Depression has become one of the most wide spread mental health issues nowadays. The good news is, people have started asking for help, instead of bottling everything up and trying to overcome the condition on their own, without ever seeing a professional. So, it seems that we are on the path towards reducing and saying goodbye to stigma related to mental health, as talked about on this page, and that is undeniably a good thing.
Now, if you are struggling with depression yourself, chances are that you have already talked to your psychiatrist, and that you have probably been prescribed some medications. Of course, seeing a therapist is the right thing to do as well, so as to get to the bottom of things, but the truth is that, sometimes, you have to get the medication in order to reduce the overwhelming and debilitating symptoms that could be preventing you not only from doing therapy work, but also from leading your everyday lives.
Yet, if you’ve been taking standard antidepressants for a while now, and you haven’t really noticed any kinds of improvements, you may be thinking about finding some alternatives. This is where Spravato treatments come in, as a popular option nowadays and one that could turn out to be quite useful for you. It is no wonder that there is growing interest in it, and the fact that you are here tells me that you are interested in finding out more about it as well, so you have some questions on your mind. Questions that we are going to answer for you below.
What Are Spravato Treatments?
Unsurprisingly, the first thing you want here is to actually understand what Spravato treatments are to begin with. After all, there would be absolutely no point in talking about whether you should use this to your advantage or not if you don’t even know what it entails. So, let us cut right to the chase and make things completely clear here.
This could also help: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/spravato
Well, in short, Spravato is a brand name for esketamine, which is a form of ketamine that actually acts differently than those conventional antidepressants. This particular drug is administered as nasal spray, and it is often used for treatment resistant depression. Most usually, it is given in combination with other antidepressants, such as SSRIs or SNRIs.
What you should also know is that Spravato is approved by the FDA. So, we are not talking about any kinds of experimental or alternative medicine drugs here. Instead, we are talking about an approved solution that could certainly be of help to people when the standard antidepressants seem to be unable to do the trick.
Should You Use It?
Okay, understanding what Spravato is in the first place is one thing. But, actually deciding whether you should use it is a completely different thing. And, in order to understand whether this could be a good option for you, what you have to do is figure out what some of the benefits are and whether they align with your particular situation.
So, first things first, you should understand that Spravato often provides people with immediate relief. This is quite unlike the standard antidepressants that often take weeks to work. This particular type of medicine can lead to improvements in just a few hours, which is often a huge benefit for people that are dealing with major depression, and that can’t seem to get any relief from the standard medications.
Another thing to understand is that it has a different mechanism of action compared to those standard medications. Put simply, it targets the glutamate system instead of the standard monoamines, which means it can give hope to people when all of those other treatments have failed. This is why it is often given to individuals that have tried at least two other antidepressant treatments, but to no avail. And, since it works so quickly, it is often essential for people with suicidal ideations.
How to Do It Right?
Let us now move on to the next question. We’ve answered some important ones for you already. What are Spravato Treatments, for example, was a significant question that has helped you understand why this particular nasal spray exists in the first place, and how useful it can be. And then, you’ve learned about some benefits, to further figure out whether this may be right for you.
So, if you decide to do this, how can you do it the right way? Well, it all begins with talking to your psychiatrist to check if you are a good candidate for this particular treatment option. Then, if they find that you are a good candidate, you will get the green light, and you’ll start using this treatment, following the right protocol, the dosing schedule, and sharing information about how you’re reacting to it, so that adjustments can be made if necessary. The bottom line is that you have to cooperate with a mental health professional to get this treatment and to get the most out of it.