For some combat veterans, returning home doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve left behind the war. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is one of the most difficult disorders to treat. However, ketamine might be the answer that doctors have been looking for vets with PTSD.

Doctors have begun using ketamine infusions to treat conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, OCD, and chronic pain. It’s also been effective in stopping suicide thoughts quickly. So far the results are promising. So promising that the FDA has fast-tracked two ketamine based drugs.

In fact, some researchers have called ketamine the most important discovery in half a century. Ketamine was created back in the 1960s as an anesthetic to use during the Vietnam War. It soon found it’s onto the streets where its effects made it a popular recreational drug. This scared doctors off from using it for many years, however recently doctors have begun using it to treat mental disorders.

Studies have shown that ketamine infusions can produce a rapid and significant reduction in the severity of PTSD symptoms. It can help to treat accompanied diagnoses that often come with PTSD such as depression and anxiety.

Around 7-8% of people will have PTSD at some point in their life. Around 8 million adults in the US are living with it at any given year. PTSD happens when someone goes through trauma. Although the disorder is commonly associated with soldiers, events such as natural disasters, car accidents, or sexual assault can also lead to it.

Currently, the main treatment for PTSD is a combination of counseling and medication. However, many veterans do not get the relief they’re looking for from traditional antidepressants. As ketamine gets more attention more studies are being done to see just how effective this drug is at treating disorders.

Help for Vets with PTSD

If you or someone you love is suffering from PTSD please contact us to learn more about treatment options!