Hello and welcome. My name is Susan. I am a huge advocate of Ketamine therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression. I write about my experiences with Ketamine treatments on my website, MyKetamineStory.com. I have also written for several Ketamine Clinics in the past. I am excited about being asked to now write for The Ketamine Academy website. It my desire that with my writings I can help those interested in knowing more about how Ketamine can help Treatment Resistant Depression, and other disorders, either for themselves, a loved one, or now even for their patients.
I will be discussing my experiences with Ketamine and how it has aided me in healing from decades of suffering with chronic depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Ketamine, for those that are unaware, is a drug now being used for treating chronic depression and trauma when traditional methods have failed. It is often a rapid acting antidepressant having a positive effect on those with long term depression. I will say that this is just a simplistic and a very brief description of a drug that has been around since the early 1960’s. I do not claim to be a scientist or doctor.
I am a patient and advocate of Ketamine for treating depression.
Ketamine can be administered by infusions and intramuscular (IM) shots. I have experienced extremely positive results with both delivery methods. I have also used intranasal Ketamine to help during times, in the past, when I was unable to make it to my doctor’s office for a long period of time, for whatever reason. I will note here that nasal Ketamine is not my recommended route of delivery, but I mention it because it is still a viable option for those not living close to a Ketamine provider and have a doctor willing to prescribe it.
Our society is now in a massive need of more educated providers to administer Ketamine therapy. It is because of my success with Ketamine that I find it very important to educate both the general public as well as physicians and nurse practitioners on the use of Ketamine for treatment resistant depression.
I was diagnosed with clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder at the age of 18. I spent nearly 30 years searching for a treatment to pull me from the depths of suicidal depression, intense and unthinkable anxiety, daily panic attacks, obsessive compulsive thoughts and behaviors, insomnia and agoraphobia without success - but with plenty of horror stories.
My inner light was completely out. This was back in the beginning of 2015. My hope and my expectations that my life would improve didn’t exist. After many attempts, in the past, I tried ending my life for the last time. I was quite certain I would be successful this time around but apparently it was not my time. It was while I was barely hanging onto life that my husband and therapist discovered a small article written on Ketamine. Ketamine was being used to treat those suffering with a long history with major depressive disorders. Ketamine was having amazing results for those, like me, that have tried everything to no avail.
It was when I finally awoke, angry and desperate for it all to end, that I was told about Ketamine. I had no faith that yet another medication could turn my life around and assist me in fighting back. I only wanted death. I wanted to be at the finish line, but that would not be my story. Ketamine would thoroughly change my life. These writings are my beginning.
I live in Virginia. I have a passion for writing and photography. I also love sewing and crafting. I basically love the arts. I am at my best when I am creating. I am married and have one child. My husband and son are my major support system; without Geoffrey and Matthew my life would be completely empty. It has been through recovery that I have discovered a larger network, and strength.
I enjoy and thrive on learning new things. It makes me feel I have a purpose in life when I am helping others. My intention with this blog is to reach out to others with clinical depression and turn on a light of hope.
I want desperately to inform clinics and practitioners of the hope that Ketamine can offer those with little to no options available to them. Ketamine is my life preserver and it may possibly be yours.
I am writing from my own experiences; my journey through hell and back. I get Ketamine treatments every two weeks and have been for over three and a half years now. It has thoroughly changed my life. I have had numerous people reach out to me, to share their stories, to get encouragement, to find providers, and to gain understanding of the nature of Ketamine and how it works for me.
Those of us that struggle daily with major depression have all dealt with plenty of doctors, hospitals, and treatments that have failed to make an impact on our lives. The side effects from traditional medications alone could be a sci-fi novel no one would want to willingly read and that the big pharmaceutical companies would ultimately want to ban. Living with chronic depression has been torturous for me and others like me. Ketamine offers hope.
I began writing and advocating Ketamine for Depression in January 2017. You may question why I waited so long to start discussing my praise of Ketamine. I know I would wonder that, if I found a blog hyping up a new therapy for depression. In fact, back in 2015, my husband had a lot of convincing to do to get me to believe in Ketamine enough to try it. I have tried numerous treatments, practically every nightmare medication cocktail imaginable, been hospitalized more than I care to admit, I even tried 12 sessions of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) all with the desire of trying to break free from the suicidal depression I felt. I didn’t want to put my faith into yet another costly treatment only to discover I would never see past the intense suicidal thoughts I had running non-stop in my head. To be completely honest, I was in a very dark place and even with the help of Ketamine treatments, it has been a long journey to the surface. I was profoundly depressed for decades.
I am sure anyone that is depressed, and even those fortunate enough not to have a mental illness, can understand that healing takes time. It also involves immense personal growth and even more cognitive work because of default systems that are put in place in order to survive. Ketamine allows me the clarity to do all the behavior modifications I struggled with in the past. I have accumulated many tools over the years for battling this deadly illness but found the tools failed me time and time again because the depression engulfed me. It paralyzed me. Progress was painfully slow, but now I can observe myself and the way I process information. I genuinely know when the depression filters are switched back on. Ketamine gives me a solid 12-14 days of relief before I sense myself sliding and in need of another treatment. This method of treatment is phenomenal to me. I mean, it is crazy that one drug given every two weeks without side effects is easing my hateful depression. I believe anyone walking in my shoes would want to shout to the world about it. I needed to be emotionally strong in my recovery before I could do that..
In January of 2017, I felt ready to open up and speak. I struggle. People ask tough questions. People make hurtful comments. I won’t back down. I may pull back to lick my wounds and process, but I will not stop educating. I believe now that sometimes people speak out because of ignorance. I also know and can frankly state that I have met some incredible people over the past year and a half or more. I am thankful. I am sharing my story and remarkably, my words have inspired. I started my website and have been advocating any way that I can find in hopes of finding those people still suffering who are at a loss for options.
I genuinely aspire to educate those with the ability to administer Ketamine to reach out, to take the training course offered by the Ketamine Academy and start helping those of us with this debilitating and unforgiving illness find ourselves again. I have already had many physicians and practitioners reach out to me with questions, praise, offering encouragement and wishes for continued success. All of which reinforce my commitment to write on the subject as well as my continued recovery.
I feel it is extremely important to educate our society on the use of Ketamine for depression. This new treatment for depression needs a voice. I want to be one of those voices shouting the loudest about Ketamine Infusions, Ketamine Clinics, Ketamine Centers, Intramuscular Ketamine shots, and how spectacular this “old” drug is at combatting treatment resistant depression.
Lately, new evidence is being released documenting how Ketamine Infusions are helping battle PTSD symptoms. The history and discovery of how Ketamine works and helps those plagued with depressive symptoms is just remarkable. I am proof that Ketamine is playing a massive role in allowing me to live symptom free; even if it means I have to return every two weeks to get a booster shot. I am living.
The way I see it is, the more people discussing Ketamine online the better. There are still so many, many individuals that haven’t heard of Ketamine and if they have, it is probably the club or street version and not as the Ketamine administered by a qualified professional to treat depression. Education is needed. I want desperately to help others who are suffering. I attempt to do this through my musings.
I hope you will join me in learning more about Ketamine by reading my blog posts and sharing with friends and family. I will be posting regularly on The Ketamine Academy website, as well as, on my personal website at MyKetamineStory.com. I know what a miraculous drug Ketamine is. I am absolutely confident that I have lived 3.5 plus years (and counting) longer than I would have if my husband had never discovered an article in 2015, about using Ketamine for treatment resistant depression. I continue to heal and grow with the help of Ketamine.
We all need a platform to stand on and be heard. I truly believe Ketamine is a worthy topic. I sincerely want to inform as many people as I can. It is possible that we may all know someone suffering from Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I believe they might benefit from Ketamine Infusions. I know that I definitely have had, and continue to have, amazing success with Ketamine treatments. I know how frantic I have felt when I had no hope, no light guiding my way. If one person reads this blog and can help themselves or someone they love out of darkness, it is worth the time I put into my writing. I know from experience how life altering Ketamine can be.
I have treatment resistant depression and anxiety disorder, but that isn’t who I am. My blog is my journey. The articles I write are lessons I have learned along the way. I pray that others suffering will somehow find their way to my website so I can introduce them to the possibilities of Ketamine. I ask a power greater than myself to bring as many practitioners, fighting for their patients and wanting to participate in positive change, to read my words of hope.
Until next time, feel free to comment or shoot me an email. Better yet, if you are a healthcare provider, why not sign up for the Ketamine training course today through The Ketamine Academy. Be a force of positive change. Be an option. Be a place for those suffering with Treatment Resistant Depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to turn when all other avenues have been exhausted.
Ketamine is hope.
If you are interested in educating yourself further on Ketamine therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression, check out the four-part series I wrote answering questions about Ketamine use, based on my experience with Ketamine therapy over the past 3.5 plus years:
My first blog, Ketamine: Addressing Questions & Concerns focused on my early experience with Ketamine Infusions.
In part two of the series, Addressing Questions & Concerns About Ketamine Therapy for Treatment Resistant Depression I addressed questions and concerns about Intramuscular Ketamine vs Ketamine Infusion therapy.
In my third blog, Frequently Asked Questions: Redefining Depression With The Assistance Of Ketamine Therapy, I was a bit more random. I had emails with several questions and themes, and I addressed as many inquiries as I could.
In my final question and answer dialogue, Pondering Concerns & Questions: The Benefits Of Ketamine For Treatment Resistant Depression, I discussed research, clinical studies, and the need for changes to occur within our insurance companies and federal government so that maybe one day Ketamine will not be so difficult to afford or obtain, from any qualified professional.
I hope these personal blogs from a patient that suffered for over four decades with treatment resistant depression will be helpful in convincing you why Ketamine could help you or someone you love.
