What to Expect during Ketamine Treatments for Mental Illness

Many people suffer from various mental illnesses that affect their lives in more ways than one. Luckily, many forms of treatment can help these people address their mental issues, such as ketamine treatment.

Ketamine treatment is precisely what it sounds like: using ketamine to treat various mental health issues. It involves ingesting or injecting ketamine into the body to create a non ordinary state of consciousness and allow for a perspective shift, which can contribute to a shift in the patient’s mood and/or behavior. Ketamine has a well established safety profile and has been used in western medicine for nearly 60 years. It is proving to be a very effective alternative treatment for those who dont respond to traditional treatments, such as antidepressants. However, many people have reservations about getting it, which is why we're here.

This article will discuss everything there is to know about ketamine therapy and how it can help people with mental illness. Read on below to get started.

How Ketamine Improves Mental Health

Ketamine was originally created as an anesthetic that can be used during surgeries and other medical operations. It’s doesn’t suppress the body’s drive to breathe and can be utilized safely in adults and children for anesthesia and pain. This was the traditional use for many years. In more recent years, there has been the discovery that ketamine helps improve mood rapidly and research has shown benefits with treatment resistent depression, sucidal ideations, OCD, anxiety and more.

What Conditions Can Be Treated with Ketamine Therapy?

There are are a number of conditions that we believe ketamine can help provide healing and relief. Four common conditions include:

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe condition that affects the patient's mental health, and it can often be treated with antidepressants. However, many types of antidepressant drugs are addictive, and they can also have severe side effects.

Ketamine is entirely safe, and it's able to help the patient calm down and feel more comfortable. It also helps with the patient's social anxiety, and it can also help the patient process their emotions better. This helps them feel as though they're in a better place.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This disorder is caused by a traumatic experience and can cause the patient to stay in a stressful state for a long time. For example, if a person is in an accident and experiences a lot of stress and fear, they could develop PTSD.

Ketamine can help with PTSD because it allows the person to experience a stressful situation without feeling too much anxiety. It also helps them feel less afraid of their emotions and helps them process them better, making the patient feel more comfortable with their feelings.

Suicidal Ideation

Suicidal ideation is when a person feels suicidal thoughts for a long time, and it can be treated with ketamine. During a ketamine treatment session, a patient can experience a sense of euphoria that can help them feel better about their thoughts.

Anxiety

Ketamine can be used to help alleviate anxiety and fears in many people. This may require utilizing the ketamine in lower doses or different methods of administration. Ketamine provides a shift in perspective to make less bothersome or worrisome. People do not have the same fear and anxiety over things in everyday life that they had before the ketamine treatment. It can create a sense of calm, peace, and knowing that everything is the way that it should be and they will be ok no matter what.

What to Expect During Ketamine Treatment

Ketamine treatment can be a bit of a process, but the treatment itself is entirely painless most of the time. A doctor will administer ketamine into the patient's body during the session through an injection into the muscle, and the ketamine will be absorbed through the bloodstream. The doctor will often stay with you throughout the session, and they can provide you with a sense of peace and comfort until it ends.

Conclusion

If you're looking for an alternative treatment that won't cause you to feel nauseous, take a lot of pills, or cause you to become addicted, then ketamine is the option for you. With the help of a good doctor, you can be cured of your illness and start living your life the way you always wanted to again.

Stephanie Lyn Coleman provides ketamine therapy in Los Angeles. She is an experienced provider of ketamine treatment can help you address your mental health to ensure that you can be your best self. Contact us today for a consultation!

Paralyzing Anxiety: What Can You Do to Overcome It

Anxiety sucks. It can leave you feeling helpless, insecure, and without any real direction in your life. It can even paralyze your ability to function properly and enjoy each day in severe cases. How do you cope with it?

Physically Paralyzing Anxiety

You may have physically paralyzing anxiety after a clear stressor, like a major life change or disaster. However, stressors don't always cause it.

Physical paralysis is a feeling of being not able to move. It can be so intense that the person feels locked in their body in a sort of "limbo" state. This can make it hard to leave the house or get out of bed, particularly if you feel unsafe. 

Emotionally Paralyzing Anxiety

Physical paralysis is distinct from emotional paralysis. This is a feeling of being unable to express your sadness, shame, or fear. It is a feeling of being unable to move on from a stressful event or express your feelings. Although you may want to let someone in on what's going on, you feel like you can't. It may be an overwhelming fear of confrontation or conflict or a feeling of being selfish or needy.

Emotional paralysis can make you avoid social situations, particularly those where you might feel exposed to criticism or judgment. It can also make it difficult to relate to people, both on an emotional level and a physical level. If you can't physically connect with someone, it can make it hard to have an emotional connection, as well.

Manage Your Anxiety Now

For many people, anxiety is a life-long challenge. It may wax and wane over time. You may find that you have one type of paralyzing anxiety or the other, depending on the life stressors you deal with. However, it can still feel like a life sentence. It can be hard to imagine moving forward or living a full life. But, it's possible. Here are some ways you can manage anxiety:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. It works by focusing on changing your response to the feeling of anxiety rather than the feeling itself. You may feel like you're stuck with anxiety forever, but CBT teaches you how to stand outside yourself and see the problem as a separate entity. It can give you the tools you need to work through the anxiety you feel.

• Meditation and Prayer

Meditation and prayer are great ways to disconnect from anxiety. They can help you focus on your breathing, moving the focus of your mind to the moment. 

Prayer can also help you connect with a higher power and reach out to a source of strength. Both can be great ways to get through a crisis, and you can also use them regularly to keep anxiety from taking over your life.

• Talk to Someone

Anxiety can make you feel like you're alone and have no one to turn to. However, talking to someone can make all the difference. You can reach out to loved ones or find someone to talk to. If you need someone to talk to, therapy can help. 

• Ketamine Therapy

Ketamine therapy has a new method of battling anxiety that proves very effective. The therapy works by helping the brain rewire itself by triggering an increase in the release of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This chemical helps repair and build brain neurons, and it also helps regulate and maintain cognitive functions, including mood, learning, and memory.

Overcome Anxiety

No matter what type of paralyzing anxiety you're suffering, it's possible to manage it. You can reach out and find help, whether it's medication or other treatments. You can also take steps to manage it on your own.

Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman offers ketamine therapy in Los Angeles. Contact us!

How to Handle Panic Attacks: What You Need to Know

Panic attacks are frightening experiences that can affect an individual’s daily functioning and can even lead to unexpected trips to the ER. Many people are familiar with these mental health conditions, but not everyone fully understands what it entails and what to do about them. Let this article tell you about panic attacks, their symptoms, and how to handle them.

What Is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense, uncontrollable anxiety. It usually lasts for only a few minutes, but it could be very frightening and distressing to the person experiencing it. Panic attacks can occur out of the blue in any person, and they do not have any physical cause.

Panic attacks have several symptoms, the primary ones being a feeling of uncontrollable fear, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, trembling, and a sense of being unreal. The symptoms might feel like a heart attack, severe pains, and even the feeling of dying. Although people may feel physical symptoms, the root is psychological in nature.

Panic Attacks Symptoms

The symptoms of a panic attack are usually the same. They all appear suddenly and without warning. The symptoms are a compelling need to escape, difficulty breathing, dizziness, faintness, tingling or numbness in the body, chest pain, sweating, and the urge to flee or hide.

The symptoms of a panic attack will not be limited to only the ones mentioned above. There are cases when the person experiencing a panic attack will feel that they are going to faint, feel they are passing out, or feel they are dying. The symptoms of a panic attack are terrifying and could really make one think of the worst.

How to Handle Panic Attack

If one is experiencing a panic attack, the following steps should be done:

• Breathe deeply and stay calm.

• Remind oneself that the attack will soon subside.

• Remind oneself that it will be over soon.

• If the attack is too intense, one should go to a quiet place and remain calm until the episode fades away.

• If the attack is intense, one should go to a physician and ask for a sedative.

Panic attacks are not dangerous, and they rarely have any physical cause. However, if one is experiencing them, it is still best to see a doctor or a therapist. They could advise and prescribe medication that will control the frequency and severity of panic attacks.

Panic attacks can be very frustrating and frightening. With just a little knowledge, one could prevent and handle it.

Is It Treatable?

Yes, panic attacks are treatable. They can be treated with medication or therapy. Once an individual starts treatment, they will see that their panic attacks can diminish or disappear altogether. Once the panic attacks disappear, they will feel a lot better and have a lot less stress in their lives.

Are Panic Attacks Dangerous?

Panic attacks are not dangerous because they do not have a physical cause. The brain causes the symptoms that come with an anxiety attack. However, they present a danger because they cause the person experiencing it to react dangerously. When one has a panic attack, they will do anything to get out of it.

Conclusion

Panic attacks are a mental reaction to stress. They do not have any physical cause, and they are not dangerous. Though they have a very frightening effect on a person experiencing it, it is treatable. There is no quick fix, but you can seek therapy to help you manage the attacks better.

Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman will conduct a detailed medical intake and evaluation to determine the appropriateness of ketamine treatment for each client. The ketamine is administered by a trained physician who sits with you for your entire session. If you are considering ketamine treatment to address the underlying causes of anxiety, then schedule a consult today..

How to Nurture the 5 Crucial Components of Holistic Health

Health may be evaluated in various ways and is frequently broken down into statistics and diagnoses that do not always present the most accurate image of a healthy body and mind.

While modern-day western medicine has made many remarkable and life-saving advances, one of its drawbacks is its sometimes siloed approach to health, which looks at the body in portions of isolated symptoms and components rather than the complete system.

The 5 Aspects of Holistic Health and What You Can Do About Them

1. Physical

When most individuals think of health, they think of their physical health. This is mainly because the physical body frequently exhibits tangible indications and symptoms of ideal or sub-optimal health. Here's how to keep your physical health in tip-top shape.

• Every night, get 8 hours of sleep. This will help your body fully relax and mend itself after a long day.

• Consume a nutrient-dense diet rich in plant-based foods and pastured/organic animal products.

• Maintain a healthy blood sugar level by consuming fat, carbohydrate, and protein-rich meals and snacks every 3-4 hours.

• Every day, move your body for 30 minutes. While everyone's workout program is unique, everyone may benefit from at least 30 minutes of activity each day.

• Limit your intake of processed foods and hydrogenated oils, which are highly inflammatory and can raise your risk of chronic illness.

• Avoid smoking and heavy alcohol intake.

2. Emotional

Emotional health is often the most overlooked aspect of our overall health. When you ask people what they are doing right now to support their emotional health, the most common answer is, "not much." This is because we often do not feel emotional health and therefore do not realize how much it affects our physical and mental health. Here's what you can do for your emotional health:

• When counseling is needed, seek it out. Therapy is an essential aspect of maintaining our mental health and should be used as needed.

• Practice mindfulness and stress-reduction techniques to help you cope with life's daily stresses.

• Maintain a notebook in which you may write your ideas and feelings. Keep a gratitude notebook to help you remember what you are grateful for during stressful times.

3. Social

Our social health includes our relationships with our friends, family, and community. Often when we are feeling worst physically, mentally, and emotionally, it is because of how we live in relation to our social health.

There are a few essential practices that help you support your social health:

• Make time for face-to-face interaction.

• Participate in your local community.

• Set boundaries with people in your life who may cause tension or poisonous energy. Also, don't be afraid to terminate connections and relationships harmful to your health.

4. Spiritual

Our spiritual health is the foundation of our overall health. Our purpose and our deepest desires are rooted in our spiritual health. While we cannot ignore the other aspects of our health and live an unhealthy, unhappy life, we cannot live a happy, fulfilling life without strong spiritual health. Here's how you can support your spiritual health.

• Spend time outside in nature.

• Spend a few minutes meditating every day.

• Take the time to practice your beliefs if you are religious.

• What are your beliefs around “god” or something bigger than yourself? Do you feel a sense of connection, with others, with something bigger?

5. Mental

Our mental health is connected to our physical and emotional health. Our thoughts and feelings have physical correlations expressed in our bodies and mind. When we are in a state of high stress, our health can suffer. When we are happy, and at peace, our health can be optimal.

There are a few essential practices that help you support your overall mental health and wellness:

• Practice self-care each day.

• Exercise for 30 minutes each day

• Sleep for 8 hours each night.

Conclusion

As you can see, holistic health, or "wellness" as it is sometimes called, is about much more than just the state of your physical health. It's about being in touch with your emotions, being socially connected, living in a spiritually fulfilling way, and having a healthy, happy mind.

Dr. Stephanie Lyn Coleman can help you safely transform your emotional pain and regain happiness through focusing on mental and physical health utilizing ketamine therapy. We conduct detailed medical intake and evaluation to determine the appropriateness of the procedure to our clients. Contact us today to book an appointment.

6 Signs of Mental Exhaustion You Need to Watch Out for...

Overcoming mental exhaustion can be challenging since the symptoms of mental fatigue are often subtle. Overcoming mental exhaustion is further complicated because it is often overlooked or attributed to something else. Here are the signs and symptoms of mental exhaustion:

1. Poor Sleeping Habits

The first thing to think about is your sleeping habit. Those who are obsessed with their jobs are often working throughout the night. The lack of sleeping will leave them feeling exhausted and unhappy and will usually result in poor eating habits and fatigue during the day. The human body is built for sleeping and resting to rejuvenate. If you are working too hard and not sleeping enough, you might be at a higher risk of experiencing mental exhaustion. 

2. Irritable Mood

Many people who are experiencing mental exhaustion will begin to feel angry and uncomfortable all the time. Your mood may be changing from negative to positive, your family and friends might be noticing that you are uncharacteristically happy or angry, or you might be experiencing a more consistent mood change. A mood change is a clear sign of mental exhaustion and can warn of mental illnesses. 

3. Anxiety and Depression

Being mentally exhausted can leave you feeling lonely, isolated, and depressed. This can be more common in those experiencing a more mild form of mental exhaustion. Those experiencing depression and anxiety might have more severe symptoms, such as persistent sadness and changes in appetite. However, you may be experiencing milder symptoms of mental exhaustion, but this can still cause mental fatigue. 

4. Insomnia

Another common symptom of mental exhaustion is lack of sleep. Those experiencing the symptoms above may find it difficult to sleep at night. Those who are not getting enough sleep will not function correctly, resulting in lower productivity and poor performance at work. 

5. Anger or a Lack of Patience

Anger and a lack of patience are both signs of mental exhaustion. Those who are experiencing mental fatigue may be quick to anger, or they may have trouble making decisions. This may not be a common sign because it only affects a small percentage of people. However, those experiencing mental exhaustion may experience more frequent mood changes, a lower tolerance for stressful situations, and the cognitive inability to make quick decisions. 

6. Excessive Worrying

Those who are experiencing mental exhaustion may start to worry excessively. This type of worry can be related to job performance, project deadlines, family and friends, or even internal bodily sensations. Those experiencing these symptoms may be worrying excessively about work, their goals, and other causes of stress. This is a common symptom of mental exhaustion but can also be related to other mental illnesses.

Conclusion

Mental exhaustion is not only affecting the individual but also the ones around them. The different signs and symptoms of mental fatigue can affect relationships. Many factors can contribute to mental exhaustion, but they can be treated. Mental exhaustion can be prevented and treated by adjusting your work habits. There is no specific treatment for mental exhaustion because the different aspects of cognitive fatigue are unique to each person. 

Stephanie Lyn Coleman is a licensed physician trained in mental health and psychedelic medicine, specifically ketamine treatment. 

Ketamine is effective in helping ease the emotional burden of anxiety, stress, and depression, holding people back from truly enjoying their life and feeling happy. Transform emotional pain and regain happiness with Ketamine Therapy today!