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Ketamine for Depression: The Most Important Advance in Field in 50 Years?
Time Healthland ^ | 10-05-2012 | Maia Szalavitz

Posted on 10/06/2012 4:37:30 PM PDT by Renfield

In any given year, 7% of adults suffer from major depression, and at least 1 in 10 youth will reckon with the disorder at some point during their teenage years. But about 20% of these cases will not respond to current treatments; for those that do, relief may take weeks to months to come.

There is one treatment, however, that works much faster: the anesthetic and “club drug” ketamine. It takes effect within hours. A single dose of ketamine produces relief of depression that has been shown in studies to last for up to 10 days; it also appears to reduce symptoms of bipolar disorder and suicidal thoughts. Now, a new research review published in Science calls the discovery of these effects of ketamine, “”arguably the most important discovery in half a century” of depression research....

(Excerpt) Read more at healthland.time.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: depression; ketamine; medicine; pharmaceuticals
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To: Renfield

My brother, about six years ago, had an accident at work that Effd up his leg.

He now has a form of chronic degenerative nerve syndrome that continues to spread. Alot of pain and simple dysfunction. His skin turning odd colors depending on the circumstances.

He went to one clinic and got ketamine treatment.

Hallucinated like a mad dog. But he did say the pain went away.


61 posted on 10/07/2012 4:07:55 AM PDT by djf (Political Science: Conservatives = govern-ment. Liberals = givin-me-it.)
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To: WildHighlander57

But you did call them “happy pills.” That is an unfair terminology.


62 posted on 10/07/2012 8:07:02 AM PDT by informavoracious (I am a Sedevacantist. I believe the chair is EMPTY.)
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To: informavoracious

Ii was using the term in the context of when they are prescribed for situational depression.

But for clinical depression I will refer to them as simply “meds”


63 posted on 10/07/2012 8:48:45 AM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57 returning after lurking since 2000))
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To: Ken H
Perhaps the Dutch are a more moral and religious people than Americans?

The Dutch have an extremely high standard of living which may help to ameliorate depression i.e. socialism there doesn't have its usual effect on the economy.

In addition, Holland shows sign of life; it's there where the Mohammed cartoon caused such controversy and it's there where the right has made some gains in recent years...growth of freedom brings relief from depression.

Compare that to the US which has been falling rapidly INTO socialism...not out of it. A better comparison would be France which has high suicide rates and a low standard of living.

64 posted on 10/07/2012 10:17:41 AM PDT by what's up
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To: wardaddy

“Go to a vet....watch a cat on op table under high dosage....eyes wide open but kitty is actually on Pluto.....”

The planet or the dog?


65 posted on 10/07/2012 12:08:08 PM PDT by Daniel II (Composite chicks dig me.)
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To: cva66snipe

If people are detached from their true emotions (by being drugged)-—they are detached from reality. I think you missed my point!

I am talking about subjective diagnosis—not when there is deduced medical issues, thyroid problems, etc. which can be located and treated. I am talking about the subjective diagnosis which labels people with no physical evidence
other than emotional traumas which they can’t “get over”.

Emotions exist for reasons. You have to get to the root of the emotion, not cover it up with drugs.

And—don’t rationalize the God part with me....read C.S. Lewis-—or the Bible—Job had much more reason to hate God and resent life, than your wife or you ever will have.

Understand Theology and you can understand that you are the most lucky person on earth because of Jesus Christ, and you will bask in great joy (and your wife will too). Life on earth is always short, nasty and brutish as the atheist Hobbs claims-—only God-Fearing people understand how unimportant this life is compared with eternity which gives meaning and vitality and hope—even if they are in prison and being killed like Boethius and Pastor Bonhoeffer. Get over yourselves.

Try it-—I know. It worked for me and CS Lewis and millions of other people. Better yet, read Boethius’s “Consolation of Philosophy” with your wife. There is profound insight into God and the Wheel of Fortune——Life. Get over your emphasis on youself-—put it where it belongs-—in the glorification of God and you and your wife will literally be in heaven. I guarantee it.


66 posted on 10/07/2012 2:34:20 PM PDT by savagesusie (Right Reason According to Nature = Just Law)
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To: Daniel II

Quick...you are obviously not on K


67 posted on 10/07/2012 5:24:09 PM PDT by wardaddy (my wife prays in the tanning bed....guess what region i live in...ya'll?)
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To: savagesusie
How long was CS Lewis actually ill? Was it 28 years? Was he abused as a child then as an adult? You need to learn more about what science doesn't know but understand that chemical A gives patient A some relief and in many cases their life back.

Many disorders labeled mental illness are just now coming to light and being understood as other ailments with cognitive issues being symptoms and not the disorder itself. 18 years ago I was told I had General Anxiety Disorder and PTSD as well as OCB. All hit at the same time. I had went through some events in about 8 years time that took a toll on me mentally.

Things simply happened in my life faster than I could heal or deal with including my first wifes unexpected death in her early twenties, to meeting someone else and on a date she nearly died and spent six months in a hospital recovering from an unknown ailment that left her being a quadriplegic. After that there were several times in the first few years we were married she also nearly died. One was due to a Dentist prescribing a wrong pain medication which put her Comatose briefly. From that she developed PTSD. So a few years later needing dental work but fearing it a doctor writes an antidepressant. That in turn caused Serotonin Syndrome due to her neurological issues. Then we both had to deal with my onset nine years into our marriage.

I have disorders that 18 years ago medical science nor mental health even had a name for let alone recognized it as a separate disorder from General Anxiety Disorder. By taking my childhood history involving vision and inappropriate responses to certain sights and sounds along with my life long sinus allergies I was able to solve the puzzle. I was fortunate enough to figure out what was wrong.

My Inner Ears are shot as is the rest of my sensory processing system.

I've always had poor balance meaning from birth. I've always been one eye functional with vision in two eyes so it wasn't caught right off. I was told or rather my parents were told I had ADD ADHD as a kid. I don't. I have limited concentration resources. At the ripe old age of about 37 my sensory processing system complicated by stress developed into a disabling condition involving myoclonic seizure activity. PTSD made it worse and I mention only part of the traumatic events.

I know all about antidepressants as that was what they tried on me first. For some they are a God send help for others like myself they will make matters worse. It isn't the spiritual realm that causes the bad reactions or in-tolerances to antidepressants rather it is very likely a neurological issue the doctors can't pin point. That is when the medication can detach you from emotions.

In our stomach there is a digestion chemical called Serotonin. 98% of the Serotonin in our bodies is supposed to stay in the stomach. When the Serotonin migrates and travels to the brain it can be as bad as LSD. It's rare but it happens and I speak from what I have seen happen. The person becomes detached from self and reality. They don't know what they do or think. It's not because the person is out of touch with GOD it's because Serotonin has entered the brain and at they point they know not what they do or say. It happened to my wife. The end result was partial amnesia. Who disgnosed it? I was able to catch it with answers GOD lead me too.

My wife has been in one on one therapy for almost 12 years now dealing with depression. Depression for some persons simply is not curable. There can be substantial improvement for many though. They don't need sermons they need compassion and understanding. The illness can no more be cured than some cancers.

She has had bungling zealots walk up to her and say Oh it's your lack of faith which leaves you a quadriplegic if only your faith were stronger you could walk. How Christian is that? It isn't. Christ doesn't say that. Yet through all her problems from birth to her current 60 plus years she is firm in her love for Christ and her salvation through him. She deals with depression daily though. Some days are better than others for her.

I understand a lot more about The Bible than you think I do. I know what the power of GOD can overcome and I also know and understand we are not promised health and prosperity in this world. I do not believe in name it claim it theology. I do not believe as Charasmatics do either. GOD has His reasons for things being allowed to happen to persons. There can be healing granted, there can be be prayers asked for healing to be given. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it's no, sometimes it's wait.

Do you know why Aaron was made a Priest? It was because Moses had some issue with his speech possibly stuttering or possibly a fear of public speaking we call social phobia. The Bible doesn't say for certain what it was. Now GOD tells Moses "Who makes mouths?” the LORD asked him. “Who makes people so they can speak or not speak, hear or not hear, see or not see? Is it not I, the LORD? " Now GOD could have healed Moses at that point. GOD knew what Moses was going to say before he said it. Yet the problem wasn't taken from him rather Aaron became his spokesman. Why? Who knows? Maybe if Moses had good speech abilities his pride may have overcame his position GOD granted to him? Or is it through adversity GOD tempers us who will allow Him to do so?

Long before the antidepressants became popular I remember someone. When I was maybe 13 years old our church secretary an elderly woman had a nervous breakdown. Months later she was back in church and seemed happy. Then one day she took her life by jumping from a high bridge. I can't help but wonder that if the medications we have today may have allowed her some relief from her pain which tormented her.

Emotional pain is as every bit as real as any physical pain to the person experiencing it. Just as with physical pain emotional pain to some can become unbearable to the point rational judgement is lost. We don't walk up to cancer patients and say your medications keep you from your emotions/pain and GOD. Cancer is excepted in society. Mental health issues are seen as character flaws or a spiritual weaknesses in some sects believing the person can overcome it themselves.

My dad had OCB and depression and took an antidepressant the last 12 years of his life. The difference it made was substantial. Despite fighting cancer his last ten years of his life he was ale to enjoy living again. He did try once to go off the medication and he did it gradually. He suffered substantially for doing so and I talked him into going back on it.

Oh BTW the zealot that told my wife it was her lack of faith that prevented healing? Well a year later his wife caught him cheating with a woman at work. His name it claim it charasmatic preacher? He was caught up in a life style well beyond his means. Meaning the church funds were shall we say borrowed to support it.

For those I talk too who have depression I tell them get medical help and get a good therapist. I know quite a few therapist who are Christians. People have some misconceptions about treatment for depression and other illnesses referred to as mental illness.

A psychiatrist sees you maybe 15 minutes usually every three months to monitor and write medication. They treat symptoms only. A therapist can be seen as often as twice a week at first. The therapist are the ones with the GIFT who can help the person come to terms with their disorder and adapt. Those sessions are one on one usually an hour each session. The last thing a person with depression needs is more guilt and being preached too. Even the best skilled therapist sometimes can't reach a patient though.

68 posted on 10/07/2012 8:04:15 PM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?)
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