If you’ve been struggling with depression despite trying multiple medications, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapy, you may have treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression doesn’t respond to typical depression treatments.
When the standard treatments fail to provide relief, it can understandably leave you feeling hopeless about your recovery.
An estimated 30% of people with depression have treatment-resistant depression, and if you think you’re one of those, Dr. Hadi Estakhri and our team encourage you to visit our office in Newport Beach, California.
Ketamine therapy — available as an intravenous (IV) ketamine therapy and a nasal spray called Spravato® — may help you find the relief you need even if other treatments haven’t worked.
Read on to learn the top six signs of treatment-resistant depression and how ketamine therapy here at Allied Psychiatry & Mental Health can help.
If you’ve tried two or more antidepressants at the right doses for an adequate time without significant improvement, your depression may be resistant to standard treatment.
It’s important to know which type of antidepressant you’re taking. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), for example, can take up to six weeks to take effect, while tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) should start to work within two to four weeks.
Don’t try to power through. If your medication isn’t working within the adequate time frame, don’t hesitate to let Dr. Estakhri know.
You may experience temporary relief with medication, but if your symptoms return, it may be time to talk about treatment-resistant depression with Dr. Esktahri.
While psychotherapy can be beneficial, those with treatment-resistant depression often find that talk therapy alone doesn’t significantly reduce their symptoms.
That being said, if you move forward with ketamine therapy, psychotherapy can complement your ketamine therapy and help you adopt coping strategies and lifestyle changes to feel your best.
While depression is often associated with intense sadness, you may not feel anything at all. Many people with treatment-resistant depression describe feeling emotionally blunted, disconnected, or unable to experience joy — even when life circumstances improve.
Persistent exhaustion or difficulty sleeping, despite treatment, can indicate your depression isn’t responding effectively to medication.
Sleep issues can quickly spiral into chronic fatigue. To compound matters, sleep issues and depression have a bidirectional relationship. Depression can make sleep troubles worse, but sleep troubles can make depression worse.
If thoughts of hopelessness, despair, or self-harm persist even with medication and therapy, treatment-resistant depression may be a factor.
If you’re in crisis, call 911 or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline.
Dr. Estakhri may recommend ketamine therapy if you haven’t found relief with traditional antidepressants. Unlike standard medications, which can take weeks to work, ketamine acts rapidly and often provides relief within days or hours.
Some people see improvements within minutes because ketamine therapy doesn’t affect the same areas of your brain that traditional antidepressants do. It works by targeting glutamate — a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation — and helps rewire neural pathways and restore balance in your brain.
For those who’ve struggled for weeks — or even months — with depression, the idea of feeling relief in hours can be life-saving.
If you’re struggling without relief and suspect you have treatment-resistant depression, schedule a consultation with Dr. Estakhri today by calling our office at 949-945-0927, or book an appointment online anytime.
