Despite the numerous uncomfortable physical changes, for many women, pregnancy is a euphoric time filled with the hope of bringing a new life into the world.
It’s not surprising, then, that in the week or two post-delivery, many women suffer from “baby blues,” a letdown period characterized by anxiety, mood swings, and frequent crying spells.
But about 1 of every 10 of these women develops a more severe form of depression known as postpartum depression, which can last for months or even years. About 1 in 1,000 develops an even more serious condition called postpartum psychosis.
ReYou is a ketamine infusion clinic located in Howell, New Jersey, that treats women with postpartum depression, alleviating the worst of the symptoms with the powerful anesthetic ketamine so you can get on with your new life.
If you’re a new mom with debilitating postpartum depression, here’s what you need to know about how the treatment works.
Causes and symptoms of postpartum depression
The causes of postpartum depression can vary from mother to mother, but one major player is your hormones.
Once you give birth, your body experiences a dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone. In addition, hormones produced by your thyroid gland may drop sharply, leaving you tired, sluggish, and depressed.
Lack of sleep is another key player. When you’re sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, as any new parent is, you can have trouble handling even minor problems. And that may make you even more anxious about your ability to care for your new child.
Self-image may play a role as well. Your still-heavy body may make you feel less attractive, and no longer carrying a fetus can leave you struggling with your sense of identity or feeling you’ve lost control over your life.
Common symptoms of postpartum depression include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes in appetite
- Severe fatigue
- Decreased libido
- Frequent mood changes
These may be accompanied by symptoms of major depression, which aren’t typical after childbirth:
- Feeling like you’re not bonding with your baby
- Crying often for no apparent reason
- Becoming angry and short-tempered
- Having feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Having thoughts of death, suicide, or hurting someone else
- Having difficulty focusing
If you’re experiencing any of these, you need to seek medical attention.
The history and action of ketamine
Ketamine was first employed to treat injured soldiers on the battlefield in the Vietnam War, and it proved to be highly effective.
Eventually, doctors realized that the drug had a powerful effect against such mental illnesses as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
More research is needed to fully understand how ketamine works, but current thinking is that the molecule likely binds to NMDA receptors in the brain, increasing glutamate (a neurotransmitter) levels.
This activates the AMPA receptor, which leads to the release of other molecules that improve nerve communication, affecting mood, thought patterns, and cognition.
In addition, ketamine may reduce inflammatory signals, which have been linked to mood disorders. Most likely, the molecule functions in several ways at the same time.
The ketamine therapy process
If we determine you’re a good candidate for therapy, you first go through a screening process. You can elect to schedule one or two pre-infusion therapy sessions with our therapy partners. The sessions provide you the opportunity to explore potential barriers to success and establish your intentions for your ketamine experience.
These sessions aren’t required, but they can be helpful for some people, as the ketamine experience can be quite intense and profound. Some people feel euphoria, others hallucinate, and still others report out-of-body experiences.
ReYou Ketamine Treatments administers ketamine infusions through an intravenous line. We supervise your entire session to ensure your health and safety, and you can also expect a short period of observation after your treatment ends before you can go home.
Patients generally receive 6-8 infusions over a period of 3-4 weeks. The results, which can reduce feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, are long-lasting, so you can care for your new family and enjoy a better quality of life.
If you’re suffering from postpartum depression, we offer hope through ketamine therapy, allowing you to happily focus on your new child. To learn more, call us at 908-638-1133, or book a consultation online today.
