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Ketamine Treatment and Maintenance Process

Principium Psychiatry is a mental health clinic specializing in diagnosing and treating a wide range of mood and anxiety disorders, including treatment-resistant depression. We believe that our patients deserve access to the best care possible. If you feel like you’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to address your depression symptoms, then you may be a good candidate for Ketamine infusion therapy.

The use of Ketamine is an effective, rapid treatment option for major depressive disorder. You may notice improvement after just one session. However, most patients require several treatments for a more robust response. Let’s walk through the ketamine infusion process so you know exactly what to expect.

What You Can Expect From Our Experienced Ketamine Team

At Principium Psychiatry, we’re committed to excellent care coupled with safe, effective treatment options. We are proud to offer Ketamine therapy as one of our many treatment options available at our four convenient locations in NYC, Greenwich CT and Santa Monica CA . Each session takes place in a private room under the direct supervision of our treatment providers. From the moment you walk through the door, our team strives to make your feel welcome, comfortable and heard.

From beginning to end, here’s what the Ketamine treatment process is like.

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For your initial visit, we schedule a comprehensive evaluation with one of our experienced clinicians. While we review your overall health, our goal is to focus on mood and anxiety disorders.

During your comprehensive mental health screening, our clinicians will review your history and any past treatments you may have received. This process gives us a full picture of your overall mental health so we can provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan. Our goal is to find the best way to address your unique symptoms. We offer a wide range of treatment options, including:

  • Medication
  • Psychotherapy
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
  • Ketamine treatment

Our thorough pre-treatment process is designed to determine if you are a good candidate for Ketamine treatment. For our patients’ safety, we may also conduct a urine test to rule out illicit drug misuse. Once we are sure that Ketamine infusion therapy is right for you, we will schedule your first infusion or SPRAVATO™ (esketamine) treatment.

Your Ketamine infusion therapy will be carried out by a member of our highly experienced infusion team. You can choose to have your sessions done at either our Midtown or Wall Street locations. We encourage you to invite a family member or friend to accompany you, as you will need a prearranged ride home once treatment is complete. Driving is not permitted within the first several hours following your session.

First, we invite you to rest in a comfortable chair while we place a small IV in your arm. We then infuse your Ketamine treatment over the course of about an hour. During that time, you can listen to music, watch TV or close your eyes and relax. For those uncomfortable with needles, our team can also manage your SPRAVATO™ nasal spray treatments.

Most patients find the Ketamine infusion process to be relaxing, and many experience a mild euphoria. However, your safety is our utmost priority. Your infusion will be administered in a manner that minimizes the risk of any dissociative symptoms. Once your Ketamine infusion is complete, you will spend a little bit of time in our recovery area where our medical staff can assess you before you are cleared to go home.

Your initial Ketamine treatment course will usually consist of six to 10 infusions. However, the exact number depends on your individual symptoms and history. Infusion sessions are arranged two to three times per week during the initial treatment course.

Ketamine Maintenance

Ketamine therapy is a highly individualized process, and our team works hard to ensure this treatment option is as effective as possible to address your symptoms. After the completion of your initial Ketamine treatment course, your Principium Psychiatry clinician may recommend maintenance Ketamine.