If you are currently in treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), it is very likely that your current care plan isn’t serving you well. It’s the nature of the condition, unfortunately, with TRD. There has been positive news on the treatment front, however, with the introduction of Spravato®. This esketamine-based nasal spray can help TRD patients find success for the first time with their condition, at long last bringing relief.
1. Spravato® Works Where Traditional Medications Often Do Not
Treatment-resistant depression is frustrating because it is just that—treatment resistant. Some of the reasons that patients may experience TRD are that traditional antidepressants are not helpful enough, side effects are not tolerable, or they are less helpful over time. Spravato® can step in to address the medication component of a TRD treatment plan, when traditional antidepressants fail.
How does it do this? While how Spravato® exactly works is not known, it is believed that it functions as a receptor antagonist in the brain. By doing this, Spravato then increases the release of a substance known as glutamate and stimulates certain receptors. This results in improvements in the signaling pathways in the brain, changes in protein synthesis, and changes in synaptic connectivity.
In contrast, traditional antidepressants work to inhibit the reuptake of certain monoamines (neurotransmitters) in the brain, including the well-known serotonin as well as dopamine and norepinephrine. While traditional oral antidepressants work for many, they do not work for all patients, making Spravato® a welcome intervention for TRD.
2. Spravato® Delivers Fast Results
Spravato® can also deliver results quickly, sometimes as soon as after the first administration. Traditional antidepressants can take weeks to work, leaving patients with TRD more time to get frustrated. The slow onset of antidepressants also makes medication management and treatment difficult with TRD, as there must be extensive wait periods between prescribing a medication and seeing whether or not it is able to impact the condition.
3. Spravato® and Psychotherapy Are Great Partners in Treating TRD
Spravato® can do a great job of improving symptoms of depression. In fact, it works in a way that is different from traditional pharmaceuticals in patients with TRD, which is why it is considered a novel and effective treatment.
The truth is, however, that patients who experience TRD often struggle with significant symptoms for long periods of time, and this can cause long-standing behavioral patterns that get in the way of true healing and recovery. Working with a mental health specialist in a traditional psychotherapy setting helps to address this component of TRD, filling in an essential space not addressed by medication.
4. Spravato® Supplements Traditional Antidepressants
Spravato® is typically prescribed as part of a holistic treatment plan that includes oral antidepressants, as well. If you have been making some progress with an SSRI, for example, Spravato® can provide that extra push you need to cross the finish line and finally experience true relief.
Ready to introduce Spravato® to your treatment plan? Reach out to one of our Andala Health clinics today. They can walk you through the process, go over the Spravato® monitoring period with you, discuss what life after Spravato® is like, and help assess how Spravato® can make the difference in your treatment for depression.