Category: Ketamine

Articles About Ketamine from Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

Breakthrough anesthesia medicine proves life-changing for many who suffer from severe mood disorders.

In the last several years, a medicine began to emerge as a remarkable treatment for mood disorders. It was developed and FDA approved for anesthesia around 1970. Over 25 years later… it began to show its colossal hidden ability. What sort of ability? The power to relieve depression and other psychiatric disorders in a most dynamic way. Disorders like PTSD, bipolar depression, postpartum depression, addiction, social anxiety, and even eating disorders respond to this extraordinary treatment that involves a series of IV infusions. And perhaps the most remarkable of all, ketamine infusions can erase suicidal thinking in a few short hours. These articles about ketamine treatment are presented here to dispel stigma about psychiatric conditions and to give hope about treating them.

Early Testing was Cautious

Researchers tested it with trepidation 10-20 years ago. Then each study built upon the last. Their work revealed more insights about what actually causes depression, and how to treat it effectively. Never before has a medicine helped relieve symptoms in such a wide variety of people and their symptoms.

Researchers Still Learning All Ketamine Can Do

Ketamine works in multiple areas and systems of the brain. It improves the function of mechanisms that have been impaired by the stress of depression and anxiety. It helps the G proteins that pile up on lipid rafts in the cell membrane slide to off. This equips them so they can do their job enhancing signal transmission.

It also turns on the mRNA switch which in turn flips on DNA to build up brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF). BDNF then causes synapse connections between neurons to proliferate in turbo mode, transforming and replenishing the connections between brain cells all around the brain, lighting it up with information, cognition, creativity, and insight.

There’s more that it accomplishes, like tamping down the cell bursting in the lateral habenula so you can experience the reward of pleasant moments. We don’t know what researchers haven’t discovered yet, but we look forward to hearing what’s next.

Ketamine Does More Than Bring Relief, It’s Transforming

The results of IV ketamine treatment are transformative. Those who have been weighted under a blanket of lethargic apathy and despair typically find they feel better and better after treatment. They often find they have the energy and motivation to dive into tasks they couldn’t face in recent memory.

More patients with treatment resistant conditions respond to ketamine than any other medicine available. It may sound odd, but the patients it helps the most are those who suffer the most from severe disorders. With continued research, neuroscience researchers and psychiatrists are learning methods of administration that help more and more patients enjoy a rapid and robust response,.

As a result, these individuals enjoy renewed hope. They express amazement at their energy for life and work, and an overall transformation in what they enjoy and are able to accomplish. They report a more balanced and joyful outlook, and the desire to rebuild and strengthen their relationships.

Ketamine is NOT for Everyone

With all the good IV ketamine treatment accomplishes, some people still don’t respond to it at all. The percentage of people who don’t respond is comparatively small, and we need to see more studies that can help explain why.

Why Ketamine Sometimes Doesn’t Work

There are others who have a significant response initially, then the response fades. One reason for that may be they have a deficiency of certain components in their blood. They may have a low folate level, or low testosterone, and some other deficiencies. In cases like this, sometimes replacing those nutrients helps that patient respond to ketamine treatment and experience resilience again. There are even cases where a patient’s blood levels are normal but the levels of certain components in their cerebral spinal fluid is low. By replacing that deficiency, the patient is able to enjoy a very positive and robust response to ketamine treatment.

Neuroscience is gaining knowledge by leaps and bounds in the 21st century. We hope to see more and more medicines that work as well as ketamine for those who have not yet been helped.

These articles about ketamine expand on those things we learn from neuroscience research in the labs, as well as those things we learn from research in our practice.

Let’s Talk about Ketamine in the News and Set the Record Straight

In recent times, we’ve seen ketamine in the news in a disparaging light. We know that sensational articles sell publications, and don’t always report the full picture. Let’s shed some light on the context, and balance these sensational headlines with some facts. When they found beloved actor, Matthew Perry, drowned in his hot tub, shock and grief circled the globe. An adoring public wanted to understand, and make sense of the loss. An autopsy revealed that he died from the “acute effects of ketamine.” Alarm reverberated through the public outcry. “But I thought ketamine was safe…” you’ve thought. Then, Elon Musk revealed that he takes a prescription dose of ketamine for depression and it helps. He faced a backlash of negative criticism, probably because of public alarm and confusion regarding Matthew Perry’s fate.

Ketamine In the News

We’ve often talked about ketamine’s history as a dissociative anesthetic, developed 50 years ago. Anesthesiologists have safely used it in that capacity for five decades. Then around the dawn of the 21st century, researchers discovered it was effective as a rapid acting antidepressant. In fact, they found It especially helpful for those whose other treatments failed.

At Innovative Psychiatry, we began offering ketamine infusions in 2015. Since then, we’ve done ground-breaking clinical work, and presented it at US and UK conferences, and published papers in peer-reviewed journals. Our data demonstrated ketamine’s effectiveness in treatment of depression, suicidal thinking, and the “anorexia voice.” We write up our clinical results and we tell the truth about what we see — and submit it for peer review. (There is an honesty and vulnerability in that that makes us humble—and incredibly sought after at the same time.)

As of today, ketamine treatment is in the news as the most sought after treatment for depression and other psychiatric mood disorders. It not only helps, but brings remission in many cases.

We’ve also been outspoken about the importance of administering ketamine for the treatment of psychiatric disorders under the supervision of someone who is an expert in treating those, like a psychiatrist who is an expert in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. That’s why we don’t run a ketamine-only clinic — we are deeply committed to the field and want to see this treatment offered properly, when indicated, and with a comprehensive evaluation to determine and discuss risks and to discuss real alternatives. So that that patient can make a truly informed decision.

(Maybe that’s one of the reasons our patients get so well.)

We work in safe dosages, which are smaller than the safe dosages used for anesthesia. But determining the best individualized dosage has a considerable impact on this medicine’s effectiveness.

Requires Personalized Dosage and Rate

There is no one-size-fits-all dose that helps everyone. What brings remission for one person may not be enough to make a difference for another.

In addition, because of the dissociative aspect of ketamine, there is a pleasant, floating sensation for some patients, and other revelatory experiences for others. This sensation makes this medicine appealing to some who want a recreational experience — hence, the use of ketamine on the street, known as “Special K.”

This kind of unsupervised use has given ketamine a bad name in the news and by word of mouth. High doses, way beyond therapeutic, simply to increase and extend the experience, that can result in severe bladder damage, cardiovascular collapse, and more.

There is an explosion of interest in ketamine …. and it’s getting dangerous to think that it’s so easy… famous people use it… wealthy people swear by it.

And they can wind up dead because of it. Don’t let that be you, or someone you love.

While Matthew Perry had been receiving ketamine treatment for depression, his most recent dose had been a week and a half before his death. The half life of ketamine is so short that a treatment under medical supervision 10 days before means that medicine from that treatment was long gone. It could not have played a role in his death.

His medically supervised ketamine treatment was not the cause of his death.

The acute ketamine effects that the forensic pathologist reported was likely caused by a very large dose he had acquired “on the street” and without medical supervision.

Ketamine should never be used recreationally. It’s dangerous in large, unmonitored doses. But it’s extraordinarily effective in medically prescribed and supervised treatment of treatment-resistant disorders like severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal thinking, and much more.

Like so many medicines effective for a variety of different disorders, when taken in doses larger than the prescribed therapeutic dose, ketamine can be dangerous, and even fatal. Imagine taking digitalis or insulin in large doses that are multiples of the therapeutic dose! It would likely be fatal.

Without Physician Supervision You Risk Overdose

There is also the added risk that accompanies a medicine like ketamine. Because of the appeal of the dissociative experience, once under the influence, an unsupervised user can be easily tempted to take more… and more… and more to enhance and extend the experience.

Those overdoses can dangerously interfere with blood pressure, cause the heart to race, impair cognition, and lead to unconsciousness. And sometimes, all of that can result in death.

But, just as insulin and digitalis are lifesaving in therapeutic doses under medical supervision, so also is ketamine.

Ketamine treatment can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon.

That’s lifesaving.

It can also stop the anorexic voice. And when combined with ketogenic therapy, we’ve shown it can reverse anorexia nervosa, the most life threatening psychiatric disorder of all.

That’s lifesaving, too!

Matthew Perry had been receiving ketamine treatment under medical supervision and was feeling good again. He was healthy and happy. His closest friends and family marveled that this could have happened because even that very morning he was upbeat and joyful. Ketamine treatment does that… and it was working.

But somehow, he accessed a non-prescribed form of ketamine and used way too much. The pathology report referred to coronary artery disease, the effects of a medicine prescribed to treat opioid use disorder, and the acute affects of ketamine (with its severe suppression of respiration at this high dosage) led to accidental drowning.

Ketamine treatment should not to be feared, but respected. And r eceived under experienced medical supervision.

Remarkable Medicine Deserves Respect

So, if you’re suffering from severe, unrelenting depression, you probably need the kind of extraordinary effectiveness ketamine treatment can provide, with a doctor’s help. Don’t try to treat yourself, of course. Don’t be a headline… ketamine has been in the news about that—and people are still talking about it. But avail yourself of this help with a psychiatrist who’s experienced with ketamine treatment and who has helped to move the field forward. And make news in your life!

The standard accepted research has reported effective outcomes in 70% of patients who receive it. At Innovative Psychiatry we’ve seen outstanding outcomes in even more. We don’t just go for response — we go for remission, and we help you sustain it.

So don’t continue to suffer from treatment resistant depression, panic attacks, social anxiety, PTSD, bipolar depression, and suicidal thoughts without relief. Ketamine treatment offers hope for a rewarding and fulfilling life.

Let us help you find your joy and peace again. That’s why we get up in the morning… To help you find your very best self.

To the restoration of your best self,

April 8, 2024
Ketamine Treatment Provides Transformation Going Forward

Lexi released a long, deep sigh as she stared out the window. What was the point? Just holding herself up in the overstuffed chair was too much of an effort. But, she knew she had to drag herself to her feet, and get in the shower. Another day had begun, and she needed to go to work. She didn’t know how she could do it, but without a paycheck she’d be in a much worse situation. She just had to. Eventually she shuffled into the bathroom, stripped off her clothes and turned on the water. After drying off, she pulled on her robe, and drug herself back to the kitchen, and poured another cup of coffee. Sitting at the table, head in hands, she tried to picture herself dressing, and actually going to work. She drew a blank. But, eventually, she was locking her front door, getting in her car, and starting the engine. Unfortunately, she’d never heard of ketamine treatment or that it provides transformation now, and in the future. She just didn’t know.

Feeling Like a Zombie

She pulled into the parking lot and gathered her purse and lunch, then walked toward her building. Once she finally reached her desk, she sat with hands propping her chin, trying to remember what she was doing when she left yesterday. Blank again. She’d had bouts of depression in the past, but this was harder. Worse. It was so hard to think. If thoughts went through her mind, they were worry, fear, shame. But not remembering something constructive. Siiiggghhhhh.

Before too long, her boss walked up to her desk and asked if the “plan” was ready. Plan?? She wondered. Hmmm…oh wait…

“Oh the plan. Not completely. I’ll try to get it to you by the end of the day.” (Maybe she could throw something together by then.)

“Lexi, something has to give. I needed your plan for this next project 3 days ago. We’re out of time. I have to present it tomorrow morning. What’s going on?” Her boss’s voice was rising…becoming shrill.

“I’m sorry, Jill.” Tears filled Lexi’s eyes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me but everything has become so much harder. Almost impossible. I can’t describe it, but my mind is blank, I have zero energy, and I feel hopeless that it’s ever going to get better. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do. I rack my brain, but I can’t figure out how to think, or to come up with ideas. I’m just blank and overwhelmed.”

Jill stared at her, blinking. Incredulous. “Now you’re telling me this? Why didn’t you tell me weeks ago?”

Jill turned on her heel and stormed back to her office.

Shame, Disgust, and Hopelessness

Lexi was disgusted with herself but had no idea how to find a solution. “I’m going to lose this job. Then I’ll lose my apartment. After that, I’ll be homeless because you can’t get a place to live without an income.” The shock and terror of it all gripped her and she could hardly breathe.

She stared at the papers on her desk. She knew it was too late to come up with anything helpful for Jill’s presentation in the morning. But she kept staring, hoping some new idea would spring into her mind. If only Lexi had realized how close she was to learning ketamine provides transformation for people suffering like this every day.

Fifteen minutes later, Hannah walked up to Lexi’s desk, and slipped her a sticky note with a name and phone number scrawled on it.

“I couldn’t help but overhear, Lexi. I’ve noticed how you’ve seemed to be losing confidence lately, and you seem to be getting more and more down. I’ve noticed it especially the last few months. Maybe we could talk at lunch?”

“Hi Hannah. Yes, it’s been harder and harder for me to function at all. I’ve been depressed before in my life, but this is worse than I’ve experienced before. I’m afraid I’m going to lose my job and I don’t know how to prevent it. What’s this?” She asked, holding up the stickie note.

Hope Rises From a Stickie Note

“That’s the phone number of a doctor not too far from here who offers an amazing treatment. My sister fell into a desperate place with depression and suicidal thinking. It lasted 6 months before she found out about this treatment. She went to this doctor’s practice, and received IV ketamine treatment… and she got so much better, she felt like herself again. Ketamine treatment provides transformation for her.

“The suicidal thinking stopped after the first infusion, and the depression symptoms lifted more and more over time as she received the infusions that followed. This honestly changed her life, Lexi. I thought you might like to look into it..? It might help you get back to yourself, too…?”

Lexi stared at the scrap of paper. It was hard to compute what Hannah was saying. But she decided to call this number and see what she could find out.

At lunch, she sat in her car and made the call.

The person she talked to was informative and kind. She explained that Lexi would need to meet with the psychiatrist for an evaluation to move forward. Lexi made an appointment because of what Hannah had described about her sister. If it worked for Hannah’s sister, maybe it would help Lexi, too. Apparently, ketamine treatment provides transformation for lots of people…? She hoped it would help her.

Her appointment was set for two days away. When the time came, Lexi called in sick to work (she was sick, after all, right?), and spent a considerable time with the doctor, answering lots of questions the best she could.

The doctor told her she was suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and while ketamine treatment wasn’t effective for everyone, it was actually transformative for many, many of her patients. And she felt it was very likely that it would make an enormous difference for Lexi.

Lexi received the first infusion that afternoon.

Her neighbor drove her home afterward.

Two days later she went in for another ketamine treatment. While she didn’t feel any better yet that afternoon, the doctor had explained that some people don’t begin to experience the antidepressant benefits right away. So she tried to not worry.

That evening at home, she checked her email, and she’d received something from Hannah.

A Study Confirms Ketamine Treatment’s Effectiveness

“Hi Lexi, I was googling about ketamine treatment, and ran across this new article about a study at Northwestern University that was published in Cellular and Molecular Life Science just last week on February 27. See what you think.”

Hmmm…Northwestern University, huh?

Lexi opened the article, and as described, it described a study just published at that university. It said that treatments for depression need to act quickly, but they also need to have a sustained, long-term benefit.

As part of the study, they learned that a major benefit of ketamine treatment is that it causes antidepressant effects within hours on newly formed brain cell connections, and it also causes more of these to be formed. So ketamine treatment can start to work quickly and continues to work over time— on these brand new connections as they form over time because of ketamine treatment.

Apparently, ketamine treatment provides transformation for people rapidly, and long term, as well.

The senior author of the study was John Kessler, MD, professor of neurology at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. It sounded pretty credible to Lexi.

She felt reassured that serious scientists were studying this treatment. She’d had no idea.

Lexi soon received the 3rd and 4th infusions, and things began to change. She felt initiative… in the sense of pulling out the project they were working on in her job, and researching ideas to make it more effective. It felt so good to be feeling productive again…useful in a way.

She spoke with her boss the next day and told her she was getting treatment for depression, and she believed she was going to be able to contribute more again at work.

She thought she’d only need 6 treatments. But she had two more. After 8 infusions, she was beginning to feel like her old self. Creativity began to bloom inside her, and she enjoyed sharing her ideas with the team. Even more reassuring, she had the energy she’d been lacking for so long, to do what needed to be done. She began to notice herself singing in the shower and walking quickly from the parking lot, with a sense of anticipation.

Hannah agreed to meet her for dinner after work on Friday, and Lexi was eager to share all that had happened, and how it had transformed her. She expressed her deep gratitude for how Hannah had stuck her neck out to tell her about ketamine treatment. It had saved her job. And she wasn’t exaggerating when she told her it had saved her life, too.

After about a month, Lexi felt that her outlook was slipping into some hopelessness and overwhelm again. The doctor had cautioned her about this possibility, so she made another appointment for a booster infusion.

Afterward, and in the weeks to come, she felt much better again. And that built her confidence that if this ever happened again, she knew where to go. This thing about ketamine treatment providing transformation was very real. It would see her through.

Ketamine Can Transform Your Life, Too

When you find yourself in crisis with severe depression, and thoughts of suicide, ketamine treatment can stop those suicidal thoughts in an afternoon. It can replace the listlessness and despair of depression with a bright outlook, creativity, energy, and hope.

If you’ve struggled like Lexi, or Hannah’s sister, and you need treatment to help you experience restoration to your best self and your best life, call us.

We’re here to help you live again, give again, and enjoy the rewards of your life.

You’ll be so glad you did.

To the restoration of your best self,

March 18, 2024
Birth Trauma? Ketamine Treatment Can Help Heal PTSD

Madison took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. Trying to calm herself, she knew her reaction wasn’t rational. Her husband had gently stroked her arm, but she’d been asleep. That touch triggered panic. She was flailing her arms and kicking before she knew what she was doing. As wakefulness turned on the lights in her mind, she saw it was dark, and she was in bed with Zach. Her slow steady breaths were an effort to calm herself, but she was shaking. Finally, she began to cry. And cry. Her birth trauma had crushed and terrorized her, and she didn’t know ketamine treatment can help heal trauma. Zachary sat up in bed, unsure what to do. His affection had triggered terror in his wife. Why?

Their 4 month-old baby made some squeaking noises in the bedside crib next to his wife, but thankfully seemed to go back to sleep.

Trauma Kicks Back

He whispered, “Mads, what happened? Are you ok?”

She sighed, desperately trying to calm herself. “I think it was when you touched my arm. I’m sorry… I don’t know what’s wrong with me… But it startled me and I was engulfed in terror. I feel so foolish.”

Her hands still shaking, she got up and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. When she returned to the bedroom, her husband was waiting, but unsure what to say.

“Do you think you had a bad dream?”

Madison was still shaking… why couldn’t she calm down?

“I don’t know…I don’t remember. This has never happened to me before. But, ever since Jack’s birth, being out of town with a strange doctor like that, and the horror of all that happened, I’ve been on edge. The healing has been prolonged, and there’s been more pain than I had with the other two. I’m just not snapping back like I did with the first two babies.

Her birth trauma was deep, and she didn’t know ketamine treatment could help her heal.

“But what happened, the way the doctor let me labor so long, cut an episiotomy, then changed his mind and did a C-section. It was terrible! He went about the epidural wrong, or didn’t give it enough time or something, and I felt it! I felt the C-section!! I just feel so angry about it!”

By now, Madison was screaming.

“Sometimes during the day…I haven’t known how to tell you this…but sometimes while you’re at work, I feel so vulnerable. Like someone’s casing our house…feeling like they’ll break in! Zach, I know this sounds ridiculous, but it feels so real.

“I feel so threatened a lot of the time. All day, I watch the yard and front porch, and keep all the doors and windows locked, but I start shaking and sometimes I cry, really hard, and can’t stop.

“Other times, I can get up, dress the kids, and go to the park or the grocery store with them just fine. This seems to come and go. I just don’t understand what’s wrong with me!”

“When you touched my arm, I honestly felt like I was about to be raped. I don’t get it! I know you weren’t trying to hurt me, but I couldn’t figure that out at the time. I just can’t describe how threatening it felt. Tonight I couldn’t separate who I know you to be, and the terror I felt.”

“Mads, you’ve been through so much. Let’s try to find ways to help you rest, feel soothed, lighten the pressure…”

“HOW!!!?? I have two preschoolers and a newborn! How am I supposed to relax?”

“You’re right. That was a silly thing for me to say. Would it help if we asked your mom to come for awhile and pitch in? Or would that make it worse?”

“It would not help. I’d be on edge. In fact, I’m already on edge. Let’s don’t make it worse.”

“Ok, honey. I’m going to take a few days off work. With the weekend maybe it will give us several days to try to reset.”

Helpful Ideas Rise with the Dawn

As the sunrise filled the kitchen with a golden glow, they were drinking coffee. Madison told Zach that she found it hard to hug the children…like she was living in a prison of fear and aloneness. She felt — detached — and worried she was no longer able to be a good mother.

She felt no affection for anyone. Just sort of frozen. Stiff.

Zach suggested they call her doctor and see if he had any suggestions. He felt like an utterly helpless husband. So they did, and left a message for him to call.

The doctor called during lunch. They described what Madison had been going through, and he seemed to understand.

He said, “You’ve suffered significant birth trauma, Madison. It’s not surprising that you’re still suffering from it all. It sounds like you may be experiencing some PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. It would explain your hyper vigilance, the fear of someone breaking in, terror when you’re touched in your sleep.

“You were wounded, physically and emotionally. You don’t feel safe. So of course, you feel threatened. After birth trauma like yours, ketamine treatment is a treatment that can help you heal.

“This is a disorder that happens sometimes to people who experience a severe trauma and can’t seem to recover. I can imagine how terribly distressing this is.

Her Doctor Offers Hope

“I want to suggest you call a colleague of mine, who specializes in treating conditions like this. I’ll text you her name and number.

“Try not to worry. Take it easy, as much as you can. You really can recover from all you’ve been through. Why don’t you come see me in a few weeks? We can see how you’re progressing at that point.”

Immediately after they ended the call, she received his text message about the doctor he mentioned, and her phone number.

Turning to Ketamine Treatment

They promptly called her and made an appointment for the next day.

The doctor was kind, compassionate, and extremely knowledgeable, which was reassuring. She talked with Madison for an hour, typing notes and filling out forms. Then she closed her laptop, and smiled.

“Madison, I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through, with the birth of your baby, and ever since in your life. Birth trauma like this can cause your symptoms of PTSD, but we have seen such remarkable recovery from these symptoms with ketamine treatment.

“It involves an infusion a couple times a week for a few weeks. We’ll evaluate as we go, to see how many infusions you’ll need to feel like your best self again. And that’s our goal. For you to feel like the best you, you can be. Would you like to start today?”

Ketamine Treatment Begins

Zach and Mads looked at each other with hope in their eyes, and nodded at the same time.

“Yes, I would.”

After the first infusion, Madison felt a strange lightness in her chest…sort of? Was it physical…? Or was it hope..?

On the way home, Zach suggested that they call her mom and ask if their two preschoolers, Charlotte and Adelaide, could come see Mimi for a week or so. They would love it, and she and Zach could keep little Jack with them and still have opportunities for rest. Just to lower the stress during her ketamine treatment.

Madison agreed it was a good idea, so they called her mom and made arrangements. Her mom arrived before bed time to pack bags for the girls and take them home for baths and bedtime snacks.

Just reducing their household numbers from 5 to 3 seemed to make things a little less stressful. Zach encouraged her to enjoy a bubble bath and candles, while he diapered and rocked Jack.

2nd Infusion

Two days later, they went back for her second infusion. Afterward, she didn’t feel much more relaxed, but sudden noises didn’t make her jump as badly. Since Jack was born, when something startled her, it felt like she’d been kicked in the kidneys. Extremely jarring and painful.

But now it was milder. She also noticed she was upset by certain things, but not so extremely outraged. Something was changing…slowly.

After the third, and then the fourth infusions, she began to realize she was coping a little better. Not a lot…but at least it was some.

6th Through 9th Infusions

By the 5th and 6th infusions, her kids were home again and she found she was enjoying them. Her negative feelings were milder, and there were moments when she thought there was a little bit of joy bubbling up. Just a little, but something she hadn’t felt since Jack was born.

After the 8th infusion, her heart was swelling with love for Jack, Charlotte, and Addy, She noticed it. She was feeling like a mom again. She felt close to her children. And she realized she was enjoying Zach, too.

Madison had 9 infusions in all, and she continued feeling better and better over the next 2-3 weeks.

She experienced first hand, over several weeks, that PTSD caused by birth trauma could actually heal from IV ketamine treatment. She was living proof!

Traumatic Birth Memories Heal with IV Ketamine

She called and made an appointment to see her doctor. In the office, she told him she just wanted to thank him in person for referring her to this psychiatrist and ketamine treatment. She was feeling good, enjoying her family, and felt affectionate and stable again. It felt like a miracle, and she was so grateful.

She had had no idea that she was suffering from PTSD before she called him. But even more, she had no idea there was such effective treatment.

She thanked him again for helping her get her life back. Where she really felt like herself again.

He, in turn, thanked her for showing him how effective this treatment could be!

PTSD can result from a variety of traumatic experiences, but there’s hope.

If the trauma Madison endured sounds familiar, and her symptoms that followed afterwards plague you too, call us.

You’re in good company with so many others who have suffered trauma, followed by a host of distressing symptoms, but then found out what ketamine treatment could do.

You, too, can enjoy peace again…and joy.

And get back to living your best life. That’s why we’re here.

To the restoration of your best self,

March 11, 2024
Ketogenic Diet Weighs In: Sugar Addiction and Mental Health Now

Jenni paused to try to remember what she was doing. Coffee. That was it. Her mind was so foggy, as if her head was stuffed with peanut butter. Or styrofoam. Uggghhhh… she thought. Maybe coffee will help. But truth be told, she doubted it would help enough. She was tempted to sit down and abandon the coffee idea… but she pressed on. While she sipped the steaming beverage from her mug, she thought about the hopelessness she felt, and the futility. The irritability. And the agitation. How she wished she could remain calm and serene. That she could move through the routine of each day unruffled. But little things made her explode at times, then hate herself for it. Jenni caught her reflection as she walked past the mirror in the entry hall. Ugghhh, she thought again. Jenni hardly recognized herself anymore. She’d really gained a lot of weight these last 7 months. It was so discouraging. And…it was weird…she didn’t feel like she ate that much. How had she gained so much weight? She’d heard about sugar addiction, and even mental health exercises that might help, but didn’t believe any kind of addiction applied to her.

Chasing Energy and Relief in all the Wrong Places

And why did she feel so draggy, so run down, without stamina? Why so hungry when she’d already eaten? The gnawing craving for pizza, potato chips and dips, festive coffee drinks and soda, plagued her. She finally quit fighting it, drove the car to her fav caffeine drive-through, and ordered a venti coffee loaded with syrups and topped with whipped cream. Plus a croissant sandwich. And a frosted cookie.

There. That should hit the spot.

She wolfed down the sandwich, sipped on the coffee voraciously, and finally took big bites out of the beautiful, artistically decorated cookie. She was beginning to feel some relief.

For now, she felt less irritable, almost soothed. So she headed home after a quick stop at the convenience store to grab a bag of potato chips and some dip, a frozen pizza for later, along with some Rocky Road ice cream. And, of course, popcorn.

Each time she began to feel down again, she brainstormed and treated herself to a carbohydrate-rich delight. Cookies, frosting, frothy coffee, chips, dip, ice cream. It was amazing how much better she felt as she bit into them. However, by the third bite or so, the pleasure faded. Nevertheless, she finished eating them, anyway.

Over and over, every day. Desperately seeking relief via food pleasure.

By the time she finished the treat she’d been devouring, the pleasure was gone, and her emotions sank, along with her energy.

One day, she checked her email, and there was one seeking applicants for an “overeaters” club. While that certainly didn’t apply to her( or so she thought), she wondered if making friends at such a club might allow her to meet people who had ideas about her low energy, irritability, agitation, and feelings of futility – that seemed to be her constant companions.

So she read the entire email and found some links at the bottom. One of them caught her attention.

Your dysfunctional metabolism may be causing your depression which may be caused by your dysfunctional metabolism. What??

What’s metabolism got to do with depression? She clicked on the link out of pure curiosity, and discovered it was an article that connected depression, anxiety, agitation, and feelings of futility with your metabolism, and how you can treat those symptoms with certain types of foods, exercise and movement, social relationships, and maybe even meditation.

It seemed to imply that craving and eating sugary foods could be a sign of sugar addiction, and that could cause mental health symptoms. Shocking...

She read on.

What is this? Some sort of hype…? She wondered. Some sort of woo woo group?

As Jenni kept reading, she learned that current neuropsychiatric research and practice provided evidence that the kinds of symptoms that were plaguing her were connected to metabolic dysfunction.

Inflammation Can Cause Psychiatric Symptoms

She learned that metabolic disease often included inflammation, and inflammation is often involved in psychiatric symptoms. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, rage, irritability, agitation… these are often associated with inflammation. The worse the inflammation, the more intense the symptoms.

And this inflammation can be linked with ultra processed foods… and sugar. She read that when your metabolism is out of whack, you tend to crave sugar and carbohydrate-heavy foods.

Because – and this was a surprise – sugar is actually not needed for your health or survival. Who knew?? That, in fact, your natural digestion takes healthy foods like protein and turns them into the glucose (biological sugar) your body needs. So when you consume refined sugar – the white stuff – it’s always in excess of what you need. And it’s addictive. That’s why they call it sugar addiction, and it has consequences to your mental health.

Feeding the Monster: Sugar Addiction and Mental Health

Unfortunately, when you eat it, you want more. It triggers your pleasure center in your brain, which makes you want even more. But the more of it you eat, the less pleasure you experience…so you want to eat more to experience that pleasure again… And more. And then… well, after you stop eating it, you can start to feel withdrawals, so you want more still to make that feeling go away and the pleasure to return.

The trouble is, eating sugar and other ultra processed foods like hot dogs, potato chips, frozen pizza, candy, cake, donuts, and ice cream, feeds the sugar addiction, and you don’t get the nutrients your brain needs to function properly. These foods feed the inflammation. And when your brain is inflamed, it doesn’t get sore like an inflamed throat gets sore, or swell like an inflamed sprained ankle.

Instead, it malfunctions with symptoms like agitation, depression, irritability, and anxiety… manic symptoms. Even psychosis. Maybe your moods change rapidly. Maybe your memory isn’t so good anymore. Or maybe you develop an eating disorder. Those brain cells can’t function like they’re supposed to.

And to get better, it’s vital that you eat very small amounts of carbohydrates.

We’ve all done it—many of us grew up eating ultra processed foods, full of unhealthy seed oils, high sugar and lots of carbs. But feeding you body and brain that way over time means your metabolism suffers, and your become malnourished because your food is not nourishing. Even though you may appear obese on the outside, inside your cells are starving. They need the vitamins and minerals you get from whole foods like vegetables, omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish like salmon and avocados, healthy and nutrient-dense animal fats, flavonoids from onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese… These are foods that feed your cells. Eating these foods, and removing ultra processed foods from your diet, as well as excessive carbohydrates, is using food as medicine. In fact, the right food IS medicine.

At the bottom of the page was listed a doctor whose practice focused on Metabolic Psychiatry. It’s metabolic medicine geared specifically to restore mental health.

Jenni slept on it. Then, in the morning as her sugar cravings began to crowd in again, she called that doctor and made an appointment.

The doctor discussed metabolic dysfunction, how damaging too much carbohydrates and refined sugar can be, and explained the approach she uses, a wrap-around program with all kinds of opportunities to build knowledge, support and success.

Jenni learned more about the symptoms that had plagued her, about the sugar addiction and how it was sabotaging her body and her brain. And her emotional stability!

Touchpoints 180™

She was excited by the sophisticated work-up, the digital tools, the in-person connections and the personalization of it all. This wasn’t a one- size-fits-all handout, or a conveyor belt approach with nameless people behind a great logo. And starting wasn’t nearly as hard as she had feared. The rich and healthy foods that were prescribed for her were so satisfying that her cravings for sugar started to slip away.

Although there were moments over the coming weeks when she wistfully thought about those foods she was no longer eating, something had changed. She didn’t want them anymore, didn’t go out driving around to find them, and she realized she wasn’t eating something just to eat it.

Her brain felt different. Her thinking was different.

So this is what it’s like to take food as medicine. She liked it!

It Wasn’t Long Before She Felt the Improvement

Most importantly, she was feeling better and better. Feeling more upbeat, less reactive, and more and more with a sense of just…well-being.

And it just kept improving… Meanwhile, in the next several weeks she noticed her pants waist fitting more loosely… then her top began to hang from her shoulders. Her belly was shrinking! She started wearing clothes she used to wear that were a size smaller; then in 3 months, 2 sizes smaller. Wow oh wow!

From what she’d learned and more importantly, what she saw and felt, her body was metabolizing her fat, and she was losing weight without feeling hungry or tired. What a reward!

With all she’d learned about her metabolism and her health, she had no intention of returning to her old dysfunctional way of living (and eating). This was easy. She felt content. Less and less volatile. More at peace.

Jenni had found freedom in her body from her sugar addiction, and especially a bright outlook and mental clarity. The symptoms of agitation, futility, and hopelessness all quietly subsided.

She found she had patience when she would have exploded before. Her confidence in her ability to manage her life bloomed.

Are you struggling with your weight… and maybe an unrelenting addiction to sugar?

Do you have symptoms of Type 2 diabetes or other metabolic illness along with psychiatric symptoms?

If you struggle with brain fog, irritability, agitation, hallucinations, depression…and nothing you’ve done has helped, call us. We’re breaking new ground.

Come and join us in using a new and healthy approach, Ketogenic Psychiatry, Touchpoints 180™, and see what evaluation, guidance, and support can do to transform your life, your health, and your joy as you move forward in your best life.

To the restoration of your best self,

January 22, 2024
Holiday Depression and Suicidal Thoughts at the New Year

Everyone seemed happy, excited, hopeful. Ryan sighed, looking at his feet. It had been a difficult year. His surgical practice had been slow to recover following the pandemic. Countless problems with his staff, endless conflicts, and reduced income. His wife of eight years had died from complications related to COVID and asthma 2 years ago. He felt listless – and didn’t know if it was grief or depression, but overwhelm threatened to suffocate him. He couldn’t feel. His normal, characteristic appetite for fun and humor had disappeared. And time was passing, but he didn’t seem to be getting any better. In fact, he honestly seemed to be getting worse. And worse. Over the last 2 years he’d tried medications and various treatments, but his despair hadn’t budged. He’d never experienced anything like this. And he didn’t know how he could face another year of this depression and suicidal thoughts.

Friends Try to Help, But Their Help Misses Its Mark

Paul, his best friend for 17 years, tried to help by reminding him of all he had to be thankful for. It didn’t help. His wife would talk about all the things they used to do, and the hilarious scrapes he and Paul would get into. Like the time they dressed up a cadaver in black tie and stood it behind the lectern at the front of the pathology class. The raised eyebrow of the professor when he walked in.

Or the time they placed field mice in the beds in the girls’ dorm at summer camp. There had been endless shenanigans in those days.

But now, everything had changed. This dark, vacant abyss.

Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

He missed his wife terribly. They’d been a formidable team. They’d talked about everything, and putting their heads together had usually resulted in outstanding, breakthrough solutions. He felt isolated now. And overwhelmed at trying to build his practice — and his life — again.

But there was more to this than grief.

Ryan’s mother had died 6 years ago. He had grieved deeply, but grieving took place inside him while he lived his life. It hadn’t robbed him of the capacity to function like this. His doctors called this depression, but he’d had no idea depression could scoop out his very sense of humanity like this, leaving nothing but a black hole … a shell.

Ryan couldn’t help but feel he was a drain, a drag… a burden… on his sons. His depression and suicidal thoughts had to be hard for them to be around. He thought about what a relief it would be for them if he didn’t exist anymore. He contributed little or nothing to their lives these last couple years. And with all he had tried to do to get better, nothing changed.

He began to withdraw into himself and ruminate about how he might speed up his demise. And more and more he considered making it happen before New Year’s Eve.

Paul contacted him often, just to let him know he was there…and that he cared. To communicate to Ryan that he was so valuable, so needed, so appreciated. But Ryan couldn’t really absorb his friend’s intent.

Ryan felt helpless. Hopeless. With waves of despair and futility.

Life Seemed to Be Ending

He couldn’t picture life without this gaping, numb emptiness. He couldn’t form a picture of life like it used to be.

This flat, lackluster existence. Ryan knew he wasn’t “right.” He’d known it for a long time. Maybe this state of being had snuck up on him, and he didn’t recognize it at first. But, as time dragged on, he realized the light was gone and had been for awhile. What was left were depression and suicidal thoughts.

He used to enjoy basketball in the driveway, or dancing with his wife at concerts in the park. But now, he didn’t enjoy anything. He didn’t enjoy, period. Nothingness.

Paul read everything he could find to learn more about how to help someone with severe depression. He learned that trying to cheer him up didn’t help. It just communicated his inadequacy because Ryan was unable to enjoy anything. And it would likely make him feel even more isolated and misunderstood.

So Paul learned to stop doing that. He practiced just listening to Ryan, if he had an urge to talk. To communicate to him that he loved him and their friendship no matter what form it took. That Ryan didn’t need to perform.

He also read that he should not be afraid to mention suicidal thinking. That when someone is as depressed as Ryan was, thoughts of suicide were likely already going through his mind. So to shine a light on them, and to explore whether Ryan has considered various methods or has potential weapons in his possession, could actually be life saving.

So… He Did.

“Ryan, do you ever think about stopping your pain by ending your life?”

Ryan was quiet a few moments.

“Yes, depression and suicidal thoughts go through my mind every day. It occurs to me that the boys would be so much better off if they weren’t weighed down by my inertia. My gloom. The boys could go places, have fun.”

Paul listened.

“I try to tell myself that I wouldn’t want to die if I was going to get better at some point. But then, that seems so unlikely. And I wouldn’t want to live out my life like this.”

Paul took a breath.

“Ryan, I can’t know what you’re experiencing. I just can’t. But I can know what I’m experiencing…and by extension, I can guess what the boys may be experiencing. And that is how much we all love you. We love who you are. Right now. We would NOT be better off – or free to have fun – if you were gone. We’d be lost. Grief stricken. Never the same again.”

Ryan looked at Paul.

“I mean it, man. You don’t have to perform or entertain us to serve some purpose in our lives. We love YOU. And we’re going to stand by you, embrace your presence, no matter what.

Something Better than Just Another Pill

“I also want to tell you about something significant I’ve learned about. Have your doctors suggested IV ketamine treatment?”

“No.”

“It’s becoming a pretty widespread treatment now, though it was more controversial 8 or 9 years ago. Ketamine is an anesthesia medicine that’s been used safely for the last 50 years or so. But now, it’s often used off-label to treat depression and other psychiatric conditions. Plus, it can stop suicidal thoughts in a few hours. By stopping those thoughts, it can give you the freedom to work on getting better.”

“I’ve tried so many things, Paul.”

“I know, man, I know. But for a lot of people, people whose treatments with other methods haven’t been effective, this is a game changer. And they say that the action of stopping suicidal thoughts is distinct and separate from its antidepressant properties. So both of those things would be working on your frame of mind. Would you like me to send you some links about it? If you decide you’re interested in exploring it, there is a prominent psychiatrist who offers this treatment a short drive away.

“When you think about how long you’ve suffered, do you think it might be worth your time to check it out? No pressure, but I thought you had a right to this information.”

“Sure…send me the link. I’ll read it.”

IV Ketamine Therapy

With the demands of work and family, Paul didn’t talk to Ryan until the following weekend.

Ryan told him he had made an appointment with this psychiatrist, and she had encouraged him to hope. “She said she had seen people who had been severely depressed for years start improving and even achieving remission with ketamine.

“She also assured me that ketamine could stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon, and had been lifesaving to lots of people.

“So I started my first infusion on Tuesday, then received another on Thursday. I can’t say I actually feel better at this point, but the suicidal thoughts have stopped. That in itself is an improvement.

“She also explained that ketamine does a variety of things around the brain. It’s an NMDA receptor antagonist, and builds a dense network of synapses as a result of the brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor, the BDNF.

It also works in the lateral habenula to improve my reward system, and can increase serotonin. So it actually targets my ability to enjoy. That’s a big factor. With our medical training, we can both see how all that supersedes what oral medications do.

“I’m watching for improvement, and the boys have their eyes peeled, too.”

“Wow! This is great news, man. Great news. Maybe we can meet for lunch after your session on Tuesday. I could pick you up and take you home afterwards. What do you think?”

“Ok, that might be nice. Thanks for the offer. I may be a little squirrelly for awhile until it wears off.”

“No worries, Ry. I’ll look forward to it.”

Symptoms Improve Dramatically

On Tuesday, after the infusion, Ryan noticed a lifting sensation. Almost a physical feeling in his chest, but somehow instinctively he knew it must be his sad emotions being lifted.

“Weird,” he thought.

At least it’s not my imagination, he mumbled.

He actually enjoyed lunch with Paul, for the first time in a couple years. That emptiness and numbness…could it be changing? It was a little easier to talk, to think of something to say. Hmmmm….

Even better, the compulsion to get off by himself and withdraw into silence…to avoid human contact… wasn’t so overwhelming.

A week later, Paul picked him up again, and they headed for lunch.

“So how are you today, Ry?”

Remission From Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

“I’m improving. It’s a subtle process, but unmistakeable. Hope is brewing. I can actually see I’m improving. Still no thoughts of ending my life. And that listless, futile feeling is dissipating.

I’m beginning to get glimpses of life without depression. I find myself thinking of something I want to get done, and I get up and do it. Honestly, I haven’t been able to do that in a looong time.

“And…I looked forward to seeing you today! How about that??” Ryan smiled a bright smile.

In all, Ryan received 10 infusions with dosages that increased incrementally each time. By that time, he was smiling and laughing. He felt relaxed and hopeful. He found he could enjoy things he used to enjoy…and over the coming weeks he felt better and better.

Ryan also discovered that he had the power to follow through with activities and responsibilities that used to be integral to his life, but that he’d not been able to manage for a long while. Ryan looked to the new year with confidence. And hope.

How Are You Doing?

The holidays can be a difficult time, and for some it’s a painful time. When the people around you are having fun, it can magnify how bad you feel… and make you feel isolated.

If you have been experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts, call us.

IV ketamine treatment can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon, and help you achieve remission from your symptoms. We’re here to help.

If you’re having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting yourself, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 now.

And a very Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

To the restoration of your best self,

New Year

January 1, 2024
Family in Crisis? Ketamine Treatment Now Can Restore Peace

Dean and Nicole stared at each other like deer in the headlights. Their kids’ behavior shocked them…again. Where was this coming from? Caden screamed at his sister, throwing a vase at her, which hit the wall and shattered. Emma, his 14 year-old sister, ran to her room, slammed the door, and locked it. Again. There was so much turmoil — and neither Dean nor Nicole had grown up in volatile households. They didn’t know what to do with all this. They’d always enjoyed a peaceful, supportive family atmosphere, till now. Well, looking back, conflict and dysfunction had slowly crept in over the past 3 years, but it was getting way out of hand. Nicole had come into Emma’s room a few weeks ago, and found her cutting her ankles… just above the hem of her jeans, where no one could see. Nicole had never seen anything like it. Several parallel lines of blood on each ankle. When she asked Emma what she was doing, Emma just shrugged. She shared the disturbing scene with Dean later that night. They were a family in crisis — and they hadn’t seen it coming.

At the same time, Caden seemed to be having more and more frequent meltdowns, without any obvious provocation.

He was deeply depressed when he was 13, and now it seemed he was going into depression again. But these volatile outbursts from time to time didn’t fit a pattern they understood. Clearly, their family was in crisis, and they didn’t know what to do about it.

Different Symptoms in Different Family Members

They had always had a healthy structure in their family, and their 12 year-old daughter Ashley had responded well to it, excelling at school, making friends, and enjoying outings with them. But as Caden and Emma each hit puberty, their emotions seemed to swing more and more out of control.

Caden pushed against boundaries, sometimes broke curfew, and was not that willing to follow through on his responsibilities. They tried a variety of consequences in search for a more effective method, but grounding him didn’t change his behavior much.

Sometimes he did productive things, like experiment with recipes, tinker in the garage with woodworking — but other times he just lay in bed and slept long hours when he was too depressed to be creative.

And once he was no longer grounded, he was back to his same old habits.

Emma, on the other hand, caused possibly even more concern. She seemed to withdraw into herself, with very little to say most of the time, or closed up in her room.

Oh, she complied with rules… like making her bed, dusting the living room, and helping with the dishes. But she was listless, emotionally flat. And kept to herself.

She’d been a lively child, full of fun and energy. When she’d walked into a room, it was as if sunshine had come with her. But now she only wore dark colors. She chose her words carefully. And she avoided bathing. Her hair looked dirty. Emma’s and Caden’s struggles put the whole family in crisis.

It Was As If She Was Mourning…

After years of working so hard to help all three of her kids cope with life, Nicole began to succumb to a slump. The daily strain of almost willing Emma and Caden to get up each morning and face school, making sure they ate, driving them to school and pushing them to screw up their courage and get out of the car to walk into school…making sure they did their homework in the afternoons, asking them to just pick up or help with the dishes…on and on and on.
It was exhausting.

Always trying to help Ashley feel supported in the midst of the turmoil with Caden and Emma wasn’t easy, but Nicole was determined to try to protect Ashley from it all— she didn’t want her damaged by what she was seeing at home.

Mom Grows More Drained and Exhausted

Nicole became more and more weary, with each passing month, but she forged on.

Until Caden’s frequent meltdowns took such a toll on her. Now, she was having trouble snapping back.

Tragedy Strikes

Then, a terrifying turn of events became almost too much.

As Nicole stopped in each of the kids’ rooms before she and Dean went to bed, she discovered an empty bottle of sleep aid pills and a partial glass of water beside Emma’s bed. She tried to wake Emma, but she didn’t respond.

She called 911 then shouted to her husband. Emma was limp as Dean kept trying to pick her up, shake her, and shout to make Emma hear him. Soon, Caden and Ashley ran into the room.

After following the ambulance to the hospital, waiting for Emma’s stomach to be pumped, hoping beyond hope that she would recover, and crying together for Emma’s apparent despair, a doctor came to talk to them.

He asked if this had happened before and they assured him it had not. Then he asked if they knew she was cutting herself. Nicole expressed she had just discovered it a couple weeks ago. “Do you think the cutting is connected to her taking the pills tonight?” Dean asked.

“Yes, I think it may be. It’s hospital policy to admit patients for 72 hours who have attempted suicide, then to re-evaluate. So we’re going to admit her once she’s alert and stable.

“Have you seen any psychiatric symptoms in any other members of your family? Possibly behavioral problems, or depression, or severe anxiety?”

Psychiatric Illness Sometimes Runs in Families

Dean and Nicole looked at each other, realizing they had, but they hadn’t grasped what was going on.

“Yes I think so. Our son has had really volatile episodes periodically, and they’re getting to be more common. We try to help and to tighten his structure, but it doesn’t seem to do much to change things with him.

It’s all been a lot to manage for a few years, and I’ve been feeling more and more down. Discouraged. Somewhat hopeless.”

The doctor listened intently. Then, he pulled a writing pad out of his pocket and wrote down a website, then handed Nicole the slip of paper.

Family in Crisis

He said, “It sounds like your family is in a time of crisis. You need support. This is a great psychiatrist not too far from here. She uses advanced treatments for depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar depression, and suicidal thinking. Check out her website and see what you think. The treatment she offers might be a real help to your family.”

Dean and Nicole thanked him. They were stunned by all that had happened. Certainly, they tried to let all he said soak in. They decided, once Emma was out of the woods, to go home and look up this website and see what they could learn.

After Emma was awake, they spent a few minutes with her. She was sheepish, but they reassured her of their love and how glad they were that she had survived… so grateful they’d found her in time. They also assured her they wanted to do whatever was needed help her feel better about herself and her life.

Once they were home, they looked at the website recommended by the emergency doctor. Quickly, they both began exploring and reading. They read about depression and anxiety, how they could be caused by extreme stress, and novel advanced treatments for them. They also learned about bipolar depression, PTSD, OCD, and suicidal thinking.

There was a lot of information about ketamine therapy, and how much it helped. They could see that they were in no position to diagnose their family members, but they read enough to realize there were reasons for Caden’s and Emma’s behaviors, and there were treatments that could help.

In fact, they learned that Nicole was possibly getting depressed herself, from all the stress of her children’s problems and their family crises, and ketamine treatment could help her, too.

Hope Through Ketamine Therapy

As soon as Emma was out of the hospital, they made an appointment as a family to meet with this doctor. She diagnosed Emma with severe major depressive disorder, Caden with bipolar disorder, and agreed with Nicole that she was depressed, and ketamine could help. A lot.

The doctor also explained what ketamine therapy could do for suicidal thinking, and that many times it can stop those thoughts in an afternoon. In fact, this doctor had published a paper on her own data with patients in her practice.

They made appointments to begin infusions for Caden’s bipolar depression, for Emma’s depression and suicidal thoughts, and Nicole’s depression, too.

By the time Emma went for her second infusion, the suicidal thoughts had stopped.

So that crisis was averted. But she continued the infusions, twice a week for 5 more weeks, and her depression symptoms lifted more and more. She was feeling hope and resilience by the 10th infusion, and continued to improve in the weeks that followed.

Caden’s depression was lifting by the 5th infusion, and he was dramatically improved by the 9th. His behavior problems got much better over the following months. His hope, his self-respect, and his joy also improved greatly.

Of course, with the improvement in Caden and Emma, Nicole felt like the weight of the world had lifted from her shoulders, but her ketamine treatment relieved her stress and despair. She had a new spring in her step and new hope for herself and her family… and energy for life after she received 8 infusions in all.

A Reset in This Family’s Life

Three months later, Dean and Nicole agreed they couldn’t have imagined the improvement in their family that was ahead when they’d been so alarmed and stressed out. What a relief! The kids were getting along again, and the loving atmosphere they used to share seemed to be returning. Their family seemed to be past that horrific crisis, finally.

Of course, every family has its challenges, but they had seen enough hard and frightening times to know to appreciate these better days their family was enjoying.

In the following months, Emma needed a booster when her outlook began to sink again. But after that, her hope returned. Her parents were just so thankful there was something they could do to help her stability. And her joy.

She began to shop for new colorful clothes, cute sandals, and natural makeup. And she began to make new friends.

Psychiatric Disorders Often Run in Families

How is your family? When more than one family member is suffering, the pain and chaos can quadruple for everyone. If your family is in crisis, ketamine treatment can offer hope, peace, and resilience.

If you have a family member who has symptoms like Emma, Caden, or Nicole, call us.

The people you love can live rewarding and hopeful lives, and so can you.

It’s for families like yours that we get up every morning.

We want to help.

To the restoration of your best self,

November 27, 2023
Has Shattered Trust Caused PTSD? Find Your Joy and Hope Now

Kevin recoiled. He put his hand on the wall to steady himself. His business partner of 11 years, Max, informed him that he’d invited a new profit-sharing partner, William, into the business because he had so many fresh ideas. Trouble was, Max hadn’t discussed it with him! Kevin felt shocked, betrayed, and deeply hurt. Ever since Kevin had been on a business trip out of state, Max and William had been meeting and texting without Kevin’s knowledge. He and Max had started this thing with nothing, but over the last 11 years, built a 15 million dollar business supporting security software in Fortune 500 companies. They had hired and trained a team of 22 IT specialists, who traveled around North America wherever they were needed. They had been Best Man at each other’s wedding. Kevin and Max were super close friends — as well as business partners. Shattered trust splintered their friendship, then it got worse.

A Fox in the Hen House

William was one of the specialists they had hired, but he did stand apart in his own right. He was creative and gregarious, and loved to network with IT guys at gatherings that drew a variety of enterprises. He was a magnet. And he’d made connections that led to more work, which added to his value as a contractor.

But he was also ambitious, pushy, and self-seeking. He repeatedly pressured Max to make him a partner, because he “deserved” to be a partner and to share in company profits since he had contributed by bringing large contracts.

Kevin could see the logic, but he had already learned that William was not loyal, except to himself. And by bringing him in as partner, he knew William would find ways to undercut their company… even stab Kevin in the back.

Still, the greatest loss Kevin felt was the loss of loyalty from his long time friend, Max and — after all they’d been through together — that Max betrayed their partnership and friendship.

Their entire partnership had been built on trust. They had built the company on their shared sweat and struggle. This business was their baby, and they had leaned on each other, often working through the night together, to make it strong. Kevin’s trust in Max was shattered.

It had been fun, but suddenly, the fun drained out of it like water out of a broken cup.

As weeks and months ran on, Kevin found it increasingly difficult to do the work he was so good at. Max brought his gifted public relations talent to their team, and had only adequate IT skills. Kevin was the technical genius, providing the know-how and support the specialists needed when they ran into difficulties with their own on-site assignments.

He was the problem-solver for everyone, including Max. But he was an introvert, and far less adept at networking and building profitable new alliances at conferences. (You know how that goes…. but between the two of them, he and Max were a dynamite pair.)

Betrayal Magnified

Then, William came along and drove a wedge between them, exploiting their small, young company to fill his own coffers, no matter whom he hurt. He wanted to be a CEO. No matter what it took, and no matter what it cost.

Within 4 months, Max and William had withdrawn all their investments in the company and started a new enterprise of their own.

Taking the best specialist contractors with them, the company Kevin loved had been gutted. Robbed.

The rage and hurt that billowed inside Kevin was suffocating. It festered for a year… it made him sick …then a dark cloud took over Kevin’s mind. A terrible ache in his chest never relented. He lost his drive to keep fighting for the survival of his business. His shattered trust was destroying his life.

His creativity that had underpinned everything for 11 years seemed to go silent. He felt ignorant. Useless. Inept. Helpless.

If he ran into Max or William at a conference or gathering, he’d break out in a sweat, his breathing rapid, and just quake. Immediately, he needed to escape and would walk out and head for his hotel room.

Then, as cruelty heaped on itself, he was engulfed in shame for his cowardice.

Finally, A Talk with His Wife

He didn’t know what was wrong with him. Why couldn’t he just walk up to them and greet them and move on? Why did he feel so helpless and panicked?

Finally, he opened up to his wife, Krystal, and confessed his behavior to her, and the shame he felt. She was so relieved he finally included her in his pain. Since the whole nightmare of Max and William had begun, her husband had been shut down, unwilling or unable to talk. Just stuck.

She had grieved for him, for all the hard work and dreams that were crushed for him, and especially the shattered trust. It was as though when Kevin’s trust in Max was broken, he was afraid to trust anyone…even her.

Together, they started googling for help…answers to their questions about the misery Kevin was experiencing. They read about broken trust, and how a severe unexpected assault, even one that wasn’t physical — but rather emotional and relational — could cause a condition like PTSD.

That such an assault can be a form of trauma that causes psychological damage. They even learned that seeing Max and William triggered the trauma all over again. His sickening feelings, his reaction to seeing Max and William, was a common reaction to deep trauma, an effort to avoid further trauma.

Thinking about it that way gave Kevin some relief. It relieved some of his shame. His sense of failure.

He knew all this had shocked him and hurt him deeply.

But, he beat himself up that he couldn’t seem to go on as if nothing had happened.

The more shame he poured on himself, the more withdrawn he became. The darker his thoughts grew, the more anxiety he felt around people.

IV Ketamine Helps

So they googled “PTSD treatment” and “anxiety treatment” and found a consistent pop was IV ketamine treatment.

Hmmmm.

Maybe they should at least look into that.

Instinctively, they had no intention of diving into some mysterious treatment without the advice of a doctor. But, Kevin and Krystal were healthy and young, and hadn’t felt the need for doctors at this point in their lives. So, they’d have to find one who could help.

In the search results, they found a psychiatry practice not too far from them, where IV ketamine treatment was one of the treatments offered for depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among other conditions.

It seemed like a good place to start, so they called for an appointment.

The psychiatrist identified symptoms of depression and anxiety. After discussing what had happened, and his reaction to it, she confirmed that Kevin was suffering from his response to trauma, and that IV ketamine treatment could be very helpful for him.

Remission is the Goal

Kevin started treatment right away, and continued twice a week. The doctor explained that the dosage was titrated with each infusion to find a therapeutic dose for him that would bring optimum results.

She said, “When we give IV ketamine, our goal is remission from your symptoms. We don’t always achieve that, but we do everything we can through dosage, rate, and frequency, with that goal in mind. Remember though, that ketamine isn’t for everyone. Some people just don’t get the benefits so many others do. But for those who respond to it, ketamine treatment can bring joy and hope as well as remission.”

She was honest. Real. Knew her stuff.

In Kevin’s case, he began to experience relief that was vague — but undeniable — after the 3rd infusion. From that point on, each infusion seemed to reduce that “frozen-with-fear” feeling. Then after the fifth, a faint sense of hope began to emerge inside him.

After the 7th, he laughed for the first time in well over a year. He finished with the 8th infusion, and decided with the doctor he’d see how things went for a few weeks.

As it turned out, he went for a booster a month later, because the frozen feeling seemed to be returning. And again a month after that.

Healing Begins

Then, over the following weeks, he continued to feel more and more relaxed and confident. He and Krystal talked often about his grief from losing his friend, Max. The more they talked, the more he was able to let go of his bitterness and pain.

Ironically, he got a call from Max about that time. Max apologized for his actions, and told him he deeply regretted what he’d done to Kevin. He told him he missed his friendship terribly, and wished they could try to rebuild it.

Kevin told him he appreciated his call, and it helped to know that Max regretted his actions. It also helped to know he actually did value their friendship. He wished Max well, but explained that he didn’t know how to rebuild the trust they had. That it seemed pretty impossible.

Kevin and Max never spoke again, but Kevin was so glad they had talked. It helped to heal the wounds from the shattered trust, to some degree. And he was especially glad he and Krystal had found out about ketamine treatment. It had given Kevin a new start. Fast. Without wasting any more time.

Have you experienced trauma, and feel like a prisoner to depression, anxiety…maybe PTSD?

IV ketamine treatment can be transformative by restoring connections between brain cells that have been pruned and damaged by stress and trauma. By working in the lateral habenula, it can repair your ability to feel reward.

If you can identify with the kind of trauma Kevin experienced from shattered trust — in business, in relationships, or just in life — call us.

You can live again, embrace life and challenges again, and ketamine treatment just may be the help you need to embark on that road.

We’re here to help.

To the restoration of your best self,

October 2, 2023
Diet for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? Get Better with a Ketogenic Diet

Danielle and Zach had been married 6 years. They hadn’t wanted to have children right away, and decided to start their family 4 years ago. But as time went on without getting pregnant, they began to worry that something was interfering with conception. It had reached the point for Danielle that each time her menstrual cycle began, she felt sadness, loss, disappointment, and a growing hopelessness. They finally decided they needed to make an appointment with a fertility specialist. They wondered what could be wrong, and if there was anything more they could do on their own to conceive. Danielle secretly wondered if PCOS might be the problem, and if there was a special treatment or diet for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Fertility Specialist Solves the Mystery

After a thorough examination, the specialist told them that Danielle did, after all, have polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. (Danielle had read about this in a magazine at the doctor’s office.) The doctor explained it was the most common endocrine/metabolic disease in women. Apparently, her ovaries were producing excessive amounts of androgens, which are male sex hormones. These hormones are commonly found in women in very small amounts, but the elevated levels they saw in Danielle were interfering with her ovulation.

She explained that sometimes a woman’s body isn’t making enough of the hormones she needs to ovulate, which is to release a mature egg from her ovary. When she doesn’t ovulate, the ovary can develop small cysts. And these cysts make the androgens, causing the androgen levels to increase higher and higher.

So what happens with high androgen levels? Well … things like infertility, missed or extremely light periods, excessive hair growth on the chest, stomach, and back, weight gain in her belly and trunk, acne, and hair thinning like male pattern baldness, to name a few.

Danielle had been sad for a long time. She also struggled with tension about getting with friends, meeting new people, and fears of bad things happening. She’d never been like this before, but her reluctance to get out and about, to have fun and socialize, was becoming a bigger and bigger problem.

Sometimes Zach didn’t recognize her.

The doctor sent them home with printed information. So Danielle and Zach got on their laptops. They read about PCOS, and learned about the changes it can cause.

They continued to wonder if there was anything she could actually do — instead of medication — maybe a diet for polycystic ovary syndrome or lifestyle changes that Danielle should consider? They read a scientific article that described many of Danielle’s symptoms, but focused on depression, anxiety, and weight gain, in addition to infertility.

Not what she wanted to hear.

She was also frustrated with her oily skin and new acne that was breaking out on her face and shoulders. She hadn’t had problems with her skin since she graduated from high school!

But wow — as they began to understand depression and anxiety, she realized she was struggling with those symptoms, too. She just didn’t want to see herself that way. Neither of them had ever had these symptoms before, so this was new ground. And she had been gaining weight in the last year.

The more Danielle learned, the worse she felt about herself. Her body was the obstacle to their starting the family they both wanted so much. She also was ashamed of the way she looked.

They read more articles that described how PCOS seemed to be linked to shorter life spans, because of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, cancer in the uterus, and cardiovascular disease.

So the pressing question rose in their minds: How could they get this under control?? She felt like PCOS was out to destroy her.

They read about medications that might help … and the risks that accompanied those medications. Danielle and Zach had a lot of talking ahead of them.

What To Do?

Zach had been watching his wife’s health and outlook deteriorate over the last year and a half. He was deeply concerned, but felt at a loss to help. However, all this information they’d discovered made him feel they were on a path of discovery to find out what they could do about it.

Knowledge is power, right?

They searched together for treatment options, and learned about medications for Type 2 diabetes, medications to prevent the hair growth and acne, medications to help Danielle ovulate, medications for depression and anxiety, and on and on.

They both found the idea of taking so many medications unsettling, especially if they were able to find a way to conceive. So they kept reading.

One Saturday morning, as they sipped coffee, they were reading more articles, and came across an article by Michael Monostra about seven studies that analyzed the use of a ketogenic diet for polycystic ovary syndrome. The article referred to this specialized diet as an intervention, rather than a means of losing weight in the traditional sense.

Ketogenic Diet as a Treatment

It turned out that in these studies, women participated in this nutritional intervention for at least 6 weeks, and as a result their reproductive hormone levels improved considerably.

They read that the ratio of luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is normally around 1:2, but in women with PCOS it’s higher, around 2:3. This high LH needs to be brought down to balance with the FSH to reduce the symptoms and the infertility of PCOS.

These studies found that the dietary intervention of a ketogenic diet for polycystic ovary syndrome, actually did just that. What? And as a bonus, the women also lost weight. Because a ketogenic diet uses “good fats” to generate energy in cells, body fat is broken down, ketones are generated, and weight loss happens. The ketogenic diet consists of very low carbohydrates, so weight gain slows way down.

And because this results in a balance between LH and FSH, the body can once again ovulate.

Hope began to grow, and Danielle and Zach searched for a way to have medical supervision, and to get help for her depression and anxiety. They found a psychiatry practice that offered Ketogenic Psychiatry.

Hmmmm. Now that’s interesting…

So they checked out the website of that practice, and learned they offered a whole program for using a ketogenic intervention and lifestyle changes for psychiatric and metabolic conditions. There was a dietitian and a whole team who played an integral role in patient treatment. It seemed that this program could possibly help Danielle in multiple ways.

From what they read, a ketogenic diet was not just for PCOS, but was proven to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as eating disorders, cardiovascular symptoms, Type 2 diabetes… even dementia. It was all about making the cells more healthy and resilient by fueling them with ketones.

Zach and Danielle decided to visit the practice together. They search had an individual evaluation—3 different appointments, lots of labwork, body composition testing… it was fascinating. They each got their own personalized treatment. And they loved the face that the doctor and the team joined them on taking walks in nature, meeting new friends on the same journey. Slowly they started to upgrade their food choices.

They discovered they loved eating nutrient-dense healthy food instead of the sugar filled sweets and high carb bread and potatoes they had always relied on. And the processed foods like hot dogs, lunch meat, breakfast cereals, and packaged muffins.

But they never looked back.

Avocados, eggs, cheeses, cream sauces, salmon, scallops, trout, bacon, steak, fresh mushrooms, colorful vegetables, and so many other delicious foods made up their meals. Eating had become a treat.

But more enjoyable was what happened to them. Within several weeks, the brain fog they both had experienced for so long, seemed to just lift. They both had a clarity they’d never really had before.

They wouldn’t have believed it.

Their energy for engaging in life, facing challenges, growing together as a couple, and feeling hope for the future began to permeate their minds and hearts.

Hope Was Growing

Then, it happened. Five months after starting the ketogenic program, Danielle seemed to missed her period. She was worried that the PCOS was causing her menstruation to stop so she went to the gynecologist.

After an examination and checking her urine sample, the doctor came back in her exam room beaming.

“Danielle,” she said. “You’re pregnant!”

“Are you sure?? I have PCOS!”

“Yes, I’m sure. You’re about 6 weeks along. Are you still participating in that ketogenic program?”

“Yes, Zach and I both are. It’s helped us so much, we don’t plan to ever stop. It’s become a lifestyle. We’re both so much healthier and happier. And now we’re going to be a family!!”

“I’m beyond happy for you both. I’m going to contact the author of that article you gave me about PCOS and ketogenic interventions and learn more. This may be a real breakthrough for other women like you. Please make a prenatal appointment for 4 weeks on your way out. And congratulations!!”

Danielle’s feet didn’t touch the ground as she walked to the appointment desk. She couldn’t wait to tell Zach. As soon as she got to the car, she called him.

“Hi Daddy… “

“Huh..? What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. You’re a daddy. I’m 6 weeks pregnant!!!!!”

Zach dropped the phone. She heard all the clunking clatter as he tried to retrieve it.

“Are you serious???””

“YES!!!”

“I love you, Momma!!!”

“Get off work as soon as you can. I’ll see you at home!”

Thirty five weeks later, Danielle and Zach welcomed a beautiful 7lb. baby girl. For the next several weeks they were sleep-deprived, but phenomenally happy. Then, three and a half years after that, they welcomed an energetic 8 lb. baby boy.

The symptoms of anxiety, depression, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, acne, and hair growth on her body had all long subsided. She felt resilient, confident, energetic and hopeful about her life and her family. Danielle could never have imagined a diet for polycystic ovary syndrome could have transformed their lives like it had.

She and Zach had found metabolic balance and were vibrant. They relished their family life with exuberance. And they determined to bring up their children with healthy real foods that give their bodies the best foundation for health.

Consider what Ketogenic Treatment Can Do For You

What about you? Have you noticed how much can go wrong when your metabolism isn’t functioning at its optimum best? Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, brain fog… maybe insulin resistance causing weight gain? Do you have symptoms like Danielle did, or a diagnosis of PCOS?

It’s no less than remarkable what a ketogenic nutritional intervention can do to set your health on solid ground.

If you can relate to any or all of Danielle’s symptoms, and you’re overwhelmed about what to do, call us.

Our Touchpoints 180™ program includes a customized plan by our registered dietitian with real food that you like, nature walks for exercise, relaxation, and fresh air, videos to show you how to prepare simple meals for your ketogenic diet, and lots of support.

We want you to enjoy optimum health, relief from symptoms, and the joys of a clear, bright outlook. Let us help.

To the restoration of your best self,

September 11, 2023
Is Self Harm Tormenting Your Teen? Ketamine Can Help!

Kinsey recoiled when her mom screamed, “If you don’t cooperate I’m going to kill myself! Do you want that on your conscience??” The security she had felt when she was younger, with both parents making her world safe, seemed to be disintegrating. She felt guilty, confused, and terrified. She trusted her parents, but her mom was saying more and more shocking things, and Kinsey didn’t know what to think or feel. When her dad came home, they ate dinner, then from her room later she heard her parents shouting at each other. Kinsey sat in the corner in her room and pulled up her pants leg and slowly applied her Swiss army knife to the skin on her ankle…slowly but surely breaking the skin and making a tiny line of blood alongside the scars left from other times like this. Somehow as her skin stung from the cut, she began to feel some relief from the anguish. Self harm tormented Kinsey in the chaos of her family crisis.

Strangely, Cutting Helped

After awhile, she felt calmer. The angry sounds in the house became quiet. She leaned her head against the wall and let out a breath. Pulling her sock up and smoothing her pants leg down over her ankle, she got up and crept downstairs. She found her mom in the kitchen.

“Your father has become impossible to live with. I’m moving out tomorrow.”

“Oh mom, NO!!!”

“Yes, I can’t live with his self-righteous attitude another day. I need to be free to live my life.”

Kinsey’s dad didn’t seem self-righteous to her… he just seemed tired. But she trusted her mom and if she said her dad was self-righteous then maybe he was. And if he was, then maybe it was his fault that her family was falling apart. Thoughts of self harm tormented and pulled at her.

Her Parents Separate

The next morning, while she ate her breakfast, her dad sat down with her and told how sorry he was that this was happening. He assured her he didn’t want her to feel she was choosing between her parents, but this was her home, her neighborhood, and if she preferred to stay here while her mom tried to figure out what she wanted, that was her prerogative.

He told her he loved her no matter where she was and would do all he could to support her through this.

Tears filled her eyes.

When she got off the bus that afternoon and unlocked the door of her house, she discovered much of the furniture was missing.

Kinsey was stunned.

She didn’t even know where her mom had gone.

She perched on a chair in the living room and wondered what to do with herself. Then, she began to cry. She felt afraid for her mom who seemed so lost. And angry at her dad for not preventing this.

As was her habit at times like this, she pulled out her Swiss army knife and went to work on her ankle. There were now rows of scars from the cutting, and as she drew her finger across them, she felt a little better. Self harm tormented her as she drowned in anguish.

Moving In With Mom

A week later, her mom came by after school, told her where she had moved, and suggested they pack her belongings so she could move with her. Kinsey felt conflicted. She had grown up in this house, had friends in the neighborhood she’d known all her life. To move somewhere else sounded lonely.

But, being without her mom seemed lonely too.

Her dad was only home in the evening, and he was always tired. But he was the person who seemed to provide stability in their family. Even so, her mom had always nurtured her, in spite of her problems. And the thought of being without that left her feeling bereft and isolated…something like a life boat floating alone in the ocean. Thoughts of self harm tormented and nagged at her.

So she filled her suitcase with clothes and her favorite items, along with her toothbrush, and loaded it into her mom’s car.

Her anger toward her dad grew for letting this happen. And her need to stay near her mom to protect her became more intense.

That night her dad called. He reminded her that he loved her, and missed her already. But he wanted her to do what she felt she needed to do. And invited her to come home for dinner on Friday night.

As the week dragged by she noticed her mom wasn’t doing well.

Mom would be asleep when she got home from school, and didn’t wake up till dinner time. She told Kinsey there was bread and cheese in the fridge and to feel free to make herself a grilled cheese sandwich.

What??

Her mom not only moved out of their home, but was also no longer cooking for her? It was like Kinsey was living in an apartment by herself, taking care of herself. To add to that, her mom was barely functioning. Urges of self harm tormented her.

At dinner on Friday she was afraid to tell her dad what was going on. The worse things got, the angrier toward him she felt.

Weeks went by like this, and Kinsey felt herself sinking into a darker and darker place. Her life seemed so absurd, and her motivation to do well in her 8th grade classes began to fade. She clashed often with her mom, confronting her about her own responsibility, and her mom lashed back…often threatening suicide if Kinsey didn’t support her.

After these confrontations and her mom’s responses, Kinsey felt like she would explode. Sometimes she would slap herself and beat her fists against her head, unable to cope with the anguish she felt. And there was just nowhere to turn for help. Self harm tormented her to find her knife.

No one knew.

Kinsey Withdraws

Over the next few months, Kinsey and her dad went out for dinner once a week, and he’d try to encourage her to talk about her life, her school, her friends. She said very little, aside from frequent jabs at him for letting their family fall apart.

He tried to help her see that he hated all this, but did not have the power to control her mom’s behavior. He hinted that her mom had a disorder but was not willing to get treatment. So far…

That just made Kinsey angrier.

Finally, six months after her parents’ separation, he invited Kinsey to a long weekend trip at the beach. Kinsey loved the beach, the ocean waves, and the seafood. But she didn’t want to be alone with her dad. Even so, she grudgingly agreed.

They played in the waves, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed delicious seafood meals at the specialty restaurants along the boardwalk.

After about 24 hours there, Kinsey began to relax.

Dad Helps Kinsey Explore What’s Happened

For the first time, her dad noticed that there were small parallel scars on Kinsey’s ankles. He was alarmed, but tried to not show it. As they sat in the shade, sipping lemonade freezes, her dad gently asked about the scars.

She instinctively covered her ankles with her towel, because she didn’t want Dad to see how self harm tormented her. She didn’t understand it herself.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I respect that, honey. Just know that I love you. No matter how awful all this is, nothing can change that…. The truth is, I’m hurting, too. I keep hoping we can put our family back together, and I don’t know how to do that. But meanwhile, you need to know how important you are to me, and that you’re not facing this alone.”

“Mom’s not doing well.”

“I can imagine that’s true. But do you feel safe at home?”

“I feel like I have to take care of myself and mom. I’m tired. And I have no friends. I wish life was like it used to be. Sometimes I don’t want to live anymore.”

“Kinsey, it isn’t your job to take care of Mom. You’re 14 years old — geez! —and have your hands full with school and life. You need to have the freedom to spend time with friends and have fun. The truth is, you don’t have the power to change your mom’s choices. She has to do that for herself.

“I’d like to ask you to at least think about coming back home and living with me, getting back with your friends, and letting your mom work out her own situation. It’s true that I can’t be there till dinner time, but maybe we could get help from your friends’ families for you to have company in the afternoons.

“Or maybe I could hire someone to be at the house when you come home from school, and cook dinner. We’ll figure something out so you aren’t alone. No pressure…just think about it. You deserve to be a kid.”

Kinsey looked at her hands, and nodded.

She thought about how many times when she was cutting her ankles, she thought how easy it would be to cut her wrists and escape all this.

But she’d never done it. Not yet.

They finished their lunch, then walked down the boardwalk and browsed in the shops. Kinsey bought a t-shirt and a tote bag to carry her towel and phone. She was relieved to not feel self harm tormenting her.

She felt relief at being able to do these simple things in the sunshine after all these months in a dark apartment.

Dad Offers Hope

The next morning, over breakfast, Kinsey’s dad broached the subject again.

“Honey, I did some exploring on my laptop and learned some things I didn’t know before. I learned that sometimes teens cut or hit themselves when the anguish they feel is too much to bear.

“That’s oversimplifying things, I know, but I wanted to suggest that we talk about what can be done to help you feel better.

“Honey, it wouldn’t be surprising if your life has been harder to live the last couple years due to problems at home, and mom’s symptoms getting worse, and then your mom’s and my separation.

“I can imagine it has all caused you a great deal of conflict, as well as feeling helpless. And it’s also possible that it has resulted in you becoming depressed. If that’s the case, then it’s treatable. And you can feel better. Would you be willing to see a doctor to find out if there is something that would help?”

“Dad, the idea that something can be done to help me feel more like living than wishing I could die sounds hopeful, in a way… But who knows? I have no idea.”

“Ok, I learned there’s a treatment that can do amazing things for depression. It’s called IV ketamine treatment. If it’s ok with you, I’d like to take you to the doctor to see what she says…”

Ketamine Treatment for Depression

The following Wednesday, Kinsey’s dad picked her up at school and took her to the appointment he’d made with a psychiatrist he’d found who offered ketamine treatment.

After taking a thorough history, she agreed that Kinsey suffered from major depressive disorder, and that her self-harming behaviors were linked to it. She was very hopeful that IV ketamine treatment could make a real difference.

So her dad left work early to pick her up at school twice a week, to receive these infusions.

By the third infusion, she could feel herself relaxing. She told her dad she’d like to come back to live with him, she was just worried about her mom being ok.

The idea of dying, or escaping through death, had faded away and she wasn’t thinking like that anymore.

By the fifth infusion, she began to feel hope, and a sort of brightness. In all, she received 8 infusions, and continued to feel more and more upbeat for weeks after the last one.

She embraced her school work again, and laughed with her friends. When she woke up, she sang in the shower in the morning, and walked to the bus with a spring in her step.

She finally realized she hadn’t cut herself in weeks, which was a relief when she realized it. Self harm tormented her no longer.

Kinsey also had the resilience to call her mom and talk to her, no matter how her mom reacted, and to hang up knowing her mom’s problems weren’t her fault. That’s not to say her mom’s confusion didn’t cause Kinsey to cry at times, but it was because she was sad for her, and loved her, but not because she thought it was her responsibility to save her.

In the safety of her home, with her dad’s support, Kinsey began to thrive again.

How About Your Teen?

More and more, we see teens whose life circumstances or psychiatric symptoms are so difficult, that they use self-harm to cope. It’s easy for parents to miss, because whatever harm they inflict on themselves is carefully hidden.

Parents can gently and respectfully approach their teens, check on their wellbeing, and hopefully verify whether they’ve harmed themselves through hitting, cutting, burning themselves or even breaking bones repeatedly, so they can offer hope through treatment.

If your teen can relate to Kinsey’s symptoms or circumstances, call us.

Since teens don’t have the development to cope with severe circumstances that they may have in adulthood, it’s imperative to help relieve them of emerging behaviors like self harming.

When self harm torments long enough, it can become compulsive. So early treatment is important. Ketamine treatment can be effective in stopping self-harm.

Together, let’s help them thrive again and grow into a bright future.

If you or your teen suffers from suicidal thoughts, Help is Available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline 988 now.

To the restoration of your best self,

Let us help you help them.

July 31, 2023
Is Your Teen Withdrawn, Listless, Depressed? Try IV Ketamine Now

Cherie knocked on her son Will’s door. “May I come in?” There was a brief silence, then “Sure.” She entered and found Will curled up in his bean bag chair — in the dark — with his back to the door. “How’re you doin’ honey? It’s about time you got ready for school, don’t you think?” Will responded, “I’m not going.” Cherie sighed. Here we go again, she thought. “Honey, you really have to go to school. I can tell you’re feeling awful, and I wish I knew how to help. But you have to go.” Will didn’t move. The weight of darkness on his chest was suffocating, and he couldn’t face doing anything beyond lying here, hanging on. Her teen was withdrawn, listless, depressed. “I can’t Mom. I just can’t.” After struggling with him another half hour, she left to get ready for work.

Her son was shut down, not moving.

Once she was dressed for the day ahead, she came back in his room. He hadn’t moved. She didn’t understand what was going on with him, but she instinctively knew it wasn’t rebellion. She could see he was in some sort of pain… she just didn’t know how to help.

“OK, I need to leave for work. Spend today psyching yourself up to go tomorrow. We have to find a way to get through this, whatever it is that’s going on.”

When Cherie got home from work, she went upstairs to check on Will. At this point, he was was lying in his bed, his eyes closed, the blinds darkening the room.

Cherie opened the blinds and light streamed in.

Will covered his head with his pillow.

“Mom, what are you doing?”

“Will, have you been here all day? Did you eat?”

“No.”

Cherie was exasperated. She felt like she was pushing a boulder uphill. Overwhelmed, she walked out of the room before she said something she regretted. She loved her son, and could see how he struggled, but the law said he had to attend school. What do you do when your teen is withdrawn, listless, and depressed? She felt so helpless.

Her own life was stressful enough, with a project at work that required all her wits to complete, and Will refusing to go to school felt like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

After changing clothes, she started dinner in the kitchen. Once everything was ready, she called Will.

Silence.

After two more calls for him to come to the table, she climbed the stairs to confront him. He was in the dark, in his bed.

Silence.

“Will, what are you doing? You need to eat something.”

“I’m not hungry, Mom. I don’t feel like doing anything. Please just let me be by myself.”

Cherie was becoming alarmed. She called her sister…she needed someone to talk to. This had been going on for weeks, and if anything, Will seemed to be getting worse. She wanted to force him, but he was 14 and not that easy to force.

Also, some part of herself questioned whether he could actually help this. His behavior may have looked like rebellion, but somehow she didn’t think it was. So what was it? What was going on? His room smelled bad — clearly he hadn’t showered recently. (She couldn’t remember when he last had a shower.) His hair was oily. He was just so out of it.

She called her sister, who also had a teenager. Two, in fact.

Cherie described Will’s behavior, his shut-down demeanor, his withdrawal… and the helplessness she felt. Reecie empathized.

“Adolescence is so hard, Cherie. I’m so sorry you and Will are going through this. Of my two kids, only Maddie has struggled like this. I finally took her to see a psychiatrist. Her diagnosis was major depressive disorder. They say it can run in families, so maybe it’s no surprise that he has it, too.

“You can get pretty desperate when your teen is withdrawn, listless, and depressed…even showing signs of phobias… you just feel so helpless.”

“Reecie, what did you do? Did anything help?”

“I’ll be honest with you, Cherie. It was a tough time for awhile to find something that would help. She tried two difference prescriptions, which took months to try out, and neither made any difference. Didn’t help her at all. Meanwhile, her school work was suffering. I finally had to withdraw her from school. I homeschooled her to try to help her keep up so she would graduate on time.

“Then, I read about IV ketamine treatment. It’s become more and more widely used in the last 8-10 years, and is apparently extremely effective with most people. Not everyone, of course. No medicine is effective for everyone.

“But in Maddie’s case, it really brought her back to life. We re-enrolled her in school and she’s been doing very well ever since. That was 18 months ago and she seems happy, well-adjusted, and full of hope. She sparkles with joy like she used to before this happened.

“I don’t know about Will, but social anxiety became a huge problem for Maddie while she was depressed. She just wanted to stay in her room. But ketamine treatment resolved that, too. She has friends now, and is active in a few clubs at school. It’s amazing..!”

IV ketamine treatment

Cherie got online and searched IV ketamine treatment for depression. She didn’t know if depression was Will’s problem, but his demeanor seemed similar to what Reecie had described in Maddie. So it was a place to start.

She read several articles about ketamine treatment for depression. She could see this was a prominent and cutting edge treatment, and she found a psychiatry practice with a leader in the field, so she called for an appointment.

A couple days later, Cherie called in to work, and drove Will to the appointment. After taking a thorough history, the doctor confirmed major depressive disorder and recommended IV ketamine treatment.

She explained that 6 infusions was the standard minimum for depression, but that it could take more than that. Everyone was different, and they would gauge it by his response.

They agreed to start his treament the very same day, after careful preparation for what to expect, and a wonderful app to accompany treatment that the doctor curated and provided with recordings, readings, check ins, and rating scales for this that no one else seemed to ask about—not just symptoms but flourishing, not just negative thoughts but self-compassion.

It was pretty incredible.

They set appointments about twice a week over the next few weeks.

While he didn’t feel much different after the first few infusions, he wondered if it was his imagination that he possibly felt the slightest bit of lightness after the third. After the fourth, he found himself taking a shower and dressing in fresh clothes… then making his bed. Cherie noticed all this, but didn’t say a word.

With each subsequent infusion, he became more cheerful, more talkative. His withdrawal seemed to be subsiding.

After the 7th infusion, Will told his mom he wanted to go to school the next day. They requested a note from the doctor before they left and decided to eat out and celebrate that he was feeling so much better.

Words can’t express the relief Cherie felt for Will.

Will started back to school and relished seeing his friends. He met with his teachers to work out a plan to make up the school work he’d missed. What’s more, he embraced the work with enthusiasm and caught up as quickly as he could.

He was on a roll.

But, after weeks of makeup work, Will was feeling worn out. He didn’t want to do anything but play video games…and he was worried the depression was coming back.

Cherie called the doctor and described Will’s behavior and outlook.

The doctor explained that stress can cause depression symptoms, and Will’s diving into school and makeup work so quickly might have been too much too soon. She recommended a booster infusion to get him functioning again.

As it happened, that seemed to be just what he needed. The booster restored his hope and mental/emotional energy…he was back on track. Her teen who had been withdrawn, listless, and depressed was once again hopeful, enjoying life, and laughing with friends.

It was good to know that a booster could help so much.

Cherie was glad that Will’s makeup work was completed, because she wanted to help him avoid too much stress for awhile… to give him time to become established in his healthier, happier outlook.

She encouraged him to walk often, either with her or with friends. She encouraged him to invite friends over and just laugh together.

Will kept getting better and better over the weeks that followed, and seemed eager to shower… and clean himself up for a girl he’d met at school. He also joined the debate team, and traveled to out-of-town meets which took the team to the state competition.

Will won a 2nd place trophy, and came home beaming.

Raising a human was challenging, that was for sure! But Cherie was flooded with relief to see her son engaging in life again and enjoying the rewards.

Treatment-Resistant Depression in Teens

Do you have a teen who resembles Will or Maddie? Is your family suffering with a child who can’t seem to cope with life any longer?

There’s hope through IV ketamine treatment.

If you have a teen suffering withdrawal, sadness, and no motivation… and nothing is helping, call us.

This can be a deeply troubling experience for both parent and child, but there is hope for recovery.

See what IV ketamine treatment can do for your child… and for your family.

To the restoration of your best self,

July 17, 2023

Category: Ketamine

Articles About Ketamine from Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

Breakthrough anesthesia medicine proves life-changing for many who suffer from severe mood disorders.

Early Testing was Cautious

Researchers Still Learning All Ketamine Can Do

Ketamine Does More Than Bring Relief, It’s Transforming

Ketamine is NOT for Everyone

Why Ketamine Sometimes Doesn’t Work

Let’s Talk about Ketamine in the News and Set the Record Straight

Ketamine In the News

As of today, ketamine treatment is in the news as the most sought after treatment for depression and other psychiatric mood disorders. It not only helps, but brings remission in many cases.

Requires Personalized Dosage and Rate

His medically supervised ketamine treatment was not the cause of his death.

The acute ketamine effects that the forensic pathologist reported was likely caused by a very large dose he had acquired “on the street” and without medical supervision.

Without Physician Supervision You Risk Overdose

Ketamine treatment can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon.

That’s lifesaving.

That’s lifesaving, too!

Remarkable Medicine Deserves Respect

Ketamine Treatment Provides Transformation Going Forward

Feeling Like a Zombie

Before too long, her boss walked up to her desk and asked if the “plan” was ready. Plan?? She wondered. Hmmm…oh wait…

Jill stared at her, blinking. Incredulous. “Now you’re telling me this? Why didn’t you tell me weeks ago?”

Shame, Disgust, and Hopelessness

Fifteen minutes later, Hannah walked up to Lexi’s desk, and slipped her a sticky note with a name and phone number scrawled on it.

Hope Rises From a Stickie Note

Lexi stared at the scrap of paper. It was hard to compute what Hannah was saying. But she decided to call this number and see what she could find out.

At lunch, she sat in her car and made the call.

Her appointment was set for two days away. When the time came, Lexi called in sick to work (she was sick, after all, right?), and spent a considerable time with the doctor, answering lots of questions the best she could.

Lexi received the first infusion that afternoon.

That evening at home, she checked her email, and she’d received something from Hannah.

A Study Confirms Ketamine Treatment’s Effectiveness

Hmmm…Northwestern University, huh?

Lexi soon received the 3rd and 4th infusions, and things began to change. She felt initiative… in the sense of pulling out the project they were working on in her job, and researching ideas to make it more effective. It felt so good to be feeling productive again…useful in a way.

After about a month, Lexi felt that her outlook was slipping into some hopelessness and overwhelm again. The doctor had cautioned her about this possibility, so she made another appointment for a booster infusion.

Ketamine Can Transform Your Life, Too

We’re here to help you live again, give again, and enjoy the rewards of your life.

Birth Trauma? Ketamine Treatment Can Help Heal PTSD

Trauma Kicks Back

She sighed, desperately trying to calm herself. “I think it was when you touched my arm. I’m sorry… I don’t know what’s wrong with me… But it startled me and I was engulfed in terror. I feel so foolish.”

Madison was still shaking… why couldn’t she calm down?

“But what happened, the way the doctor let me labor so long, cut an episiotomy, then changed his mind and did a C-section. It was terrible! He went about the epidural wrong, or didn’t give it enough time or something, and I felt it! I felt the C-section!! I just feel so angry about it!”

By now, Madison was screaming.

“Sometimes during the day…I haven’t known how to tell you this…but sometimes while you’re at work, I feel so vulnerable. Like someone’s casing our house…feeling like they’ll break in! Zach, I know this sounds ridiculous, but it feels so real.

“Other times, I can get up, dress the kids, and go to the park or the grocery store with them just fine. This seems to come and go. I just don’t understand what’s wrong with me!”

“HOW!!!?? I have two preschoolers and a newborn! How am I supposed to relax?”

“Ok, honey. I’m going to take a few days off work. With the weekend maybe it will give us several days to try to reset.”

Helpful Ideas Rise with the Dawn

As the sunrise filled the kitchen with a golden glow, they were drinking coffee. Madison told Zach that she found it hard to hug the children…like she was living in a prison of fear and aloneness. She felt — detached — and worried she was no longer able to be a good mother.

Zach suggested they call her doctor and see if he had any suggestions. He felt like an utterly helpless husband. So they did, and left a message for him to call.

“You were wounded, physically and emotionally. You don’t feel safe. So of course, you feel threatened. After birth trauma like yours, ketamine treatment is a treatment that can help you heal.

Her Doctor Offers Hope

“I want to suggest you call a colleague of mine, who specializes in treating conditions like this. I’ll text you her name and number.

Turning to Ketamine Treatment

“Madison, I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through, with the birth of your baby, and ever since in your life. Birth trauma like this can cause your symptoms of PTSD, but we have seen such remarkable recovery from these symptoms with ketamine treatment.

Ketamine Treatment Begins

After the first infusion, Madison felt a strange lightness in her chest…sort of? Was it physical…? Or was it hope..?

Just reducing their household numbers from 5 to 3 seemed to make things a little less stressful. Zach encouraged her to enjoy a bubble bath and candles, while he diapered and rocked Jack.

2nd Infusion

But now it was milder. She also noticed she was upset by certain things, but not so extremely outraged. Something was changing…slowly.

6th Through 9th Infusions

After the 8th infusion, her heart was swelling with love for Jack, Charlotte, and Addy, She noticed it. She was feeling like a mom again. She felt close to her children. And she realized she was enjoying Zach, too.

Traumatic Birth Memories Heal with IV Ketamine

She had had no idea that she was suffering from PTSD before she called him. But even more, she had no idea there was such effective treatment.

PTSD can result from a variety of traumatic experiences, but there’s hope.

You’re in good company with so many others who have suffered trauma, followed by a host of distressing symptoms, but then found out what ketamine treatment could do.

Ketogenic Diet Weighs In: Sugar Addiction and Mental Health Now

Chasing Energy and Relief in all the Wrong Places

She wolfed down the sandwich, sipped on the coffee voraciously, and finally took big bites out of the beautiful, artistically decorated cookie. She was beginning to feel some relief.

Over and over, every day. Desperately seeking relief via food pleasure.

So she read the entire email and found some links at the bottom. One of them caught her attention.

Your dysfunctional metabolism may be causing your depression which may be caused by your dysfunctional metabolism. What??

As Jenni kept reading, she learned that current neuropsychiatric research and practice provided evidence that the kinds of symptoms that were plaguing her were connected to metabolic dysfunction.

Inflammation Can Cause Psychiatric Symptoms

She learned that metabolic disease often included inflammation, and inflammation is often involved in psychiatric symptoms. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, rage, irritability, agitation… these are often associated with inflammation. The worse the inflammation, the more intense the symptoms.

Feeding the Monster: Sugar Addiction and Mental Health

And to get better, it’s vital that you eat very small amounts of carbohydrates.

The doctor discussed metabolic dysfunction, how damaging too much carbohydrates and refined sugar can be, and explained the approach she uses, a wrap-around program with all kinds of opportunities to build knowledge, support and success.

Touchpoints 180™

Although there were moments over the coming weeks when she wistfully thought about those foods she was no longer eating, something had changed. She didn’t want them anymore, didn’t go out driving around to find them, and she realized she wasn’t eating something just to eat it.

He used to enjoy basketball in the driveway, or dancing with his wife at concerts in the park. But now, he didn’t enjoy anything. **He didn’t enjoy, period**. Nothingness.