Surprising Solution for Severe Depression
By
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
Posted June 13, 2023
Finding effective treatments for depression can be… well… downright depressing.
Sometimes drug treatments work, sometimes they don’t.
Or they work for a little while and then stop.
Often combinations of treatments are necessary to find any significant relief.
But sometimes, the solutions that work the BEST are the ones you’d NEVER expect.
Anesthetics are used to reduce our sensitivity to pain. You’re probably familiar with them because they numb sensations in parts of your body or put you to sleep during surgeries.
Most of us would never consider using an anesthetic to treat MENTAL health. But it turns out that one, in particular, is surprisingly effective at battling severe depression.
In fact, this drug can often work when NOTHING else does.
A recent study included folks with treatment-resistant depression who had been referred for electroconvulsive (EC) therapy.
EC therapy is a type of brain stimulation that involves putting a patient under anesthesia. An electric current is then sent through the brain, causing a brief surge of electrical activity.
It can sometimes improve difficult-to-treat depression or severe psychosis. But it’s a harsh treatment ONLY used in cases of major depression that haven’t responded to other forms of treatment.
Think of it as a last resort.
For the study, one group received electroconvulsive therapy three times a week for three weeks. While the second group received IV infusions of a drug called ketamine twice a week for three weeks.
Ketamine is still controversial for treating depression because it has hallucinogenic effects. But studies are mounting that show that the drug often works for depression when nothing else does.
The new study shows that BOTH groups experienced improvements in their symptoms—but the ketamine group got the MOST relief.
Fifty-five percent of the ketamine group had significant improvements in their depression compared to 41 percent in the electroconvulsive therapy group.
In addition, the ketamine group had fewer memory problems.
This study adds to the growing evidence that ketamine is a worthwhile alternative treatment option for depression.
If it were me, I’d want to try it BEFORE resorting to something as severe as electroconvulsive therapy.
P.S. According to a recent study, taking one simple step to boost your gut health can SLASH depression symptoms like anxiety, poor sleep, and difficulty concentrating. CLICK HERE for all the details.
SOURCE:
“Ketamine versus ECT for Nonpsychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression,” The New England Journal of Medicine, May 24, 2023, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2302399
Written By Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
For years he’s been the trusted doctor for celebrities, world-class athletes, and countless seniors looking to reclaim their health.
And now…for the first time ever… he’s making his medical breakthroughs available to readers all across America.
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D. is one of the most pioneering and innovative minds in medicine today – and he delivers cutting-edge cures each month through his Natural Health Response newsletter.
Natural Health Response readers get full access to Dr. Gerhauser’s protocols for chronic pain… heart disease… diabetes… Alzheimer’s… and even cancer. These are the very same treatments Dr. Gerhauser recommends to his own patients at his practice in Tucson, Arizona.
In addition to being a board-certified medical doctor, Dr. Gerhauser has earned two master’s degrees and has served as a clinical professor at the University of Arizona.
And as a physician at the world-famous Canyon Ranch, Dr. Gerhauser treated celebrities from around the world who paid dearly for the type of next-generation health information he provides Natural Health Response readers each month.
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