It is different from traditional antidepressant or anxiety medications (Like SSRI). Ketamine works on glutamate chemical on a unique receptor in the brain called NMDA receptor. This new pathway, many scientists believe it is the key to reverse the neuron damage from depression and anxiety. This healing process is called neuroplasticity.
Read the Science about ketamine https://www.ketamineadvocacynetwork.org/
Many research by the National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Administration, Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Mount Sinai Medical School, and more confirmed that Ketamine infusion could help patients with treatment resistant depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders.
80% of patients with treatment-resistant depression experience rapid relief after a low-dose of ketamine infusion. Similar success rates have been seen in returning combat veterans suffering from PTSD.
Trained physician calculates precisely the treatment dose and personalize ketamine for the patient based on many factors such as patient weight and the response.
During the treatment patient may experience feelings similar to receiving a short acting anesthetic, or the effect of receiving gas at the dental office. Many patients reported feeling relaxed and had a pleasant sensation.
The Ketamine infusion will be administered by a trained staff at the ketamine clinic. Your vital signs will be closely monitored during and shortly after the treatment. Since ketamine is a very safe drug, side effects usually limited to nausea, and mild sedation.
Your psychiatrist can adjust the dose of the treatment based on your response, and side effects from the infusion. Your psychiatrist also will meet with the patient before each infusion to evaluate the response, and discuss with the patient future treatments.