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Ketamine May Help Cure Treatment Resistant Depression

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Ketamine May Help Cure Treatment Resistant Depression

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Ketamine is a drug of disrepute and had been associated with numerous instances of date rape in the past. It’s an anesthetic, causing a loss of consciousness and relieving in pain.

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Ketamine is a drug of disrepute and had been associated with numerous instances of date rape in the past. It's an anesthetic, causing a loss of consciousness and relieving in pain. Therefore, despite its extensive recreational use, many experts have always insisted on exploiting the drug more for its medicinal abilities. Their claim was supported by a successful phase 3 trial of intranasal esketamine (Janssen) - a left handed isomer of ketamine - along with antidepressants for safe and effective treatment of treatment resistant depression (TRD).

TRD is a form of depression that does not respond favorably to the usual treatment with antidepressants. Antidepressants are currently considered de rigueur for major depressive disorder (MDD) cure. However, in TRD patients there is no observable impact of these medicines.

The study found that patients who had received treatment with antidepressants and esketamine spray had greater improvement in the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score compared to those who had received only antidepressant and placebo. MADRS is key for measuring the severity of depression in a person. The study also revealed that while the response rate of the respondents involved in the survey was 70 percent, the remission rate was a striking 53 percent.

There are many who consider the drug to be a game changer. According to the American Psychiatric Association Secretary Dr. Philip Muskin, the current study was an interesting and novel approach for treating a patient population indifferent to standard treatment.
Side effects of ketamine
The drug, however, has noticeable side effects. It is a psychoactive drug and is associated with nausea, dissociation or a feeling of being detached from one's body, hallucinations, and is also responsible for causing a fatal respiratory failure if it is taken in excess or in combination with other equally fatal drugs and alcohol. The drug is also associated with dependency and psychological dependence or cravings when it is used for long.

The nasal spray version, made from an isomer of ketamine, is however associated with lesser risks. This has been reiterated by Dr. Muskin, who says, ". here's a nasal spray that is a left-handed isomer of ketamine. And it turns out that this left-handed molecule does not have the psychoactive effects, the psychosis, disassociation, etc., as far as we know."

The researchers associated with the study also mention that if the drug is approved by the FDA, it could be first new approach for treatment of refractory depressive disorder in around 50 years. However, it is too early to establish ketamine as the first-line of treatment for someone with a depressive disorder, as more research is required before it can be established as a standard treatment.

Secondly, the drug is associated with a high degree of abuse. The tendency to abuse is decidedly higher in those who are coping with a depressive disorder or suicidal tendencies. Extremely vulnerable, people are ready to experiment with anything. Going by the ruling that ketamine cures, they could end up abusing it in the long run and thereby go from bad to worse.

Also, the outcomes of a separate phase 3 trial on elderly patients were slightly different. The study missed the "primary endpoint of change" by a slight margin, thereby putting a question mark on its efficacy on a population that is more likely to suffer from depression.
Dual diagnosis treatment
Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance with high risks of abuse and addiction. It is also responsible for causing withdrawal pangs seen in other drugs. In conditions like depression, it is essential that instead of self-medicating, one seeks help from a medical center of repute. Dual diagnosis, a condition that could arise when one has a mental health condition like depression and a substance abuse problem at the same time, can be tackled with integrated treatment.

If a loved one is showing symptoms of substance abuse or any mental problem or both, it needs to be tackled with umpteen care. There are some specialized dual diagnosis treatment centers that can help and Recover Mental Health, an online resource, can assist you understand your treatment requirements. Call at our 24/7 helpline number (866) 593-2339 to know the best treatment for dual diagnosis.

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Ketamine May Help Cure Treatment Resistant Depression

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Ketamine is a drug of disrepute and had been associated with numerous instances of date rape in the past. It's an anesthetic, causing a loss of consciousness and relieving in pain. Therefore, despite its extensive recreational use, many experts have always insisted on exploiting the drug more for its medicinal abilities.

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Alcohol and Associated Psychiatric Disorders

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Alcohol and Associated Psychiatric Disorders

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Mental illness is a common occurrence among the people dependent on some substance. Alcohol being the most abused substance, a lot of drinkers also suffer from some mental disorder. The co-occurrence of a psychiatric disorder and alcoholism can make diagnosis and treatment more challenging and difficult.

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Alcohol and Associated Psychiatric Disorders

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Mental illness is a common occurrence among the people dependent on some substance. Alcohol being the most abused substance, a lot of drinkers also suffer from...

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Improper Labeling May Fuel Marijuana Addiction

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Improper Labeling May Fuel Marijuana Addiction

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The scourge of drug addiction in the United States has reached such an alarming rate that it calls for stringent reforms to curb the rising trend that has rendered people despondent and helpless. Substance abuse poses a heavy financial burden on the nation, costing more than $700 billion annually, in terms of crime, lost work productivity and health care, as per a 2015 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) report.

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The scourge of drug addiction in the United States has reached such an alarming rate that it calls for stringent reforms to curb the rising trend that has rendered people despondent and helpless. Substance abuse poses a heavy financial burden on the nation, costing more than $700 billion annually, in terms of crime, lost work productivity and health care, as per a 2015 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) report.

Marijuana is one of the most abused addictive substance in the U.S. and its regular use leads to a series of health problems as well as various financial and legal issues. When it comes to adolescents, a heavy marijuana use can affect their personal life, leading to poor performance at school and work, inability to remember things, cognitive decline and reduced attention span, among others. It is important to determine what precisely leads to drug addiction so that people, especially children, can avoid such triggers and refrain from large doses of the drug.

A recent study, conducted at the nonprofit research institute RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, revealed that bad labeling on edible marijuana products, such as candies and brownies, could inadvertently lead to marijuana addiction, especially in case of children.

Children mistake such products for cookies or candies
For the study, scheduled to be published in the May 2017 issue of the International Journal of Drug Policy, the researchers reviewed 94 people living in Denver or Seattle, and questioned them about the pros and cos of the current labeling practices of marijuana edibles. The study participants primarily comprised 32 people who had taken marijuana edibles two months prior to the study, 30 people who had consumed the product six months before and 32 parents who had not used marijuana in the past five years or never used the drug ever in their lifetime.

As part of the study, the scientists showed each participant edible marijuana products that had been packaged for sale in the central locations in Denver or Seattle. While the participants in Colorado were shown a gummy candy packaged in a bottle that bore a colorful image of the candy, in Seattle, a chocolate bar covered in green paper with white lettering was shown to the participants. This was then followed up by discussions to understand the people's opinions about the products' packaging.
Too much information overwhelms opinion about a product
The results revealed that most of the participants were concerned about the labels containing too much information, saying that it discouraged people from reading the information in its entirety. The absence of clear indication about marijuana content was cited as another major concern.

It was also suggested by the participants in Denver that packaging the product like a prescription medication, instead of a candy, could help prevent the accidental ingestion of the product by people, especially children.

According to the participants in Seattle, consumption advice such as "Until you know the effects of this product, eat only half of a segment, and wait a minimum of 75 minutes before consuming another portion," can be more useful in curbing the menace than the mandatory warning statement such as, "the intoxicating effects of this product may be delayed by 2 or more hours."
Recovery road map
Mental health problems can be debilitating if not treated timely. If you or someone in the family is facing a mental health issue due to some kind of drug addiction, the Recover Mental Health can assist you.

Recover Mental Health is a resource dedicated to providing information on everything related to mental health and substance abuse. With over 21,000 listings in its directory, the center can provide a quick and easy access to treatment centers across the U.S. and its territories, as well as Canada. Call at our 24/7 helpline number 866-593-2339 to know about some of the best drug treatment centers - both inpatient drug rehab centers andoutpatient drug rehab centers -  in your vicinity.

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Improper Labeling May Fuel Marijuana Addiction - Shenoah Blake - Medium

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The scourge of drug addiction in the United States has reached such an alarming rate that it calls for stringent reforms to curb the rising trend that has rendered people despondent and helpless.