If you or someone you know suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you’re not alone! As many of 7 percent of all people will come down with the disease during childhood and, for many of these people, the symptoms will continue into their adulthood. ADHD can prevent children from developing properly and can make it difficult for both children and adults to function in the world. Luckily, there are numerous therapies available for ADHD, with recent studies in ketamine and cognitive function pointing to some new treatment options.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a disorder that is marked by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, at higher-than-normal levels. It often presents in children and, if untreated, continues on into adulthood in many cases. ADHD can cause serious developmental problems for children, preventing them from learning and affecting their performance in school.
ADHD can present in different ways, with some people experiencing predominantly inattentive behaviors, some hyperactive-impulsive behaviors, and some experiencing both in roughly equal measures. Inattentive behaviors are where a person has difficulty with sustained focus, cannot stay on task, or has difficulty organizing their thoughts. Hyperactive behaviors are when a person has difficulty staying still, can’t help but move about constantly, and experiences extreme restlessness. Impulsivity is where a person has significant self-control problems, giving into socially-inappropriate behaviors without reflecting on what they are doing.
Ketamine and Cognitive Function: How Ketamine Infusion Can Help Treat ADHD
Whatever form of ADHD you suffer from, recent studies have suggested that ketamine infusion therapy may be able to help. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been administered therapeutically for a number of decades. When taken intravenously under the supervision of a medical professional, ketamine produces a sense of sedation and disassociation in patients. Ketamine is used successfully to treat a wide range of physical and mental disorders, including chronic pain, depression and anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD.
Although scientists are not entirely clear on how ketamine works, it is believed that it operates by increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters in your brain and by repairing neural pathways. By doing so, ketamine encourages neural activity, which allows your brain to function more normally. It also allows your neural activity to overcome unhealthy patterns. The result is that the mental imbalance that causes ADHD and other mental disorders is repaired and you begin feeling more like yourself.
Contact Bluewater Psychiatry
At Bluewater Psychiatry, we offer a variety of treatment options for people suffering from ADHD and other mental disorders, including ketamine infusion. If you have any questions about ketamine and ADHD or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact us by calling (401) 285-6040 or by filling out the form below.