Anxiety affects 40 million people in the United States while depression affects another 17 million. You can experience them separately, and you can also experience them together. While these are different conditions, they commonly coexist. What’s more, anxiety can occur as a symptom of depression.
Mental health and wellness specialists Ginni Orava, MSN, FNP-C, and Kamee Witts, RN, BSN, at Renew Infusions of Gilbert, Arizona, offer innovative ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety. If you’ve tried antidepressants without improvement or prefer a non-antidepressant approach, you may benefit from ketamine infusion therapy.
Our Renew Infusions team believes that patients should take a proactive role in their care. Learning about anxiety and depression and discussing treatment options is a wise step to relieving your symptoms and improving the way you feel and function.
Is it anxiety or depression?
Feeling anxious or blue from time to time is a normal response to stressful life events, such as losing a loved one. Severe, ongoing feelings of depression and anxiety may be a warning sign of a mental health disorder such as generalized anxiety disorder and clinical depression. A mental health professional is the best person to assess your symptoms.
Understanding anxiety
Anxiety is characterized by feelings of fear, dread, and worry. There are several types of anxiety disorders, with symptoms varying depending on the type of anxiety. To help identify anxiety, here are some of the signs and symptoms.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
People with GAD experience excessive worrying and fear about various things, such as health, work, and social interactions. You may have GAD if you’ve experienced the following symptoms for at least six months:
- Feeling on edge
- Chronic muscle tension
- Problems controlling feelings of worry
- Trembling or shaking
- Problems sleeping
- Feeling restless
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
If symptoms occur on most days, it’s wise to seek evaluation.
Panic disorder
Panic disorder causes sudden, unexpected, and intense attacks of fear and doom that escalate quickly and reach their peak within minutes. Symptoms include:
- Heart palpitations
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Intense feelings of doom
- Feeling of losing control
- Shortness of breath
Worrying about when the next attack may occur can exacerbate symptoms.
Phobia disorders
Phobias involve an intense fear of certain objects or situations that is above any actual danger. People with phobias experience excessive fear and worry about encountering the feared situation or object, and may go to a great extent to avoid the encounter.
Anxiety can be debilitating, as it can cause you to restrict the places you go and the things you do. Some people with anxiety isolate themselves, which can actually worsen symptoms.
Understanding depression
There are different types of depression, with major depression being most common. People with depression have an overwhelming feeling of sadness and often a loss of interest in once enjoyed activities. Other symptoms may include:
- Loss of or increase in appetite
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Constant fatigue
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Overwhelming feelings of guilt
If you recognize symptoms of anxiety or depression, there is treatment available to help you feel better. Above all, it’s important to have a mental health professional perform a complete evaluation of your symptoms.
Ketamine infusion therapy for depression and anxiety
Ketamine infusion therapy is a novel treatment for depression and anxiety, given as an intravenous infusion. Originally FDA-approved as an anesthetic, ketamine is increasingly used to relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
Ketamine blocks ionotropic glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), a receptor for the excitatory chemical glutamate to provide relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Ketamine also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule that plays a major role in learning and memory. People with depression are shown to have lower than normal levels of BDNF.
To learn more about how ketamine infusion therapy can help relieve your symptoms of anxiety and depression, call our office to schedule an appointment with a Renew Infusions provider. Prospective and existing patients can also book an appointment online. Make your mental health a number one priority. We’re standing by to help restore your wellness.