I’ve suffered from depression, severe anxiety, and PTSD for over 15 years. Too many prescriptions have come and gone out of my life during this battle; too many to count. With each medication that I would try, and would ultimately fail to help me, I began to feel like my mind was not my own anymore. I felt like my brain chemistry had been jumbled up so much that I was a hopeless case. At best, a medication would prevent me from sinking low enough to self harm… or worse. One thing that remained consistent, however, is that the sense of hopelessness, the heavy cloud that served as an opaque filter between me and the rest of the world. My symptoms did not go away… I was still depressed… still anxious.
In my desperation, I began searching for mental health treatments that were not part of the bland “mainstream” options. I am nearing 40, and I spent most of my 20’s and 30’s in isolation from friends, from family, from my kids. I was at the end of my rope – I needed change. That’s when I came across ketamine infusion therapy. After reading countless articles and watching testimonials, my wife and I decided to contact Ketamine Wellness Center here in Mesa. Right out of the gate I was relieved with how efficient and organized they were. They called back when they said they would (which, sadly, is becoming less common nowadays), and everything about the process just went so smoothly. After my phone interviews, consultation and approval, I went in for my first infusion. Tanya at the front desk was warm and welcoming, my nurse Katie was super friendly and down to earth, ensuring I was as comfortable as possible, and the clinical administrator Jonathan was very informative and open to answering any and all my questions. All of this culminated in settling my nerves to ensure my first experience was as positive as it could be.
The day following my first infusion, I immediately noticed that my debilitating anxiety had been lifted. With each subsequent stabilization treatment, I began noticing that the constant negative chatter in my head was quieting down, and eventually diminished. I am now about to complete my second maintenance treatment, and I can honestly say the changes I’ve had as a result of ketamine have been profound and life changing. Let me clarify, it’s by no means a magic bullet. But what it has done for me is allow me to stop wasting so much mental energy constantly regretting or feeling guilty about the past, and fearing what may come in the future. I can now focus just on the present. I have a long road ahead of me still, but I can now honestly say I will be able to take the steps I’ve always wanted to improve myself, my life, and the lives of those around me with this new found clarity.
Even 5 weeks later, I find myself stopping to think about just how surreal it is to not be weighed down by such crippling depression and anxiety, it’s all I’ve known for so much of my life. It’s as if I’m in a constant euphoric state because I’ve forgot what it’s like to just be “normal”. I can’t say enough good things about how much ketamine has helped me thus far. I wish I had the money to help out everyone I know who is suffering and pay for their treatment because it’s difficult for me to fathom that there is a treatment this effective for a disease that most people assume they just have to live with in a hopeless haze, and with minimal options. I look forward to continuing this journey with Ketamine Wellness Center, and plan on continuing to improve my quality of life (finally).
