Postpartum Depression
Ketamine For Postpartum Depression
Pregnancy is an exciting development in every person’s life as it opens you up to a whole new world of experiences and sensations. There are many things for mothers and their families to look forward to. However, it is important to note that the “pregnancy experience” isn’t all roses, especially for mothers. This is because the prospect of having a baby can manifest a wide range of feelings and emotions, such as joy, anxiety, excitement, and even fear and depression.
Depression, no matter the type, is always an unpleasant experience that can quickly develop into much more severe situations if not quickly diagnosed and effectively treated and managed. Depression is a very serious condition that needs to be effectively dealt with as soon as it is diagnosed because it can significantly negatively impact the overall health and wellness of individuals suffering from it. There are several different types of depression, but one particular type of depression that needs to get a lot more attention than it currently has is postpartum depression.
What Is Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a type of depression that occurs in women after delivery, i.e., after pregnancy. It manifests as a complex combination of simultaneous physical, behavioral, and emotional changes that reflect the various mental and emotional adjustments that many new mothers go through after giving birth. According to the DSM-5, an official manual used for mental illness diagnosis, Postpartum depression is a severe type of depression that occurs within four weeks post-delivery. It is important to note that both the intensity of depressive symptoms and the time frame in which they occur are important diagnostic elements for postpartum depression.
Commonly referred to by several people by the seemingly cute moniker, “baby blues,” it’s important to note that postpartum depression is far from a “cute” condition. Studies have shown that it is a widely-occurring condition that affects up to 20% of new mothers. In comparison, at least 70% of all new mothers will experience postpartum blues -A milder state of emotional and mental instability that occurs in new mothers.
Why It Occurs
The precise nature of the relationship between pregnancy and postpartum depression is still somewhat unclear; however, postpartum depression has been linked to the decline of hormone levels in mothers after the delivery of their babies. Estrogen and progesterone levels in the body are known to increase during delivery; however, there is a “sharp” decline in their production levels after delivery. This results in a temporary imbalance, manifesting as emotional and mental instability. Progesterone and estrogen levels return to normal body levels as early as three days after delivery. When this imbalance and its associated symptoms are present for up to four weeks, this condition is officially classified as postpartum depression.
Luckily, there are a lot of treatment approaches that guarantee effective treatment results for postpartum depression. One such approach gaining increasing traction daily for use in the management of postpartum depression is Ketamine therapy.
Treating Postpartum Depression with Ketamine
Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist used to produce excellent results in treating and managing. The discovery of ketamine for treating depression is considered a breakthrough for modern medicine because innovation and discovery in the search for better drugs for managing depression had been scarce for some time. There is also the fact that there has been an increase in treatment-resistant depression, meaning that many individuals cannot get the relief they want since their anti-depressants just don’t work anymore.
Due to its previous successes in the management of other forms of depression, ketamine has now been explored for use in the treatment of postpartum depression, and the results have been nothing short of amazing! A particular study showed that ketamine is very effective for treating and reducing the incidence of postpartum depression in mothers. Furthermore, another thing that has contributed to the increased adoption of ketamine for treating postpartum depression is its side effects are much less severe than those observed for traditional anti-depressant medications, making it perfect for new mothers.
How does it work?
Ketamine functions by preventing the glutamate neurotransmitter from activating the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor. It also lessens default mode network activity in the brain, thereby improving brain health and adaptability. Ketamine has also been linked with increasing serotonin and melatonin brain concentration while simultaneously lowering inflammatory levels, and this also contributes to improvement in the health and wellness of mothers.
Advantages of ketamine therapy for postpartum depression
Still not sure if ketamine is right for you? Here are some of the benefits of ketamine for treating postpartum depression:
- Cheaper: Compared to most other “conventional’ anti-depressant therapies, ketamine therapy is much more affordable, thanks in part to the fact that the drug is more accessible to access and cheaper to manufacture than other drugs for treating postpartum depression.
- Excellent treatment results: Ketamine produces excellent postpartum depression treatment results; one of the major reasons why it is currently a postpartum depression treatment approach prescribed by an increasing number of doctors and health care professionals.
- Fast Action: Traditional anti-depressant drugs have the major disadvantage of slow onset of treatment. This means that patients on these drugs must wait for days or even weeks before they begin to experience the anti-depressant effects of these drugs. Ketamine is, however, different thanks to its rapid onset of action. Patients begin to experience relief from depressive symptoms within minutes of ketamine use.
- Ketamine also elicits less severe side effects compared to other anti-depressant medications.
Ketamine Treatment At Prosper Ketamine & IV Nutrition Therapy
If you’re looking to explore and take advantage of all the treatment benefits that ketamine offers, Prosper Ketamine & IV Nutrition Therapy is the perfect place for you. We have teams of skilled and experienced professionals that can help you effectively deal with postpartum depression. Reach out today, and let’s help you improve your health and wellness.