The Potential of Ketamine for Alcohol Addiction Treatment
The use of ketamine for alcohol addiction treatment is growing in popularity, and for good reason. Ketamine can help patients overcome alcoholism by rewiring certain memories related to substance use, such as the act of drinking, in turn giving hope to the tens of millions of people struggling with alcoholism.
As pioneers in the use of ketamine infusion therapy for alcohol addiction, Los Angeles-based KCLA is at the forefront of helping those who struggle with alcoholism discover a safe and effective approach to treatment. Here’s what we know about how it works.
Research On The Use Of Ketamine For Alcoholism
One of the reasons it’s important to increase access to ketamine for alcoholism is alcoholism is notoriously difficult to treat. Ketamine has many neurochemical effects and psychological effects on those struggling with addiction. One of the ways that ketamine enhances brain function and helps curb cravings is by obstructing the NMDA receptor in the brain — the receptor that enables the creation of new memories. Studies suggest that this obstruction can help with disrupting negative behavior that results from addiction, including substances other than alcohol. By addressing and aiding with the underlying issues that often contribute to “substance abuse” (which is often “self medicating”) such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, ketamine infusions can help stop cravings at the root. This is a separate process from the neurochemical changes that ketamine can cause in the brain to help curb cravings. These are just some of the reasons this multipronged treatment is so effective.
Psychologists at the University College of London are assessing the use of ketamine for alcohol addiction, including whether it can help heavy drinkers reduce or eliminate their dependency on alcohol. And lead researcher, Dr. Ravi Das, believes there is credible evidence to support the notion that ketamine can help treat alcohol addiction. There are several studies validating this and ketamine for cocaine addiction and other substance abuse disorders.
Das elaborates that ketamine can help improve the cognitive patterns of individuals struggling with alcoholism. An alcohol addict often associates a strong desire to drink with certain places, circumstances, or stimuli. A positive feeling is associated with the urge to drink, which can be very difficult to resist.
Hearing glasses clink, seeing a mug of beer, or even returning home after a long day at work can trigger the desire to drink, which may lead a person down the spiral of alcoholism. Ketamine can help individuals and physicians identify a person’s thought pattern in order to modify it so alcoholic behaviors can be changed for the better.
A pilot study conducted by The American Journal of Psychiatry tested the effects of ketamine treatment for addiction. The study revealed that participants who received the treatment had a significantly lower relapse rate, building upon an already strong case for the efficacy of Ketamine Infusion Therapy for addiction.
Try Ketamine Treatment for Addiction
To learn more about ketamine treatment for addiction, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and chronic pain conditions, contact Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles by clicking here or calling 310-270-0625 now. We proudly serve patients throughout Los Angeles, Westchester, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Hollywood, Malibu, Venice, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, the South Bay, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, other parts of California, various states throughout the United States, and even abroad.
For more information about Ketamine Infusion Therapy treatments for depression, bipolar, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), fibromyalgia, pain syndromes and other conditions contact us at Ketamine Clinics of Los Angeles in Southern California (Orange County) by clicking here or calling 310-270-0625.
