When you’re at a stalemate with depression, it’s easy to give up hope. However, there are solutions out there. Where conventional treatments fail, treatments like Spravato succeed. Staying current with medication is why a psychiatrist for medication management is critical. Luckily, at Synchronous Mental Health, we’re the premier mental health service provider. We synthesize quality and convenience into unrivaled telehealth services.
Here’s an overview of Spravato:
Spravato is a prescription nasal spray taken in conjunction with oral antidepressants. It requires medical supervision, so it’s advisable to have a psychiatrist help with medication management.
Spravato is used to treat those with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) who suffer from suicidal thoughts or actions. Spravato provides relief from depression in mere hours. Esketamine is made out of ketamine.
However, esketamine has a higher potency. Higher potency means it requires lower doses to realize benefits, which also means fewer side effects. Spravato therapy varies depending on the patient. Treatment involves 3 self-administered doses of nasal spray, with 5-minute intervals in between.
If you have any questions about Spravato and what it is, we have the answers. We’ll gladly provide an assessment to see if this treatment is right for you!
Spravato works differently than other antidepressants, so consulting with a psychiatrist for medication management is crucial.
Traditional antidepressants increase the amounts of naturally occurring chemicals in your brain like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters facilitate interaction and communication among brain cells, and they regulate and affect our moods.
Increased levels of these chemical messengers optimize brain cell communication, which positively impacts your mood. However, it’s estimated that 33% of people with depression don’t respond to these antidepressants.
Esketamine targets glutamate, which is your brain’s most plentiful neurotransmitter. Glutamate regulates learning and memory, and as its level rises, it ‘excites’ cells in your brain.
This excited state encourages your brain to learn, memorize, and acclimate to this excited state, all of which effectively combat depressive symptoms. Clinical trials suggest esketamine can even reduce suicidal thoughts and actions, and it’s the only drug demonstrably effective besides lithium.
If you have any other questions about how Spravato works, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll provide all the answers and determine if it’s right for you!
It’s essential to consult with a psychiatrist for medication management to understand if Spravato is right for you. Currently, the FDA has only approved Spravato for use in adults.
Spravato is used to treat TRD, which is depression that hasn’t improved after treatment with two or more antidepressants for at least 6 weeks. Spravato is also used to treat people with MDD who suffer from suicidal thoughts or actions.
However, Spravato has the potential to be abused. Esketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance. Those with a history of drug abuse or addiction should be aware of this. Abuse can lead to physical and psychological dependence.
Currently, there is little data available to determine what other conditions Spravato can treat, and the FDA has only approved its usage to treat depression.
Depression can feel insurmountable, but with the right psychiatrist and medication management, you can overcome it. At SMH, we have 10-years of experience delivering premier mental health services, anytime and anyplace. Sometimes, conventional treatments and medications feel like an exercise in futility. However, Spravato is here to change that. Schedule a consultation now to see if Spravato is right for you! When you feel overwhelmed by the weight of the world, SMH is here to help shoulder the load.
