The Avesta Blog
New to ketamine care? Read these first
Three guides that answer the questions most patients ask before their first visit.
Guides
What is Ketamine and How Does it Work?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used in surgery and pain management since the 1960s. At clinical doses it is an effective therapy for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety and suicidality, and it can relieve chronic pain.
Guides
Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?
The article says ketamine IV infusions for mood disorders and chronic pain are very safe when given by highly trained, board-certified anesthesia providers, and notes the World Health Organization lists ketamine as an essential medicine. The ideal candidate has usually tried other treatments without success.
Pricing
How to Pay for Ketamine Therapy and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs
Most patients lower ketamine costs through insurance-based Spravato treatment or IV ketamine supported by reimbursement and other payment tools. Spravato often provides the lowest out-of-pocket cost for patients who qualify.
All articles
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Choose a topic to see every article on it, or scroll for the latest.
Treatments
Esketamine vs. Ketamine: What is the Difference?
Ketamine is a 50/50 mix of two mirror-image molecules, while esketamine (Spravato) is only the S-form and is the only one of the two FDA-approved for depression. Insurance often covers Spravato, usually with prior authorization, while IV ketamine for mental health is off-label.
Conditions
Ketamine Treatment for Alcoholism and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Ketamine for alcohol use disorder is a monitored, in-clinic treatment that may reduce cravings and lower relapse risk when paired with counseling. It works alongside standard care, not in place of it.
Wellness
The Power of Music & Ketamine Therapy
Music can make ketamine therapy more soothing and immersive by influencing brain pathways related to pleasure, emotional processing and learning. Clinicians and patients can try different genres and playlists to find what works best.
Conditions
Ketamine Therapy & Anorexia Nervosa
Ketamine has potential to treat psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, addiction and PTSD, and the article looks at how it may relate to anorexia nervosa. Avesta says one's journey toward holistic wellness is never linear.
Conditions
The Debate on Ketamine and Cancer Pain
Ketamine is used as an add-on for neuropathic cancer pain when opioids and other treatments fail. Case reports describe large opioid reductions, but four randomized trials found no clinically relevant benefit, so the evidence is inconclusive and more research is needed.
Conditions
Myth Busting: Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can worsen over time and shows up as panic disorder, social anxiety and phobia-related disorders. The article corrects common myths about anxiety and looks at ketamine as a current and future treatment.
Community
Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month
Avesta marks the end of Mental Health Awareness Month by supporting the conversation about mental health and challenging stigma. As the World Health Organization says, there is no health without mental health.
Community
NAMI: Montgomery County Walk
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this post shares the NAMI Montgomery County Walk, an event that raises awareness and funds for mental health. Avesta invites you to stop by its tent at the walk.
Community
Women & Mental Health
Medicine has long treated male bodies as the norm, so research on women's mental health and on ketamine in women is limited. Avesta tailors ketamine infusion treatment to each patient's symptoms.
Research
History of Ketamine in Psychiatric Medicine
Ketamine went from a 1960s battlefield anesthetic to a modern tool in psychiatry. It was approved by the FDA as a human anesthetic in 1970, and it is given by intravenous, intraosseous, intramuscular, oral, nasal and rectal routes.
Community
Earth Day: A Reflection
Earth Day is a chance to spend time outdoors and step away from screens, which helps your mental health. The article suggests ways to celebrate, including cleaning up a local park or shoreline, planting a tree or starting a garden.
Community
Holistic Wellbeing & Movement: National Fitness Day
National Fitness Day encourages movement for holistic wellbeing, and the article suggests ways to celebrate it with your family, such as visiting your local YMCA, taking a walk in the park, signing up for a 5K or going on a bike ride.
The Avesta blog shares general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk to a qualified clinician about your own situation.
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