can help a lot more people a lot more often than the other treatments we’ve had available. It works in a variety of ways in your brain so you can feel dramatically better. And it’s fast.

    If you or someone you love needs a more effective treatment, IV ketamine treatment can restore your joy. And your relationships, your creativity, and your hope can be rejuvenated. It can give you the energy to invest in things you’d lost interest in.

    Let us help you find your best self, and your best life again. It’s your turn.

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

  • Why is Depression in Teen Girls Increasing So Fast??

    Why is Depression in Teen Girls Increasing So Fast??

    Depression in teen girls might be reduced by less social media and more involvement pets.

    Juliette stopped in her tracks.

    She could see from halfway down the hall that her locker had been trashed. Covered with photos, markings, and fake blood, it looked like a crime scene. As she got closer, she could see printed photos someone had taken of her while she was dressing in P.E. She ran to the locker and yanked off and crumpled the photos as fast as she could. (With friends like this, it’s no wonder there’s a rise in depression in teen girls.)

    As she stood staring at her locker frozen, her face burning with humiliation, she couldn’t think… Then, in one sweeping motion, she pulled all the trash off her locker door and wadded it up. 

    Only then did she look up and see the bystanders, the sidelong glances, and hear the snickering muffled giggles of her “friends” gathered around watching.

    She grabbed her books, slammed her locker door and shot off to class.

    Juliette sank into her seat, head down, heart-broken, and wondered why??  Who did this and why?  

    She felt betrayed, angry, heartsick. And abandoned.

    She didn’t say a word for the rest of the day, just kept her head down and shot out the front door when the bell rang to go home.

    Her mom was waiting outside, and Juliette jumped in the car, put her face on her lap and said, “Drive!”

    “What’s the matter, Jules?”  Her mom was alarmed.  She’d never seen her 13 year-old like this. 

    “Just drive.”  

    So her mom put the car in gear and did.

    Teen Trauma Triggered by Ridicule and Humiliation

    Once home, Juliette flew upstairs, slammed her door, and locked it. She dug her phone out of her purse for the first time since she saw the locker. Two hundred and thirteen messages. She wondered if there might be apologies… so she opened one …then another.

    NO apologies. Total strangers making jokes, rows of laughing faces, some even calling her crude names. The photos she saw on her locker had gone viral. All over Instagram, Pinterest, facebook…

    Her friends were silent.

    She thought she would die. How could she ever show her face in that school again? She could never leave her room again. She covered her head and sobbed.

    “Jules..?  Honey, are you OK?  Did something happen?”

    “Mom, I just want to be alone.”

    This isn’t something my parents can help with. I’m alone with this nightmare, she thought.

    So a traumatic experience begins to fester…

    Scenes like this aren’t uncommon if you have kids. You got her into ballet at 3, then gymnastics at 5, then soccer at 7. Always hoping to help her gain confidence in herself, to help make the transitions of childhood to adolescence, and adolescence to adulthood advance more smoothly. To help her develop an anchor within herself that would see her though the storms, and the things that others did.

    And your happy, socially-balanced child does great with her activities, her friends, slumber parties, and sports events.

    Until the day she’s publicly humiliated.

    The humiliation can happen on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites. It can happen in text messaging. Or it can happen at school and at slumber parties.

    And, while the cruel embarrassments and humiliations children and teens impose on each other are terrible — and seem almost insurmountable for some students– it’s what follows if they can’t get past it that can be life-threatening. 

    Believe it.

    Depression in Teen Girls Can Be Deadly

    Sometimes, what we parents see is a child, preteen, or adolescent, who is acting differently.  Who won’t talk to us. Since we don’t know what they’ve faced at school, we may be clueless about the trauma they’re experiencing. We may think they’re just being moody teenagers.

    Sadly, the trauma may cause such a deep pain that they can’t find words to “get it off their chest…” So they may isolate, huddle, and try to figure out how to cope on their own.

    An experience like Juliette endured isn’t usually a single event. There’s the aftermath. Someone in her shoes may skip school for a few days until she can muster the courage to step out and go again. But even when they do go, there are whispers, snickers, more text messages. 

    And sometimes even more incidents that go from bad to worse. 

    The stress continues, long after we parents think it should be over.

    Or we may never know it happened in the first place.

    And as we often talk about, prolonged severe stress can result in that pruning of the dendrites and dendritic spines that destroys synaptic connections between brain cells. And depending on how severe the pruning is, and how long it continues… the outcome is often depression.

    “But she’s a kid…” you may think. “She doesn’t have severe stress. How could she?”

    It’s an unfortunate miscalculation to think that a child can’t experience severe stress. Her world is her reality. And she’s been building that world since she can remember. If everything that makes her world a warm and inviting place of support, caring, and acceptance is disassembled and left in shambles, then her world is shattered. 

    And as her parents, you can’t fix it. 

    That’s not to say you can’t be a comfort and a support. But no one can fix her world for her but herself.  A pretty daunting task for a devastated 13 year-old.

    It turns out that teen depression rates have been increasing for years, but the rate of depression in girls is rising faster than it is in boys.

    Teen Depression is Threatening Our Children

    Girls and boys. But is there difference in how much and how often it strikes? Why are teen girls becoming depressed more often than boys?

    For one thing, by the age of 15, girls are actually twice as likely to become depressed as boys. It’s surprising, isn’t it?  …but there are reasons. 

    The smart phone, for instance. By the mid 90’s, both boys and girls were using them. And those babies born by then were the first generation to live out their entire lives in the age of smart phones. Those babies are 25 this year. 

    Let’s hear from those young women, shall we?

    A team of researchers analyzed 3 surveys that included 200,000 females in the US and the UK.  And…they learned some things.

    For example:

    Fill a classroom with 25 teens, and give them the freedom to use their smart phones. Then, walk up and down the aisles and glance at their screens. You know what you’ll see, first thing?

    They’re not doing the same things.

    The boys are playing games… on their smart phones, or talking about sports, and texting each other about the games.

    The girls?  They’re texting, and on social media.  What are they texting about ?  Their appearance, their clothes, their hair…and someone else’s appearance, clothes, and hair. 

    And when one sends off a text, she’s reassured that she’s accepted when she receives a response right back. No pauses.

    If there’s a pause before she receives a response…because maybe the other girl is in the restroom, or is carrying too much in her arms to text easily,  the first girl begins to feel dismissed.

    Anxiety rises.

    And that knee-jerk reaction happens over and over and over, day and night, month after month…year after year.

    Hurt Feelings, Misunderstandings, Feeling Left Out

    Now, add to that the pecking order on social media platforms. The girl with 8 likes is shamed when compared to the girls with 500 likes and shares. And don’t kid yourself. Those comparisons are made. Ruthlessly. 

    Images that create a fantasy of one girl’s life lead to others feeling ashamed of their “plain” homes, clothes, and activities. None of this is grounded in the real world. But then smart phones and social media have little to do with the real world.

    The pressure is intense enough that one study found that girls who compare themselves to other girls on social media were more likely to be depressed.  

    And get this: in 2017, a full one-fifth of teen girls said they’re suffering from major depression. One Fifth!

    Then, there are the cruel “jokes” some girls play on others, where messages, videos taken without permission, and compromising  photos are sent out and go viral.  And young girls become convinced there is no remedy to restore their lives after such exposure, and at the tender age of 10, or 12, or 14… they end their lives.

    So is it all social media?  No.

    Don’t boys use social media? Yes, they do.

    But these researchers also found that social media and the interactions there have a stronger effect on girls than boys. 

    They found that 15% of girls who were on social media only 30 minutes a day, due to other activities, family rules, etc, were unhappy. But 26% of girls who were on social media 6 hours a day were unhappy.

    Now let’s look at the boys. Only 11% of the boys who were on social media 30 minutes a day were unhappy.  And those boys who were on social media 6 hours a day? Only 18% of them were unhappy.  

    So what is it about girls that more of them seem to succumb to depression from social media? 

    Researchers found it was that being popular, and having positive interactions with others is tied to their sense of satisfaction, happiness, and confidence.

    Social media can either build up the social ties a teen girl enjoys, or it can destroy them through bullying, shame, and conflict.

    And we can’t forget that pressures about image and appearance continue to increase at this age…

    Now… what can parents do?

    One obvious step might be to postpone your child’s access to social media. That message is being disseminated by experts on adolescent mental health far and wide.  

    While it’s illegal for a child to have a social media profile before the age of 13, parents might consider extending a moratorium on social media use longer than that. 

    The social pressure among teens to excel on social media is not aimed at their growth, self-confidence, or character, but is actually designed to pull them into an addictive activity.

    We all know Mark Zuckerberg as co-founder of facebook. But do you know Sean Parker? He joined Zuckerberg 5 months after Facebook was launched as a student directory, and Zuckerberg credits him with the phenomenal growth it enjoyed. Which made him a billionaire.

    Referring to facebook, Parker said,“It’s a social-validation feedback loop … exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.”

    He went on to say that social media like Facebook “…literally changes your relationship with society, with each other. It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways. God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains,” he said.

    Children aren’t equipped with the life experience or brain development to see these sites for what they are. Rather, they’re swept up in the tidal wave that is adolescence and the need for social acceptance at probably the most vulnerable time of their lives.

    As parents, they need us to be proactive, to give them time to develop the life skills to keep such activities in their place. 

    They need time to just grow, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. To develop healthy relationships with their peers, and to survive their preteens, teens, and early adulthood so they can go on to become the best they can be. 

    Depression in Teen Girls Needs to Slow Down. Let’s Do Something.

    Would this approach prevent depression in girls?

    No, no, of course not. But it just might protect your daughter from depression. And maybe her friends. And maybe some of their friends.

    By finding opportunities to get your daughters talking with their friends about the dangers and risks of social media, and using text messaging less… and in more responsible ways… perhaps we can open their eyes. And a lot of others.

    Maybe that could go viral.

    Maybe a new culture could emerge where our daughters lived well, and survived their own adolescence… and could go on to have daughters of their own.

    After all, that’s what we want for them, right?

    Ketamine For Treatment Resistant Disorders

    If your daughter — or son — has developed depression, and medicines aren’t helping, call us. Let’s talk about IV ketamine treatment — which shows a much higher response rate than antidepressants.

    The sooner your teen’s disorder is treated and relieved, the sooner her resilience is restored, the better equipped she (or he) will be to tackle the life issues she faces as she grows to adulthood.

    Depression in teen girls is increasing, but we’re not powerless to fight it. Let’s work together to turn the tide on disorders that result from things like the intense stress of social media.

    And if your teen is struggling without relief, learn about IV ketamine treatment. It’s saving lives.

    To the restoration of your best self…and your teen’s,

    Lori Calabrese, M.D. is on the front end of the race to stop PTSD in its tracks using IV ketamine treatment.

    To the restoration of your best self,

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