Have you felt more stressed, anxious, or depressed lately? If yes, don’t be surprised or feel alone. As we all face social isolation, news cycles featuring the virus, drastically changed routines, and more – feeling depressed is not uncommon or surprising.
In fact, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll found that 45% of American adults have reported that the virus has negatively impacted their mental health. A hotline run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration experienced a 1000% increase in April compared to the same time last year.
Why Depression is Rising
Again, this spike in depression rates isn’t surprising. Existing in a state of chronic stress for an extended period of time is known to lead to depression. And according to KFF, we can likely expect those depression rates to increase as social distancing, shelter-in-place orders, and business and school closures continue to drain us mentally and emotionally.
People are also experiencing more anxiety due to fears about the well-being of family and friends, job security, and more.
Research links social isolation and loneliness to poor mental health. And negative effects of social isolation may be more pronounced among the elderly and adolescent population since they are already at risk for depression and suicidal ideation.
And as the US unemployment rate rises due to business closures, KFF predicts that we can expect depression rates to rise. Like social isolation, job-loss has also been linked to increased depression, low self esteem, and anxiety.
Facing a Mental Health Disorder Spike?
Many are debating whether social distancing should be reduced, whether businesses should be allowed to open, and whether shelter-in-place orders should end. Many in the medical community believe these measures are necessary to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases that overburden medical facilities.
Additionally, some mental health professionals fear that while we’re addressing the potential COVID-19 spike, we may not be addressing the potential spike in mental health cases that the pandemic response is creating.
“If we don’t do something about it now, people are going to be suffering from these mental-health impacts for years to come,” Paul Gionfriddo, president of Mental Health America, told The Washington Post.
Ketamine to Treat Depression
Ketamine may provide the answer to the rising rate of depression cases. Though not yet FDA approved as a depression treatment, ketamine is supported by a growing body of medical and anecdotal research as a highly effective treatment for treatment resistant depression. Seventy percent of people who try ketamine to treat their depression have found relief from their symptoms.
How Ketamine Treats Depression
And not only does it work effectively, ketamine works rapidly. A study conducted in November 2019 found that ketamine works as a treatment for ER patients suffering from suicidal ideation. According to the researchers, “A single infusion of ketamine, administered in the emergency department, is a safe and feasible treatment option for depressed, suicidal patients.”
Ketamine also produces long term results. That’s because it works to “rewire” the brain. It impacts neural transmissions in the brain and causes new, healthy neural connections to develop. And it usually only requires a few treatments to achieve these results.
Not only does ketamine work when people need it most, it works long term.
Ketamine to Cure Depression
Are you struggling with depression symptoms, and traditional treatment just isn’t helping? You may be a good candidate for ketamine infusions. We recommend that you schedule a free consultation with one of our doctors at Virginia Infusion Therapies in Leesburg, Virginia. Ketamine may provide the relief that you need.
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