Category: Kids, Teens, and College Students

Articles about Kids, Teens, and College Students from Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

We offer these articles about kids, teens, and college students to provide real information. We hope this improves understanding about psychiatric disorders in people under the age of 22.

First, it’s true that Lori Calabrese, M.D., is not a pediatric psychiatrist. However, she treats teens from age 14 to adult with IV ketamine infusions when they’re candidates for this innovative treatment.

Ketamine Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders

Parke-Davis developed ketamine and the FDA approved it for anesthesia in 1970, Ketamine demonstrates its safety every day in countries around the world. Of course, that reputation for safety goes with its use in small doses for babies, children, adolescents, and adults.

When we treat a patient with ketamine infusions for depression and other psychiatric disorders, the dose we use is even smaller than the doses used for anesthesia.

Suicide in Children

You may not be aware that some children, not just teenagers, reach a point of desperation and sometimes think about death, dying, and suicide. Just as there is a difference in the methods male suicide victims use as opposed to women, there is a difference in the methods children use in contrast with teens or adults.

Whether a child or teenager makes an impulsive decision on the spur of the moment or methodically plots, plans, and executes the plan depends partially on personality, maturity, and frame of mind.

But, this one thing is indisputable. If suicide is successful, opportunities for treatment, relief, and hope, are gone.

Ketamine Can Rapidly Erase Suicidal Thoughts

This may be the most important reason for my use of ketamine in treating my patients. To circumvent suicidal thoughts, we can turn to IV ketamine treatment, and the suicidal thoughts usually dissipate within an afternoon.

And, this is life-saving.

Until ketamine emerged, we could only prescribe a daily medication and wait for weeks or months for it to do its job. This delay was life-threatening for those who were suicidal. Ketamine is saving lives now.

These articles about kids teens and adults can hopefully provide you with information and fight stigma, as well.

See you inside…

Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds with a Ketogenic Diet for Your Teen

Ethan roared with rage. With one sweep of his arm, he swiped the figurines off the sideboard, and they crashed to the floor with the tinkling of shattered porcelain. Megan rushed to the room, and gasped when she saw the pile of shards on the floor. Her collection was destroyed. She knew better by now than to confront her 16-year-old son. He was immersed in an episode, and any added conflict would only fuel a heightened explosion from him. He needed calm so he could de-escalate. But it was heart breaking. She’d been collecting these pieces for 15 years. Each one had special meaning and memories attached. But, right now her son’s condition was more important. His need for support navigating this cruel illness took precedence. How she wished they could replace his bipolar disorder meds.

His Meds Weren’t Working

Ethan stormed out of the house and down the street. He’d grown so much, she could no longer control him physically. So she waited for him to walk off his angst, and return home. Every time this happened, she worried, of course. Hoping he didn’t do something destructive…hoping he would just de-escalate and return home. She felt so helpless.

Megan loaded the dishwasher while she waited. She needed to get her hands busy. This was the third medication change they had tried, and his episodes continued. She worried about what this was doing to his self image. His school work. His relationships with friends.

Each time this happened, she became more frazzled. And he was more engulfed in shame. Shame for a condition he really couldn’t help. To the average observer, these outbursts made him look like a “bad seed”… a trouble maker… an undisciplined kid with a bad attitude.

Those who judged him didn’t realize that Ethan was sweet, caring, and engaging — he could empathize with the pain of others, and was generous to a fault. These episodes were not a reflection of who he was. But if enough time went by without relief, would he become this person? Explosive, demanding, profane… violent? A hothead carrying a chip on his shoulder, rather than the magnanimous good guy she knew him to be?

How Could She Help?

At the end of herself, Megan called her friend, Liz, who worked in a doctor’s office. She told her that after 3 different med trials he had not improved, and she was desperate to find a different solution for her son. She asked Liz whether she had heard of any other alternative for bipolar disorder.

Liz replied thoughtfully. “You know, I actually have. There’s some buzz about people with bipolar disorder getting better with a ketogenic diet. I have a friend whose teenage daughter is showing she’s remarkably better after several months of this treatment. And she’s actually been able to replace her bipolar disorder meds with it.

“It’s not the sort of thing you should try to do yourself, like people do with keto to lose weight. It should be done with a psychiatrist who’s experienced with this illness and this approach, but it can be incredibly effective.”

Megan scratched her head. This was baffling. Food? For bipolar disorder?? The concept was jarring.

Liz Offers Transforming News

“Liz, are you saying that people with bipolar disorder have actually started eating differently and it relieved their bipolar symptoms??”

She nodded, then laughed at herself…Megan couldn’t see her nodding through the phone! So she spoke up.

“Megan, I know a family personally who did this. And their daughter is so so much better! They needed to make changes and follow what was prescribed, and not eat what’s not prescribed, but the payoff is that her symptoms have disappeared — they would have never believed it — and there are no side effects like she had with medications. They’re thrilled.”

Megan paused. She tried to take all this in. Food. She shook her head…she couldn’t absorb this.

Finally she found words. “Liz, this is mind boggling. Do you have any idea the name of the doctor they worked with?”

“Yes, and she’s not far. Outside Hartford. I’ll text you the contact info and you can read up on their website. As I understand it, this is a metabolic psychiatrist who has a program for using food as medicine. Her in-house registered dietitian/nutritionist sets up a personalized dietary plan to help you get into ketosis and sustain it. It’s in the state of ketosis that the healing happens. It’s a pretty amazing program.

“I just texted you the website link and her phone number.”

“Thanks enormously Liz. I called you at the end of myself, and you’ve filled my sails with hope. I’ll keep you posted about how this goes.”

A Strange Solution Leads to Hope

Just then, she heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.

Megan stood up and walked into the living room to see if it was Ethan. She found him sitting on the sofa, subdued. “Hi, buddy.”

“Hi, Mom. I’m sorry. Again.”

“I know… but I hope you realize by now that I don’t blame you. I know your heart. This is the illness…and I’ve learned something while you’ve been gone that may turn out to help.”

“That’s nice Mom.” He continued to look at the floor. Deflated. Defeated. Hopeless.

“I learned there is a way of treating bipolar disorder that can relieve your symptoms, and possibly allow you to wean from medications so you can feel better and get rid of the side effects. It’s about eating ketogenic foods…

Ethan snapped a look her, glaring with fire in his eyes. “Are you serious?? Food?? C’mon.”

He scoffed at the idea that something so powerful as bipolar disorder could be tamed with food. It made him kind of mad that she would even suggest it.

“I know, Ethan. It shocks me too. But people are having good results. You know Liz? She has a friend whose 15-year-old daughter’s bipolar symptoms have all but disappeared after 6 months…and she has replaced her bipolar disorder meds with this diet.

Touchpoints 180™

“Why don’t we explore the website together and see what we can learn…see if it resonates with us or not?”

They sat side by side at the table and opened up the website. As they read through the home page, they could see it talked about a program for metabolic psychiatry called Touchpoints 180™… that must be the program Liz mentioned. They read about the program and what they offer.

It talked about ketogenic and metabolic therapies. It was extensive. He looked at the page about the psychiatrist herself, and saw she had published studies using the ketogenic diet to help people heal from psychiatric illness like depression, anxiety, even anorexia. Hard to imagine… how come he’d never heard of this?

There was a search bar…so he searched bipolar disorder. Multiple blogs came up about what a ketogenic diet can do for patients with bipolar disorder. The more he read, the more his mind opened about the possibility.

“Maybe we should call, Mom.”

They continued to read about Touchpoints 180™ …they found an article titled Food as Medicine. They stopped and read that word for word. Then, they followed a link to a blog post about mitochondria. That really cleared things up. So all this healing happens in the mitochondria of cells, and eating a ketogenic diet gives the mitochondria abundant and superior energy to accomplish all they do.

It hinted at the idea that an energy crisis in the brain cells could be a partial cause of this condition.

Ethan and his mom agreed they would call in the morning for an appointment.

Food as Medicine

They arrived early the next day, and Ethan underwent an extensive metabolic and psychiatric evaluation. The doctor explained the program, which included nature walks, monitoring, support from the registered dietitian/nutritionist to help with challenges, a book club to learn more in-depth about ketogenic living. There were CSA farm affiliations to give access to healthier food products…it went on and on.

Then the dietitian explained how f ood is medicine in this treatment. She put together a meal plan to ensure he was eating enough fat throughout the day to help his body produce ketones for his mitochondria. Then, she explained that for his body to transition to ketones for fuel, he would have to eat very low carbs, and that his body would begin breaking down his own body fat after that. She showed him how his diet would include a moderate amount of protein with those abundant fats. So they needed to go home and clean out the potatoes, corn, rice, bread, and sweets.

And that’s what they did. They also tossed out frozen pizzas, coffee cake, cookies, chips, and stocked up with fresh low carb veggies like broccoli, spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, and Brussel sprouts.

They added cheeses, eggs, onions, heavy cream… then fatty fish like salmon and trout, shellfish like shrimp and scallops, marbled beef, and free range chicken.

And Megan and Ethan started cooking together. It was satisfying and enjoyable. And their first meal included a dill cream sauce on salmon with a spinach, avocado, and mushroom salad. It was delicious.

A Better Plan for Living a Healthier Life

After dinner, they worked on plans for packing lunch and snacks for him to take to school, to ensure he was getting enough fat through the day to keep him satisfied – and to keep those ketones flowing.

By checking with the ketone meter, they could see it took till the end of the third day for Ethan to enter ketosis. That was a milestone for him. Now my brain can begin healing…he thought.

Days turned into weeks as they meticulously followed the plan. After about 3 months, Ethan was in a hurry and forgot to prepare and pack his lunch and snacks. So he ate the cafeteria food and tried to avoid carbohydrates. But it wasn’t good enough. By the next morning he was feeling agitated and sluggish. With his mom’s support, they loaded him up with avocados, eggs, and a well marbled steak. In a few days, he was feeling better, and his meter showed he was back in ketosis.

After that, he learned to plan ahead to be sure to always have his ketogenic foods with him.

Time to Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds

Three months later, he realized he hadn’t had an episode lately. Then, at the five month mark, he realized he hadn’t had any symptoms in awhile. But he guessed that could change. So he didn’t put much stock in it.

However, when he’d been following this plan for seven months, he was sure. HIs bipolar disorder symptoms seemed to have subsided. He called her about reducing his medications, since his symptoms were gone.

So they worked together on weaning gently, and gradually, based on each medicine and what this psychiatrist knew to do. After a few more months, he was off his medications, and continued to enjoy stability without symptoms.

Ethan would not have believed it if he hadn’t experienced it himself. But he was so grateful to Liz for telling his mom about this program…and so grateful to Touchpoints 180™ for providing the way for him to get better. Really better.

He also could see that if he started eating carbs at any point, he would likely ignite his bipolar disorder symptoms again.

But eating ketogenic meals was his path to wellness and stability for life. He had been fascinated by all he learned in the book club about why this lifestyle works for serious psychiatric disorders, but nothing could make the impression his own experience had. By eating these foods…he was really better. He could predict his behavior in a way he’d been unable to for years. He was flooded with hope just to think about it.

You Can Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds With a Ketogenic Diet

If your child takes bipolar medications, but they aren’t working, and the side effects are adding a burden to his life, you do have options. Even if your child has bipolar disorder and you prefer he not take meds with its side effects, there is another way. Increasing evidence demonstrates that metabolic dysfunction is a cause of bipolar disorder.

A ketogenic diet is a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat. As such, it mimics the actions of mood stabilizers. It also seems to repair deficiencies in the metabolism while diminishing inflammation…as a result it helps to regulate mood.

Switching the energy source in brain cells from glucose to ketones (achieving therapeutic nutritional ketosis) can offer protective aspects to nerve cells, as well.

The science is on your side. More and more people with bipolar disorder, and other severe psychiatric disorders, are experiencing remission through this 21st century treatment. And as a result, are able to replace their bipolar disorder meds with this metabolic ketogenic therapy.

If you can relate to Ethan, and nothing you’ve tried has helped with your symptoms, call us.

Fuel your mitochondria to heal and restore your brain.

Join us in Touchpoints 180™ for support and guidance as you take back your health.

We can help you get there.

To the restoration of your best self,

December 23, 2024
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
When You Feel Alienated By Your Angry Child

Ben slammed the door with a resounding bang. “I’m outta here!!” He called over his shoulder as he charged down the street. Jill, his mom, felt defeated. She had tried so hard to be reasonable, caring, and sensitive to his mood. But apparently she had stepped on his toes, an error which had become a routine event lately. She didn’t understand why Ben was in such upheaval these days. She didn’t feel like she knew him anymore. Who are you and what have you done with my son?? she thought to herself. It’s tough when you feel alienated by your angry child.

It all started when he began high school. She and Ben had always been close, and shared a love of fishing, cooking, and watercolors. Since Ben was 10, they’d taken watercolor classes together and both had improved in their skill. Both of them had framed masterpieces hung around the house. And, since Friday night wasn’t a school night, they cooked dinner together as often as they could. They fished a couple times a month on weekends when weather permitted, and enjoyed coming home, cleaning the fish, and cooking it with corn on the cob and spinach salads.

But since Ben had started high school, it was as if he had no respect for her, no regard for her view points, or the boundaries she had always set. She felt so alienated by her angry child.

It hurt.

She knew that teens had conflict with their parents as they set out to find themselves, differentiate themselves as individuals from their parents. She knew that. But this seemed worse… more extreme somehow.

Scenes like this one, where he ran out banging the door and disappearing, were becoming more and more commonplace. But why?

Why was he so angry?

What was it that caused him to resent her so deeply?

After a year of his sullen withdrawal, his berating of her, and the complete absence of the bond they had always shared, the hurt she felt grew so overwhelming, that she began to withdraw, too. Her efforts to talk to him, listen to him, had proven futile.

Ben seemed to want nothing to do with her, and was not willing to express why he was so angry. Jill wracked her brain to figure out why.

After her husband had left, she had struggled from the pain, abandonment, and overall loss. For Ben’s sake, she had tried to rise above her pain and give him the happy childhood he deserved. Hence, the fishing, cooking, and art.

They enjoyed hiking together, camping near a river, and catching their dinner. So many wonderful memories were created in those years. Memories that also helped her move forward.

She knew Ben didn’t grasp her loss and grief… but she also knew she couldn’t grasp his. They both tried to understand, be compassionate and patient, and reach out for moments of joy.

It had worked, until the last year.

Jill’s gallant fight to rise above her grief finally began to crumble. Her own home felt like a war zone, and she was baffled as to why. Home was supposed to be a refuge from the harshness of the world, but hers had become a place where she was always on edge and isolated from love. Isolated and alienated by her angry child.

She had always tried to make it a refuge for Ben, and hadn’t anticipated “home” coming to this. Her loving effort to infuse joy into her son’s life just started to weaken. In the isolation she found herself in, disillusionment disintegrated into depression.

The pain of it was too much, and she felt herself giving up.

But she knew that Ben was in a vulnerable place in his life. He was a teenager and needed support and love and understanding to navigate all he was facing. But her energy for trying to help was waning. She didn’t know what to do to rise above all this. And she worried that other teenagers were his only input.

She could feel herself becoming numb…. not caring anymore about anything. Jill got on her laptop to explore what was happening to her, impairing her ability to show unconditional love to her son in his time of such need.

She tried googling the way she felt and what she could identify: isolation, loss, hurt, numbness, reduced energy… and a bucket of diseases came up. Jill instinctively knew that most of them weren’t relevant, but then she saw an article about the grieving process.

She recognized herself in the symptoms it described.

And she learned that if the grief process becomes stalled for some reason, it can funnel into depression. She started reading more about depression, and realized it sounded like a fit for what was happening to her.

Then she looked for treatment for depression — and learned that medications are helpful to some people, but at least 30-40% get little to no benefit from medication, so alternative treatments are often required for real relief.

The most promising alternative treatment she found was IV ketamine treatment.

She found listings of psychiatrists in her area, so she cross-referenced psychiatrist with ketamine treatment and found someone who seemed to offer it.

During a consultation appointment, the doctor diagnosed her with major depressive disorder, and they talked about medicines and treatments. They agreed to see what ketamine treatment could do for her.

By her third infusion, she began to see things differently.

She talked to Ben about her treatment, and that she believed it was helping. She was able to approach him in a newer, better way and he responded. As they talked she learned he was being bullied at school — she didn’t know! — and had been teased about the relationship he had with his mom, and so he had just slowly withdrawn.

Poor guy. In his effort to defend himself against the bullies, he had stripped himself of his most loyal supporter.

This discussion seemed to improve their line of communication, though Ben remained guarded. But, it was a start.

Jill continued with her infusions, realizing that to be who she wanted to be for her son, she needed to take care of herself. The process of it all also helped her change the way she saw herself in her son’s life — to being a support person for the life he wanted to build, rather than an integral part of everything. And she began to feel hope that should wouldn’t always be alienated by her angry child.

She learned to let go, to some degree.

She received 8 infusions in all, and went back for booster infusions twice, a month apart. By this time, Jill was feeling resilient again, and that continued to grow. She found a way to talk with Ben about how he was feeling, in the face of what was going on at school.

Ben could see a huge improvement in his mom’s outlook and attitude, and he began to wonder if this treatment could help him, too. They talked about it, and made an appointment with the same doctor, who diagnosed depression and social anxiety, and told Ben that ketamine treatment might help a great deal.

But before they set up his infusion schedule, she impressed upon him and his mom that ketamine doesn’t help everyone. However, she believed there was every reason to hope it would help him. Still, they would have to see.

The evening after his first infusion, Ben admitted to his mom that he’d been having thoughts of suicide, but they seemed to be gone now. He had been too afraid to talk about it, but now that they were gone, that in itself was such a great relief.

He felt a subtle improvement with each infusion and by the 4th, he was feeling like smiling again. He joked with his mom on the way home, and they both laughed. How refreshing that was! She was getting inklings of a time when she would not feel alienated by her angry child. That her child wouldn’t always be angry, but could find peace.

Jill didn’t take it for granted.

She asked Ben about friends he had, anyone he actually enjoyed. He mentioned one friend he trusted. Jarrad. She suggested that he invite him for pizza, and if that went well, how about a camping/fishing trip?

By this time, Ben was feeling better, more confident, and less withdrawn. They set it up and they all had a great time.

As time went by, Ben and his mom had plenty of bumps in the road. Because, after all, he was busy in the process of growing up and becoming independent. But they were always able to talk, treat each other with respect, and truly want the best for each other.

Through the crucible of the year Ben was 15, Jill had learned about allowing him to set boundaries and she treated them with respect. In turn, he had learned that his mom had his back and respected the young adult who was emerging.

They had both suffered deep loss, but they learned, with the help of ketamine treatment, that life can move forward. And that it should.

What about you?

Do you find that the transitions your child goes through make you feel isolated? Have you experienced loss so profound it has interfered gravely with the course of your life? Your ability to function?

If you can identify with all that Ben or Jill went through, and nothing you’ve tried has helped, call us.

Life is hard. Not all the time, but sometimes it really is. And sometimes when it’s hard, the shock and loss can feel crippling.

But there’s help.

We’re here to help you cross the bridge from isolation and incapacitation to freedom, confidence, and hope.

Let us help you experience your best.

To the restoration of your best self,

May 8, 2023
How to Avoid Helicopter Parenting Your Almost Adult Child

Helen’s quiet, studious daughter Lizzie, didn’t really date in high school. Helen worried about her social life some, but it was still reassuring that she was safe at home. When she graduated and went to college, her social life developed around her dorm. First her roommates, then their friends and boyfriends. By her second semester, she had gone on some dates and was dating one boy frequently. Helen had the chance to meet him when a group of them came home for the weekend and Lizzie held a little gathering. He seemed like a nice enough guy, and was reportedly a good student. But he was soon replaced by another and then another. Her new found freedom had led to some drinking parties and a new found boldness with boys that seemed to be leading her into less than wholesome relationships. Needless to say, her mom became more and more worried. She was torn between being too overly involved and avoiding helicopter parenting her almost adult child.

When a Child Leaves the Nest

Helen had brought Lizzie up to behave in a way that was circumspect, to always keep her dignity and wits about her, and to follow her instincts when it came to evaluating people. In short, to listen to her gut. But the current boyfriend… now in her sophomore year of college… wasn’t someone Helen felt her daughter was safe with. When she met him, her skin crawled, but she tried to keep a friendly facade in hopes he didn’t sense it.

She knew her daughter, and knew Lizzie would have to see through him herself. The guy had a “bad boy” air all about him. It was all Helen could do to avoid running screaming from the room.

At the end of the weekend, as everyone piled in cars to go back to school, she whispered in her daughter’s ear, “Please be careful, honey. I love you.”

Lizzie knew her mom was serious, but she determined she would make her own decisions about her own friends. So she continued forward with her friends, their activities, and her latest boyfriend.

Helen had trouble sleeping that night after Lizzie went back to school. Not knowing what she was up to, seeing what her new friends were like. And spending a couple days around this guy she was seeing.

Making Her Own Decisions

She knew Lizzie had to find her own way and that she didn’t want to be a helicopter mom, but the risks to her daughter’s life and well being loomed like a thunder cloud overhead. She sent Lizzie text messages hoping she might find out about how Lizzie perceived this relationship. But Lizzie was evasive and said very little. Helen walked the tightrope about avoiding helicopter parenting her almost adult child.

For the next few weeks, Helen found it hard to eat. Her heart was in her throat, as anxiety about Lizzie’s welfare rose up inside her. She tried to go about her routine, commuting to work, buying groceries, attending meetings. Still, her palms were sweaty and her stomach churned. Headaches became a daily occurrence.

Then she got a call from her daughter. Lizzie had had a terrible fight with “the guy” and was crying.

“He fights dirty,” Lizzie cried.

“What do you mean, honey?”

“He’s mean, has a dirty mouth, and criticizes things I’m insecure about…he ridicules me and humiliates me.”

Helen paused a moment. “Lizzie, this is a sign of abuse and of a destructive relationship. I hope you’ll take a hard look at how this argument went and walk away from him. At least think about it. You don’t want someone in your life longterm who’s abusive, right?”

Once again, Helen knew she risked being a helicopter parent to her almost adult daughter. It was so hard to know when to speak and when to bite her tongue. It tied her stomach in knots.

Mom’s Advice Not So Welcome

Lizzie took a breath. “I’m not sure I want to break up with him over this. Maybe this was just a bad day for him… I’ll let him cool off a few days then talk with him.”

Helen privately shook her head. She knew she had to brace herself to endure while her daughter…who was perhaps a bit naive… worked her way through what was best for her.

Again, she didn’t sleep. She wrestled with her pillow and sheets all night anguishing about this unsavory guy and Lizzie. Wondering if he was ever violent…how persuasive he was when he wanted to be… how far he’d go to get his way.

She worried, and worried, and worried.

She wondered if Lizzie felt a bond with him or just didn’t want to be wrong about him. Frankly, Helen couldn’t imagine what Lizzie saw in him, but maybe she was too old to see his charm. He seemed sleazy to her. But she also knew that lots of young girls are attracted to the bad boy image. He was disgusting to Helen, but she had to avoid helicopter parenting her adult child so she bit her tongue and tried to be gracious and loving.

Daughter Withdraws

A week later, Helen called Lizzie to see how she was doing and if she was feeling better. Lizzie seemed distant, guarded. She chatted a bit, but wasn’t at all transparent or natural.

So Helen worried. She couldn’t eat much. Her stomach was too upset. She didn’t sleep much. Images of her daughter swirled in her head. Fears her daughter would be scarred if she stayed in this relationship.

But her daughter wouldn’t talk to her.

She believed the best she could do for her daughter was to love her. To keep the channels of communication as open as possible. She sent her an occasional card in the mail with a few sentences about simple things going on in the neighborhood. Or the latest gossip at the hairdresser.

This seemed to help. Her daughter welcomed the pleasant notes that didn’t refer to her boyfriend.

Helen finally talked to her friend about her situation. She didn’t give a lot of detail about her daughter…just that she was worried about her safety with the guy she was dating. Her friend, Jessica, listened compassionately. Then she pointed out that while Lizzie was finding her way through this challenging situation, Helen needed to take care of herself.

Talking to A Friend

“Helen, you’re not sleeping…you’ve lost weight you couldn’t afford to lose. You’ve taken this so hard, and worry is robbing your health. Your fears for Lizzie are backfiring onto you. I know it has taken a lot of courage and strength for you to resist taking her out of school and bringing her home. And as scary as this is, I believe you’ve made the right decision at this point.

“Lizzie will learn so much through this awful situation, but she won’t learn it if she is being shielded by you. She’ll just resent you. And maybe make worse decisions about guys going forward. You just must focus on taking care of yourself while she works through this.”

Helen knew Jessica was right.

“Jessica, how did you get so wise?” Helen chuckled.

“I’ve had two kids in college, and there were some scary times as they learned to navigate their way to adulthood. Listen, let’s go to lunch. I want to tell you about someone who helped me when things got really tough.”

Jessica and Helen clocked out at work and walked to a nearby sandwich shop. They took their food to a corner table and Jessica began.

Jessica’s Story

“When my Isabelle was in her third year at the university, and Jimmy was a freshman, they both developed problems. Jimmy was drinking heavily and skipping class, so his grades were not great. Isabelle had gotten serious with a guy who was selling drugs. I didn’t know that at first. But one night there was a police raid at a party where they were and everyone present was taken into custody.

“It came out that Isabelle hadn’t been participating in the sale of the contraband, but she had tried some hallucinogenic pills that night for the first time. It was the beginning of a time of enormous crisis, and a legal battle to try to keep her life from being ruined by a felony. Talk about the temptation to helicopter parent an almost adult child!

“Watching both my kids crater the same year was shattering for me, and I eventually became deeply depressed. I could hardly function to help them through the process. It was all I could do to dress and show up at the court hearings and meetings with the lawyer.

“We gave both kids an ultimatum, because the situation was so severe, that either they could clean up their grades and distance themselves from these friends, or we would stop paying for school and they could drop out and get jobs to support themselves.

“Thankfully, they both made hard decisions and sought out counseling on campus. They also got to work on their studies. They’re both doing well now. It was a close call. But I had to face that my love and commitment to them combined with my powerlessness to live their lives for them led to depression and anxiety. And I had to get treatment for myself.

“I learned about a practice that offered ketamine treatment, and sought counseling to help me make better decisions as a parent of transitioning young adults. Around the 4th infusion, I began to get feelings of light inside myself. And the slightest hint of hope. By the 7th, I could tell I had turned a corner.

“After 8 infusions, a booster infusion a month later, and a year of therapy, I feel resilient, full of hope, and joy for today and the future. It was a turning point in my life.”

Helen Reaches Out for Help

Helen took a sip of iced tea and thought hard. “May I have the phone number for the practice that does this ketamine treatment?”

That afternoon, Helen called the practice and made an appointment.

While Helen focused on her treatment, she had less contact with Lizzie, who was facing her own situation by herself.

Lizzie Takes a Stand

One weekend, Lizzie showed up at home for the weekend. She wanted to talk.

“I broke up with Ethan, Mom. He was volatile and manipulative. I was trying to prove to myself that I was strong enough to love him. But yesterday he slapped me. That was the final straw. I told him we were done…that I would never be with someone who physically hurt me. To be honest, I’m so relieved it’s over.”

Helen wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her long and hard. She was so glad she had backed off and avoided the helicopter parenting of her almost adult child. Finally. It had paid off.

“I’m so relieved for you, Lizzie. So relieved. I’m so proud of you for standing by your principles.You’re a fine young woman, and you deserve to be loved, respected, and nurtured. Good for you.”

They talked off and on all weekend about school, grades, her experiences with Ethan, and Helen’s treatment. It was eye-opening for Lizzie to realize what her mom went through, but she was also proud of her mom for putting her well being first. It was something Lizzie would always remember for herself, too.

What About You?

Do you find that your worry about your child threatens your own wellbeing? Have you been losing sleep, finding it hard to work, suffering gastrointestinal or headache symptoms, or even trembling at times? Have you lost your footing in trying to avoid helicopter parenting your adult child?

Ketamine treatment isn’t for everyone, but can be so effective for people who suffer from depression, some forms of anxiety, PTSD, social anxiety, and suicidal thoughts that won’t stop.

If you suffer from these conditions and and what you’re doing isn’t helping, call us.

Ketamine treatment can provide relief from symptoms that interfere with your life. Diet changes can also enhance ketamine’s benefits. And its neuroplasticity can help you change your thinking to a more resilient outlook.

We are here to help you build a stronger foundation for building a more rewarding life.

It’s all about you achieving your best self.

To the restoration of your best self,

January 30, 2023
When Your Child Battles With Special Needs… It’s a Battle for You, Too

Angela unconsciously rubbed her forehead. She tried not to worry, but it was futile. Her son, Matt, was 17 and suffered with bipolar disorder, as well as a chronic condition that had caused him to lose most of his eyesight. Emotional regulation was very difficult for him, and his medications only helped slightly. The frustration he experienced from his impaired vision triggered frequent explosive reactions. She did all she could to help him cope, find better doctors, take his medication on schedule, etc. But it took all she had to give to try to help him stay on track in his life, and it wasn’t enough. Trouble was, she wouldn’t live forever. What would happen to Matt after she was gone? When your child battles with special needs, you may be the only one who can help.

She was startled from her reverie by a loud crash. Jumping up, Angela ran toward the sound and discovered Matt in the living room, holding a broken lamp he’d just slammed against the wall.

“Matt! Is everything ok..?” She kept her tone calm and reassuring. She knew if she showed alarm, Matt would likely escalate. Many years of experience had taught her to avoid inflections, tones, or facial expressions that could incite a reaction from her son.

“I couldn’t get the light to turn on. When I tried to turn the knob on it, I couldn’t see it and the lamp toppled. I tried to catch it before it fell but it slipped through my hands…!”

She kept her face frozen in a look of concern. “Oh Matt. I’m so sorry.”

Angela knew Matt hadn’t set out to break the lamp, but he had a short fuse, and responding to frustration calmly always seemed to be beyond his ability. She grabbed the broom and dustpan and swept up the mess then put it in the trash. Matt grabbed his white cane and exploded out the front door.

She didn’t know where he went, but they were way past the point where she could control what he did or where he went. Countless experiences like this assured her that he’d be back when he’d walked long enough to cool off. When your child battles with special needs, you learn how to navigate the hard moments.

She made a cup of coffee and sat at the table with it. As she sipped, she thought back over the last 8 years since Matt was diagnosed. Like that first time she saw him pick up a vase and smash it on the tile floor in a rage. The day their lives changed forever.

Angela felt like such a failure as a mother. She tried to convince herself that Matt’s problems weren’t her fault. That he was ill, and the loss of his eyesight just made it worse. But she often put her parenting under a microscope to critique all her decisions and responses, and it seemed to her that Matt’s behavior was proof that she didn’t have the wisdom to be his mom.

Once again, she got her laptop and googled facilities that could help her son learn to manage his life. He had never raised a hand to her, had never hurt her. But he had caused a lot of damage to property over the years.

As she searched, she found few places where he could go for long term treatment and training. Unfortunately, those she found were prohibitively expensive. She could send him to an Ivy League university for the amount of money required! But she was a single mom, and extremely high monthly tuition was just not available. It’s tough when your child battles with special needs, and you don’t have the funds to get the help for him you wish you could.

Just then the front door opened, and Matt walked in, stashed his white cane by the door, and looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“Oh Matt, I do understand. You know that. Did the walk help?”

“A little. But a walk, even for a couple hours, doesn’t erase the shame I feel all the time. I can’t seem to control the way I react to things, and the shame erodes me. Like acid.”

Angela wished she knew someone who could help Matt, but she also wished she had someone to talk to herself. Worry about the future ate at her, and she wondered if Matt would ever be able to build a career, or get an education. In short, would he ever be able to take care of himself?

The life they had together seemed to mostly entail putting out fires, per se. Matt was so volatile he often interrupted classes, or skipped them altogether. His grades were barely passing… or in some cases, not even that.

One night, she realized he’d been quiet, and she walked through the house to find him. She found him sitting in a lawn chair in the garage, finishing off a bottle of wine. Her heart sank. Her child battled with disabilities, and now he was trying to manage his symptoms with something around the house.

She knew he was self-medicating, but adding alcohol to the mix of everything else was just going to make his life, and hers, all the harder.

Angela strode across the garage, gently but firmly picked up the almost empty bottle, and took it to the kitchen to pour out the rest. She then got the only other bottle of wine from the top shelf and carried it to her room, locked the door, and hid it deep in her closet.

Then she walked calmly back to the garage, and suggested he go to bed. He was drunk, and any discussion now would only lead to disastrous results.

“Mom, you know I can’t sleep. The reason I drank the wine was to help me sleep. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Ok, Matt, but I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. I hope you’ll be able to get some rest.”

Angela went to her room and locked the door. She didn’t want to leave the opportunity for Matt to come in while she slept, in hopes of finding the extra wine. She got in bed, put her head on the pillow, and stared at the ceiling. She was exhausted.

The challenges of daily life with him were overwhelming, but what would become of him after she’s gone? She wouldn’t live forever. How on earth could she help him find better psychiatric care, better management of his symptoms? And how would he manage in the world without someone to drive him around, guide him, protect him from himself and others? A child who battles with special needs is heartbreaking for a parent.

Her stomach twisted in a knot as she thought about it. In fact, she remained twisted up most of the time. Loving him took all of herself. If only she had money, so she could set up a trust for his care. But that wasn’t a possibility. She feared he’d drink too much and commit a crime no one could prevent. That he’d end up in prison, blind, volatile, and angry.

What would other prisoners do to him?

His condition wasn’t his fault.

But he’d be held accountable for anything he did that might not be lawful. When he was having one of his episodes, there was no telling what sort of trouble he might get himself into.

Her mind sped in spiraling circles. She had no solutions.

Fear rose up in her and threatened to make her throat close. She was terrified for her son.

She talked to her friend, Cherie, about her fears, and Cherie searched her face.

“Angela,” she said. “You look terrible. All this is taking a tremendous toll on you. You’re a wonderful mom. But you have to accept that the health problems Matt has are not something you could have prevented, or that you can control. You honestly need to take care of you, for a change.

“You probably don’t realize it, but the stress of Matt’s problems is wearing you down with worry. Angie, you need to find a way to take a break from it. In fact, I would seriously suggest you talk to a psychiatrist for your own needs. Do you realize how beat up you are emotionally? How much damage all this worry and anxiety can do to you?”

Angela hadn’t thought about that. She was always just putting one foot in front of the other, pushing through the current crisis. Her child who battled with special needs seemed to need everything she had to give.

Cherie dug in her purse and pulled out a card, which she handed to Angela.

“This is a psychiatrist I’ve heard wonderful things about. Why don’t you call and see if you can get an appointment? Maybe he can help.”

Angela thought a lot about her conversation with Cherie. She finally picked up the card and made the call. An appointment was arranged for the following week.

When Angela met with the doctor, they talked non-stop for nearly an hour. After listening intently to her, she explained that she had been living in so much stress for so many years, and had developed generalized anxiety disorder. She gave Angela a card to a facility that offered day supervision for people like Matt so their caregivers could get a break. She also recommended that Angela seek ketamine treatment, as it could be effective for the kind of anxiety she had, the kind that had just crept into her pores.

Since ketamine had been found to be so effective for restoring joy, hope, and resilience, it was a good match for Angela’s needs.

Ketamine treatment pushed the “Reboot” button.

She signed up with the psychiatric practice her doctor recommended to receive ketamine. After 3 infusions, she began to feel less stressed and more optimistic. In all, she needed 7 infusions, and experienced something wonderful a few days after the last one. For lack of a better description, it felt to her like resilience…like when things went wrong, she could bounce back on her feet and keep going. Who knew?

This resilience also helped her to have an optimistic outlook and to take each day as it came. Worry faded, and embracing the present became more natural. As a result, she learned to take each day as it came with Matt and he seemed to become a little more calm, too.

It wasn’t that Angela’s treatments solved all her problems. It was that she had more capacity to work toward coping and seeking solutions, while also taking better care of herself.

If your child battles with special needs of any kind and needs a great deal of your support, you may need someone to care for you, too.

Does Angela’s situation strike a chord for you? If so, call us.

We’re here to help you find relief, joy, and resilience through ketamine treatment so you can face your days as your best self, with hope.

To the restoration of your best self,

January 13, 2023
Does Your Teen Get SAD This Time of Year? Try IV Ketamine.

It’s November, and Daylight Savings Time has ended. The sun goes down earlier, and when you get home from school or work, the night covers you and the traffic in a blanket of darkness. Homework has to be done by artificial light, and the healing dose of vitamin D that has nourished you all year is gone. Add to that the nourishing sunlight is only prevalent while you’re indoors at school. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, can interfere in your teen’s social development and education. Does your teen get SAD this time of year?

Psychiatric Disorders Tend to Run in Families

Cherie and Tom are brother and sister , and they both suffer from seasonal affective disorder. It started in their early teens, and you know how psychiatric difficulties can run in families. They have a 9 year old little sister who doesn’t seem to be affected by the emotional lows in fall and winter that Cherie and Tom do. At least, not yet.

Their family is active, and in the summer they’re busy with tennis, golf, swimming and water skiing, and they feel great. But by November, both of them slow down, feel too sluggish to participate in sports at school, and do only what’s required.

Studying is harder than it is in September and early October, or April and May. They both feel withdrawn, less interested in social interaction, and more overwhelmed with school demands. Cherie is 15 and in 10th grade, and Tom is 17 in 11th grade.

Without Resilience It’s Hard to Move Forward

Tom dreads going to college because he’ll be away from home and wonders how he’ll survive during fall and winter. What can he do to save his grade point?

As for Cherie, she just wants to give up. She thinks a lot about dropping out of high school because it seems futile to keep going through this every year, when classes get harder and harder with each passing grade.

Finally, Cherie feels she’s drowning in the futility and begins to think about making her life stop. Ending it. Trouble is, she doesn’t talk to anyone about it. She just carries it inside her…thinking about it more and more.

In a family of five, a quiet teen can easily be overlooked. The signs can be missed.

Meanwhile, Tom is trying to prepare for the SAT, which is no small feat in his frame of mind. His parents are taking him around to a variety of college campuses to help him narrow down his choices. And on top of that their younger sister, Izzie, is trying to prepare for the Science Fair.

Tom held on with white knuckles, trying to study and prepare for his upcoming SAT, getting his parents to drill him. To say the least, the family was stretched in too many directions.

No one noticed that Cherie was spending most of her time in her room.

Bottom line, the depression of seasonal affective disorder made Tom and Cherie feel like they were sludging through hip-deep mud day after day.

Then came the day of Tom’s SAT test. He honestly prayed through it. Hoping for some sort of miracle that the answers would come to him and he’d do well.

Cherie stayed at home that day, and after everyone else left, she found a bottle of pills her mom took to help her sleep. She sat on her bed for hours contemplating those pills. Finally, Cherie went to the kitchen to get a glass of water then sat on her bed working up the courage to start systematically swallowing the pills. When your teen gets SAD at this time of year, it can be dangerous.

She started swallowing the pills two at a time.

After she had gagged while swallowing the second handful, she thought she heard a clattering downstairs. She closed her eyes and tried to swallow down the nausea. Then swallowed two more.

Her mom tapped on the door then walked in. There Cherie sat with a pile of pills in her lap, and water in her hand, looking guilty.

Thinking fast, her mother called 911, then asked Cherie how many she’d taken. In a panic, Cherie said, “I’m not sure.” But she knew she felt a bit fuzzy.

At the Emergency Department, the doctor induced vomiting, then inserted an NG tube into her stomach to keep her stomach empty. It was a miserable experience for Cherie. Then she was admitted to the Psychiatry unit for observation.

Afterwards, Tom and Cherie’s parents drove home to talk to Tom.

“Have you had any thoughts about hurting yourself, Tom? We know you’ve been struggling since the first part of November,” his parents asked gently.

“I don’t think so,” Tom replied quietly.

“I’ll admit I’ve felt desperate at times, but not that desperate. I wondered how I would survive in life without college because it all overwhelms me and I’m afraid to go. I don’t know what to do.”

Both Tom and Cherie had been taking a variety of antidepressants but neither seemed to have gotten relief from the medicine.

Tom’s parents looked at each other and said, “There must be something that will help.”

Tom went to bed, and his parents got on the computer. They googled, “Treatment for depression when medicine doesn’t help.”

A Novel Depression Treatment May Hold Hope

To their surprise, all sorts of things came up, that all seemed to point to novel forms of treatment, especially IV ketamine treatment. They got to thinking about how their teens get sad, and realized they’d been rather blind to their children’s wellbeing.

They read all they could find on it, and learned that ketamine has been used for 50 years safely in anesthesia, and that in the last ten years it’s been used more and more widely to treat depression, bipolar d e pression, social anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts.

The more they read, the more hope they had for both of their teens. They learned that ketamine turbo boosts the connections between brain cells which offers clearer cognition, a brighter outlook, and more creativity. It brings hope and resilience.

Tom and Cherie both received IV ketamine treatment for depression and social anxiety the following week, along with their mom. who also battled with seasonal affective disorder but hadn’t realized it.

Does your teen get SAD this time of year? Is he sluggish, listless, with little interest in school work or time with the family? If he’s hopeless, sad, and withdrawn, and medications haven’t helped, call us.

At Innovative Psychiatry we can help you get the ketamine treatment you need to restore your joy and hope.

Make this a productive and rewarding winter.

We’re here for you.

To the restoration of your best self,

November 14, 2022
Straight Talk: Let’s Be Honest About Excessive Social Media Engagement

Zach is 15 year-old high school sophomore. Some say that 14-15 can be the hardest teen years. Insecurities about identity, body image, personality, and a need for acceptance without the freedom of driving can add seemingly insurmountable pressures for a young person. But those miseries and uncertainties can be compounded by the hostile input that occurs through excessive social media engagement.

Zach was a more serious student who tried to do well in school. He had a few friends who were academically focused like him. They kept to themselves to avoid bullying by those who had nothing better to do. Occasionally, Zach or one of his friends, was the target of attacks on social media, and it was so cruel because of the public humiliation he felt.

The more often it happened, the more he withdrew into himself. It seemed like life was about keeping his head down and enduring.

He was ashamed that he’d been singled out and rejected by the crowd, and he wondered if he’d ever overcome all this, or if he would fail at life because of his shame. Zach and his friends talked about all the heartache excessive social media engagement caused, and how it affected them. The most resilient of their friends, Noah, reminded them that by studying hard in high school, they’ll be better equipped in college, and one day the cruel kids will end up working for Zach, Noah, and their friends. He encouraged them to focus on the long game.

Pep talks like that helped. A little.

After his homework one night, Zach googled what he thought were his symptoms. He had begun to wonder if his social withdrawal was a psychiatric problem, or whether there was something wrong about him the bullies could see that he couldn’t.

In his search results, up came link after link to articles about major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders like antisocial disorder. He found online tests and videos he watched to help him diagnose himself.

Then he researched the medications often found effective in treating his “symptoms.”

Trouble was, Zach’s “symptoms” weren’t actually symptoms at all. They were a natural part of surviving adolescence. Zach’s limited perspective as a 15 year old who was experiencing bullying online didn’t take into consideration his overall coping skills and challenges he was facing.

But he didn’t know that.

He decided to talk to his parents about his concerns and what he had learned on social media. YouTube videos had convinced him he had the classic symptoms of antisocial personality and general anxiety disorder. He asked his parents to help him see a psychiatrist.

His parents loved him and wanted him to feel their support. They agreed with Zach that excessive social media use among his high school students was destructive. They called around to get a recommendation for a psychiatrist, then called for an appointment.

When Zach and his mom arrived for his appointment, she told the doctor that Zach had researched his symptoms and discovered he had antisocial personality disorder. She asked if the doctor could prescribe medication for him.

The doctor raised his eyebrows.

“Antisocial, huh? Let’s take a breath and talk about this.”

The doctor proceeded to ask Zach some questions, listen to his answers, and then ask more. Before long, Zach was engaged in the conversation that included his childhood, his home life, the bullying at school, and his experiences with social media. They talked about his friends, and his relationship with his parents, and his performance in his classes.

Finally, the doctor sat back and smiled.

“Zach, first of all, you don’t have antisocial personality disorder, so I want to set you at ease about that. I think the bullying you’ve experienced face to face and on social media has triggered some anxiety for you. You seem to have healthy relationships with your friends, as well as your family, and you’re investing considerable effort to do well in your studies. These are signs of a healthy 15 year old guy who’s taken it on the chin several times due to thoughtless, ill-adjusted teenagers.

“I’d like to see you get some counseling to help you let go of the opinions of others, and I’m giving you a list of some counselors you can call. I’m also prescribing 6 months without social media, to give you relief from the cruelty you find there. Hopefully that time will give you the space you need to sever the influence that cruel, idle peers have tried to hold over you. Hopefully, you’ll find this excessive social media engagement is something you can live without.

“Here’s a prescription for a very low dose of anxiety medicine — No, it’s not a benzodiazepine — to help reduce your worrying while you work on these changes.”

“I’d like to see you in a couple weeks to check on how things are going and how the medicine is doing. Do you think you can work with this plan?”

“Yes,” Zach said. “I’m going to try. I’m sorta overwhelmed with the counseling, but I’ll try.”

And he did.

Six months later, Zach was feeling more like himself, had learned to ignore the irrelevant voices of “haters,” and had gained confidence in who he was through group counseling with other peers.

He was feeling more comfortable in his own skin, and worried less about what others said about him.

Meanwhile, across town, his friend Noah had been talking with Jeb about his sullen outlook, hopeless demeanor, and bitter attitude. Noah explained to Jeb what he himself had been through after his dad died. Noah told him he was already depressed, but medication wasn’t helping…then his dad died and he just gave up. He described to Jeb what that felt like, and how his grades dropped and he didn’t want to be around anyone.

Then, someone in his math class told Noah about IV ketamine treatment. He called the doctor the classmate told him about, went in for a long appointment (with a million questions) and started ketamine infusions. Already after the first one, he felt better and by the end, he felt like himself again. He had the strength to grieve his dad’s death, while still functioning at school and with friends. Noah said that sometimes you need help just to work on your life.

Jeb told him that he would talk to his parents about it.

Turns out, Jeb’s dad had heard the story from a friend at work how IV ketamine treatment had transformed the man’s daughter… that it was like a miracle after years of depression. He was immediately on board about Jeb’s interest in getting treated.

A couple months into the summer, Zach ran into Jeb, and he was his old self. He was back at his best self. They talked and laughed and caught up, and agreed to go to a movie on Saturday. Noah and Ethan joined them and the four had a great time. They talked openly about what an amazing year it had been, as though they had passed from dark to light.

IV ketamine treatment isn’t for everyone. There is a small percentage of people who don’t seem to benefit from it, at least so far. Others benefit more from changes in their lives…their infrastructure…to support their healthy frame of mind. They also may need changes in their environment — like friends they choose or excessive social media, for sure. But for those who need treatment to restore their brain structures and their resilience, ketamine treatment offers a rapid and robust antidepressant transformation in most people. Chances are, it can change your outlook and your life can be rewarding again.

If you suffer from depression, general or social anxiety, PTSD, or suicidal thoughts, and nothing has helped, call us.

We get up early and stay up late, studying, conferring, and seeking the latest research, finding ways to help you get better. Let us hear from you.

To the restoration of your best self,

October 17, 2022
Does Your Teen’s “Selective Hearing” Drive You Batty? There’s More To It…

“Riley? Riley… RILEYYYY!!” “MOM, why are you YELLING?” “Because you aren’t ANSWERING ME!!” Sound familiar? Does it seem like your teen has her ears stuffed with cotton? What about when it’s her friends talking to her? They have her undivided attention, right? Your teen’s selective hearing can drive you bonkers…

What is this? Is it just rebellion? A breakdown of respect?

It turns out there’s a neurobiological change that happens in your teen’s brain that results in their “selective” hearing. Before puberty, they’re hardwired to recognize their mother’s voice amidst other voices. They associated that voice with nourishment, as well as social and language learning. The sound of that familiar and important voice lights up multiple parts of the child’s brain.

But all that changes at puberty.

Get this: A study conducted at Stanford University delved into this phenomenon to better understand it. Led by Daniel A. Abrams, Ph.D., and Vinod Menon, Ph.D., they set out to learn more. After discovering in previous years that children 12 years old and younger can recognize mom’s voice with a 97% accuracy, they wondered: what about older kids? They also saw that mom’s voice set in motion multiple brain areas. Functional brain imaging scans allowed researchers to visualize them.

Brain regions like the reward centers, emotion processing areas, and the auditory cortex were activated. (The job of the auditory cortex is simply to process sound.) Of particular import were brain networks that give a person the ability to differentiate when information introduced is particularly worthy of attention. That’s the key.

For an infant, the mother’s voice signals nourishment, comfort, language and social learning.

These researchers set out to build on this previously discovered information. If an infant needs to focus primarily on mother’s voice for survival and development, what happens when a child reaches adolescence?

Needs change. Survival depends on other needs being filled.

In the new study, they compared responses to auditory tests of children under 13, to those 13-16. The latter group is in an age of transition, when a dependent child grows toward adulthood. To achieve that independence, his prowess at reaching out to others outside his family must be developed.

Because of that, he experiences a shift in who he’s drawn to focus on. (And he’s not even aware of it. Nature just flips the switch.) Researchers discovered that the process of becoming independent is initiated by a subconscious biological signal. This turns on a teen’s ability to connect socially outside his family. He becomes more and more attracted to the unfamiliar voices of potential friends and companions. He wants to be in their company and spend time together. As a result, he becomes socially skilled outside his family.

As disrespectful as this “selective hearing” may seem, it’s actually a vital and normal part of teen growth and development, when everything else is normal.

However, sometimes there are other circumstances that complicate the teen’s “selective” type of hearing. Adolescent depression is an example. When a teen is depressed, he may not feel much like responding, especially to someone in his family. That’s a symptom all its own and can complicate the neurobiological shift in focus a teen experiences toward those outside his family.

The first step in communicating with your teen comes in recognizing that as much as he needs you until he’s ready to make his own home and take care of himself, he also needs to safely transition to that independence.

That can be a painful process for both parent and teen. But if you, as parent, can recognize that his instincts to pull away are biologically based, you can better guide him patiently to take those steps toward independence, safely. Allowing his maturity to catch up with each new stride.

The second step is to be informed and familiar with symptoms of psychiatric disorders that can seriously complicate the process. And if those symptoms emerge, you’ll be there to help him find the treatment that can make all the difference for him.

For disorders like treatment resistant depression, bipolar depression, PTSD, social anxiety, panic attacks, and symptoms like suicidal thinking, IV ketamine treatment can restore, renew, and give him hope. It can stop suicidal thoughts in an afternoon. It can help your teen move forward with building his life, engaging with friends, and performing in school.

These symptoms can interrupt your teen’s development, but ketamine can set him back on solid ground.

If your teen exhibits symptoms beyond just selective hearing, or if you struggle with symptoms of your own, call us.

Get the help your teen and your family need to enjoy resilience and balance.

And you can get back to the “simple job” of patient, loving support and guidance as he grows into the future ahead for him.

To the restoration of your best self,

August 29, 2022
Do Parents with Social Anxiety and Panic Pass It On to Their Kids?

School is starting. Teens are beginning their academic year in junior high, high school, and college. Exciting and a little scary… for parents too. Do parents with social anxiety and panic pass it on to their kids? Anxiety disorders run rampant for this age group. General anxiety, social anxiety, and panic plagues many teens, along with co-morbid depression and bipolar depression.

Research confirms that a child who has a parent with anxiety holds a compounded risk of anxiety. It’s even more true if both parents have an anxiety diagnosis.

The more we understand that relationship the better prepared we are to help those parents’ offspring who are at risk. These conditions can be responsible for absence and avoidance of school. In fact, when they’re severe, it can become almost impossible for your teen to endure.

We know that genetic connections and watching an anxious parent respond to anxious situations increase the likelihood of a child showing signs of anxiety, too.

And the more this occurs, the stronger that response — or reaction — exhibits itself in your child.

By the teen years, kids can become entrenched in these patterns. And the responses become “knee-jerk” reactions.

Social anxiety, panic, and general anxiety can interfere with your child’s normal growth and development, making it more and more difficult to make friends, perform in class, and enjoy success. When symptoms drag on without successful treatment, it can be extremely difficult to apply for a job, perform in the workplace, maintain a relationship, enjoy marriage (yes, some people do!)… and so much that’s a part of a rewarding life.

To better understand these risk factors, a team led by Barbara Pavlova, Ph.D. and Rudolph Uher, M.D., Ph.D., at Dalhousie University, embarked on a study to show how parents pass their anxiety disorders down to their children, and published it in JAMA Network Open.

They showed that children whose same-sex parent suffers from anxiety disorders are more likely to suffer from anxiety than those whose opposite-sex parent has such a disorder.

By age 10. (Yes, you got that right: 10).

And the lowest risk of a child’s developing anxiety disorders exists when neither parent suffers from these disorders.

But the likelihood is almost as low when the parent with anxiety is effectively treated for it. When anxiety symptoms are treated, and the parent has relearned responses that don’t convey fear to fearful or worrisome circumstances, their child can learn healthier responses, too.

Anxiety disorders are the most widespread psychiatric disorders, and among the leading causes of disability.

When you understand the impact your own anxious responses have on your child, it’s easier to see the importance of treating your own anxiety, as well as your teen’s. You may not even realize you struggle with anxiety… the way you are may just seem like it’s just the way you are…

Worried a lot of the time… with thoughts running through your mind so much that they keep you from sleeping at night. Maybe it’s extremely difficult for you to walk into a crowded room, or attend a party where you don’t know many — or any — people? …Maybe you just avoid gatherings like that.

Or maybe sometimes anxiety builds and builds until you just shut down… or want to cry, or scream… or you just freeze and can’t make yourself function.

Maybe sweat breaks out on your face, your palms, in your armpits. And it’s completely beyond what you can control. Social anxiety, panic, and excessive worry can not only interrupt your normal living, but can be complicated by depression. And they can influence your behavior around your children, and interrupt their lives, too.

But IV ketamine treatment can be transformative for these conditions, and other disorders.

Research has shown what a difference IV ketamine treatment can make, in you, your spouse, and your teen.

By releasing mRNA to turn DNA “ON”, brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) is released and turbo-boosted proliferating the brain cells. Dendrites and dendritic spines explode by the bushel, sending signals throughout the brain like a flood. Your brain can light up with creative and positive thought, solutions, and hope.

The darkness and oppression that’s trapped you… the anxiety and tension… dissipates and can be replaced by joy.

Yep. Joy.

We’re ready for you at Innovative Psychiatry to help you find that joy and hope through IV ketamine treatment.

When you come in, you’ll be led to a quiet, beautiful room where you can relax in a heated, zero-gravity leather recliner, listen to the music you bring if you choose, and close your eyes to receive your infusion and get the most from it.

You’ll notice a trim, white box on the table that’s specialized for destroying bacteria, viruses, and molds of all kinds, leaving your room free of pathogens — and giving you a germ-free space to breathe and relax. Your safety is important to us, and in this ever-changing COVID environment, you will be completely safe from infection. Using plasma cell technology, we’ve installed a unit specific to the square footage of each treatment room throughout our offices. (Who else does that?)

We’re meticulous — and for years we’ve pioneered best practices, set the standards, and led the pack.

It may take 6 infusions for you to feel better, and to achieve remission from your symptoms… or maybe 8, 9, or 10. (Every person and every brain is different.) But we’re committed to help you receive the full benefits of your IV ketamine treatment.

Ketamine isn’t for everyone, but it can be transformative for most. Chances are it will provide you with the peace, joy, and hope you need.

Give yourself the benefit of what 21st century psychiatry can offer for treatment-resistant disorders.

If these conditions sound familiar, call us.

We’re committed to help you get better with IV ketamine. This is about you and your teen.

To the restoration of your best self,

August 22, 2022

Category: Kids, Teens, and College Students

Articles about Kids, Teens, and College Students from Lori Calabrese, MD | The Ketamine Blog

Ketamine Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders

Suicide in Children

Ketamine Can Rapidly Erase Suicidal Thoughts

Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds with a Ketogenic Diet for Your Teen

His Meds Weren’t Working

Megan loaded the dishwasher while she waited. She needed to get her hands busy. This was the third medication change they had tried, and his episodes continued. She worried about what this was doing to his self image. His school work. His relationships with friends.

Each time this happened, she became more frazzled. And he was more engulfed in shame. Shame for a condition he really couldn’t help. To the average observer, these outbursts made him look like a “bad seed”… a trouble maker… an undisciplined kid with a bad attitude.

How Could She Help?

“It’s not the sort of thing you should try to do yourself, like people do with keto to lose weight. It should be done with a psychiatrist who’s experienced with this illness and this approach, but it can be incredibly effective.”

Liz Offers Transforming News

“Liz, are you saying that people with bipolar disorder have actually started eating differently and it relieved their bipolar symptoms??”

“Thanks enormously Liz. I called you at the end of myself, and you’ve filled my sails with hope. I’ll keep you posted about how this goes.”

A Strange Solution Leads to Hope

Megan stood up and walked into the living room to see if it was Ethan. She found him sitting on the sofa, subdued. “Hi, buddy.”

“I know… but I hope you realize by now that I don’t blame you. I know your heart. This is the illness…and I’ve learned something while you’ve been gone that may turn out to help.”

“I learned there is a way of treating bipolar disorder that can relieve your symptoms, and possibly allow you to wean from medications so you can feel better and get rid of the side effects. It’s about eating ketogenic foods…

“I know, Ethan. It shocks me too. But people are having good results. You know Liz? She has a friend whose 15-year-old daughter’s bipolar symptoms have all but disappeared after 6 months…and she has replaced her bipolar disorder meds with this diet.

Touchpoints 180™

They sat side by side at the table and opened up the website. As they read through the home page, they could see it talked about a program for metabolic psychiatry called Touchpoints 180™… that must be the program Liz mentioned. They read about the program and what they offer.

There was a search bar…so he searched bipolar disorder. Multiple blogs came up about what a ketogenic diet can do for patients with bipolar disorder. The more he read, the more his mind opened about the possibility.

Food as Medicine

And Megan and Ethan started cooking together. It was satisfying and enjoyable. And their first meal included a dill cream sauce on salmon with a spinach, avocado, and mushroom salad. It was delicious.

A Better Plan for Living a Healthier Life

By checking with the ketone meter, they could see it took till the end of the third day for Ethan to enter ketosis. That was a milestone for him. Now my brain can begin healing…he thought.

Time to Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds

Three months later, he realized he hadn’t had an episode lately. Then, at the five month mark, he realized he hadn’t had any symptoms in awhile. But he guessed that could change. So he didn’t put much stock in it.

Ethan would not have believed it if he hadn’t experienced it himself. But he was so grateful to Liz for telling his mom about this program…and so grateful to Touchpoints 180™ for providing the way for him to get better. Really better.

You Can Replace Bipolar Disorder Meds With a Ketogenic Diet

Switching the energy source in brain cells from glucose to ketones (achieving therapeutic nutritional ketosis) can offer protective aspects to nerve cells, as well.

Fuel your mitochondria to heal and restore your brain.

Is Self Harm Tormenting Your Teen? Ketamine Can Help!

Strangely, Cutting Helped

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

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

Her Parents Separate

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

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

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

But, being without her mom seemed lonely too.

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

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

What??

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.

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.

Kinsey Withdraws

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…

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

Dad Helps Kinsey Explore What’s Happened

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“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.”

“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.

But she’d never done it. Not yet.

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

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

“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.”

Ketamine Treatment for Depression

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

Her son was shut down, not moving.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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