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Experience Structured Living incorporates a holistic model into its residential mental health treatment program. As part of our approach, we offer ketamine therapy in our San Diego facility.
We are among the top providers of full-spectrum mental health care support and ketamine infusion therapy in San Diego, CA.
What Is Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine therapy is a type of mental health treatment that hinges on the psychoactive and anti-depressant effects of the drug ketamine, which has a long history of use as an anesthetic. Recently, it has been discovered to create meaningful symptom relief for people with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
How Does Ketamine Therapy Work
Ketamine and its mirror molecule, esketamine, are dissociative drugs that can enhance a person’s feelings of emotional openness and ability to process their feelings. It can also contribute to pain relief and overall mental clarity.
When people are administered ketamine, they can feel relaxed and comfortable, which can help catalyze the treatment process and allow them to learn the deep-seated causes of their mental health disorders. Additionally, ketamine itself provides an antidepressant effect that can rapidly improve mental health. For many people, it’s an answered prayer that’s been a long time coming.
The Conditions Ketamine Therapy Can Help With
The FDA has approved esketamine specifically for treating depression, and most of the evidence for ketamine infusion therapy in San Diego, CA, supports its effectiveness in helping people overcome this condition. Yet ketamine in San Diego can also be used as an off-label treatment for a wide variety of mental health disorders, including:
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorders
- Substance use disorders
- Chronic pain
- Postpartum depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Suicidal thoughts
- Migraines
- Fibromyalgia
Being used as an off-label treatment does not mean that ketamine is ineffective or unsafe for treating these conditions.
Who Can Benefit From Ketamine Therapy?
San Diego ketamine therapy can help anyone struggling with one of the several mental health disorders listed above, but it is specifically effective for people who have tried conventional treatments without success.
Research has shown that ketamine therapy is an effective method of helping people with treatment-resistant depression. People who have tried talk therapy or antidepressant medications without success may be able to have a breakthrough in their symptoms with the assistance of ketamine for depression in San Diego.
This innovative treatment can provide hope and rapid symptom relief for people who have already tried several options.
Who Is Not a Good Candidate for Ketamine Therapy?
Ketamine therapy in San Diego is an exciting treatment, but certain health conditions may make the risks outweigh the potential benefits. Several complications can make a person a poor candidate for ketamine therapy, including:
- People with heart disease
- Anyone with an active substance use disorder
- Those in long-term recovery after addiction treatment
- Individuals with high blood pressure
- People experiencing active hallucinations or delusions
- People living with an active substance use disorder
- People who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
- Those who have had a previous negative reaction to ketamine
The Potential Benefits of Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine therapy has several benefits that make it an ideal treatment method for mood disorders. Just a few benefits include:
- Reduction in depressive symptoms
- Effective for treatment-resistant depression and other treatment-resistant disorders
- Low risk of serious side effects
- Extremely fast results
- Improved sleep
- Short duration of treatment
These benefits make ketamine treatment therapy in San Diego a clear choice for people struggling with their mental health.
What You Can Expect During Our Ketamine IV Therapy Sessions
First, you’ll go over your treatment plan with your provider, ask any questions you have about ketamine or the treatment procedure, and go over any medical or mental health concerns that may impact the course of your treatment.
When you begin ketamine treatment in San Diego, our providers will administer a targeted dose of ketamine. A ketamine treatment can be given via infusion, as a tablet, or as a nasal spray. The effects of the ketamine will take effect within minutes.
Ketamine treatment sessions typically last between 45 and 90 minutes, and people will experience the greatest benefit after four to six sessions. The dissociative effects of the ketamine treatment itself only last for one to three hours, but the mental health benefits can last for years.
If you’ve struggled with a treatment-resistant mental health condition and feel frustrated at your lack of progress, ketamine may be an appropriate solution for you. Reach out to our admissions team at Experience Structured Living to learn more about how ketamine can transform your mental health—and your life.
How To Get Started
If your depressive symptoms are not responding to prescription anti-depressants, you should consider if the primary program at Experience Structured Living is right for you. In addition to offering ketamine therapy in San Diego, we help our clients improve every aspect of their lives, from their daily living routines to their career opportunities. Contact us today and learn more about our residential programs.
FAQs About Ketamine Therapy
Ketamine infusions are a valuable treatment approach for many conditions, including unresponsive severe depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. If you want to know more about receiving ketamine in San Diego, please consult our FAQ.
Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?
Ketamine is extremely safe in specific conditions. Ketamine has been used in the medical setting for decades as a safe form of general anesthesia. Recently low doses of ketamine have been found to have a therapeutic effect on depression and other mental health disorders.
However, ketamine has a similar makeup as the psychoactive drug PCP and can produce harmful effects when used recreationally. Illegal ketamine use can disrupt the body’s motor functions and increase the risk of injuries. Improper doses of ketamine can also cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure and heart rate.
Mixing ketamine with other substances, such as alcohol, can cause a lack of consciousness or death. For this reason, ketamine should never be used without medical supervision.
How Long Does Ketamine Therapy Usually Last For?
Ketamine therapy follows a tapered schedule. During the first phase, clients may receive two sessions per week over three weeks.
After this, infusions are scheduled monthly or biweekly. The effects of a single session start immediately and can last anywhere from several hours to several weeks. Most people continue to feel the effects indefinitely after 6 weeks of treatment. However, clients in some situations can schedule boosters if the effect begins to fade.
How Much Can Ketamine Therapy Cost?
The cost of ketamine treatment in San Diego will vary based on your treatment needs. We charge $750 per individual ketamine infusion. However, clients starting treatment for the first time can purchase a package of 6 infusions spaced over three weeks for $3000. If a client received a typical series of 10 infusions, the total price will be $6,000.
Does Insurance Cover Ketamine?
Ketamine is only FDA-approved for one purpose, which is as a general anesthetic. Since ketamine for depression in San Diego and throughout the country is considered off-label use, the majority of insurance providers do not include infusions on their covered treatment lists.
However, there are some providers who may provide full or partial reimbursements for ketamine costs. You may also be able to use other financing options, such as a health savings or flexible spending account to cover infusions.
Ketamine infusion for mental health purposes may soon gain FDA approval. Until then, you must speak with your insurance provider to understand your options.
Are there any risks associated with Ketamine Infusions?
While ketamine therapy is generally safe when administered by medical professionals, certain conditions may increase the risks, such as:
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Active substance abuse
Active hallucinations or delusions
Pregnancy or planning to become pregnant
Previous adverse reactions to ketamine
How quickly can I expect results from Ketamine Therapy?
One of the significant benefits of ketamine therapy is its rapid onset. Many patients experience a reduction in depressive symptoms and improvement in their overall mental health within hours to days after the first session. However, the best results are typically observed after a series of ketamine infusions.
How long do the effects of Ketamine Infusions last?
The dissociative effects of ketamine usually last between one to three hours post-infusion, but the mental health benefits can extend for weeks to months. For sustained improvement, multiple sessions of ketamine infusion therapy may be recommended.
Is Ketamine Therapy a long-term solution?
Ketamine therapy can provide long-lasting relief for many individuals, particularly those with treatment-resistant depression. However, ongoing treatment and support, including follow-up infusions and other therapeutic interventions, may be necessary to maintain the benefits.
Can anyone receive Ketamine Therapy?
Not everyone is a candidate for ketamine therapy. Individuals with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or high blood pressure, may not be suitable candidates. It's essential to discuss your medical history and any pre-existing conditions with your healthcare provider before starting treatment.
Dr. Melden earned his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine at Philadelphia College Osteopathic Medicine and went to USC Presbyterian Hospital for his residency in Family Medicine. He then completed his Psychiatric residency at the University of California, Irvine and went to UCSD Geropsychiatry pursuing a fellowship. Dr. Melden has over 14 years of experience as a clinician specializing in treating child and adolescent, adult and geriatric clients. He has devoted his life to psychiatry in a variety of different treatment settings including in- patient and out-patient environments. He specializes in the psychiatric evaluation, complementary therapy approaches, and medical management of individuals suffering from mental illness. Currently, he maintains a private practice with Crownview Medical Group in Coronado and Carlsbad, California where he is CEO/President.
