Ketamine for Substance Abuse
Repeated drug and alcohol consumption often results in progressively uncontrollable use despite negative consequences. Substance use disorders have a dark and vicious cycle, one that is difficult to break with even the best drug or rehabilitation programs. Because of this, rates of relapse are unfortunately very high. While rehab programs and therapy offer a great escape from the normal stressors and vices which lead us to abuse drugs, they may not treat the underlying issue.
What Is Substance Abuse?
Substance abuse is a complex mental health condition identified by compulsive drug or alcohol abuse that will lead to significant disruptions in a person’s everyday life. This means anytime a person takes drugs that are not legal or uses substances past the legal or healthy limit.
Warning signs of a substance abuse problem include the following:
- Loss of interest in hobbies
- Social withdrawal
- Lack of self-care
- Eating more or less than normal
- Sleeping more or less than normal
- Problems in your personal or professional lives
- Mood swings
How Does Ketamine Help With Addiction?
Ketamine has been shown to directly affect parts of the brain like the anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and mesolimbic structures to reduce cravings, aid in poor impulse control, and decrease your valuation of immediate drug reward by restoring glutamate dysregulation.
Substance use disorders can also result in “maladaptive reward memories,” which provoke cravings.
While these maladaptive reward memories may be suppressed during therapy or rehab, ketamine treats the source by first reactivating consolidated memories during therapy and making them vulnerable to change, and eventually, the brain will “unlearn” them.
Break Free From The Powers of Addiction
Request Your Consultation Now
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, and other treatment methods have failed to provide relief, then ketamine may be a viable treatment option for you. Contact us today to learn more about our ketamine treatments now available in London, UK.