Qualified healthcare practitioners are allowed to provide and prescribe legal medications for patients even if the drugs have not been officially approved for certain uses. That’s the case with ketamine, a drug the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved as an anesthetic. Ketamine therapy in Denver, CO has proved significantly beneficial for many patients with treatment-resistant depression and other mental health conditions.
Off-Label Use
When legal drugs are prescribed for non-approved purposes, this is known as off-label use. As of 2022, the FDA has approved ketamine for clinical trials in treatment-resistant depression therapy. However, qualified practitioners can legally provide it as a treatment for their patients.
A Related Medication
The FDA also has approved a related drug known as esketamine for treating depression. This medication is included in a nasal spray; typically patients combine it with another prescription antidepressant.
A Combination of Treatments
In contrast, ketamine therapy in Denver, CO is provided in low-dose intravenous infusion for mental health patients. Practitioners may combine the treatment with counseling services in Denver, CO for best results. Patients who have been struggling with major depression for a long time are grateful when they finally discover a treatment that works.
Combining antidepressant medication with psychotherapy has traditionally been considered relatively ineffective. Ketamine works differently than prescription antidepressants, though. This hallucinogenic drug has dissociative effects that cause a trance-like state. After a supervised infusion experience is complete, practitioners providing counseling services in Denver, CO talk with clients about what thoughts and feelings arose.
Men and women interested in ketamine infusion therapy may learn about The Catalyst Center at catalystcenterllc.com.