If you're struggling with depression or chronic pain and feel like nothing works, you might be surprised to learn that ketamine therapy could offer relief — and fast. Unlike traditional antidepressants that can take weeks to kick in, ketamine often starts working within hours.
Below, Dr. Hadi Estakhri and our Allied Psychiatry & Mental Health team in Newport Beach, California, explain the facts behind this common question: Is it true that ketamine can work almost right away?
Most antidepressants target neurotransmitters like serotonin or dopamine, and unfortunately, it can take several weeks to show results. Tricyclic antidepressants can take two to four weeks to show results, while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can take up to six weeks.
Worse still, some people don’t get the relief they need even after waiting two, four, or six weeks. Treatment-resistant depression is a type of depression that doesn’t respond to at least two types of antidepressant medication.
Ketamine works differently. It targets glutamate, a brain chemical that plays a big part in both mood regulation and neuroplasticity.
By acting on your glutamate receptors, ketamine helps your brain form new connections and essentially rewires the circuits involved in depression and anxiety.
This can lead to faster, more noticeable improvements in how you feel, and that’s why ketamine can work quicker than other antidepressants you may have tried.
Before ketamine gained attention for treating depression, it was widely used as a surgical anesthetic. Today, ketamine therapy can also help manage chronic pain conditions like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and neuropathic pain.
Ketamine blocks NMDA receptors in your brain, which helps reduce pain intensity and reset your brain’s response to pain signals over time.
This makes it a valuable option if you haven’t found relief from opioids or other medications.
Many people start to notice a difference within 24-72 hours after their first ketamine treatment. You may experience a lift in your mood, fewer intrusive thoughts, or a sense of clarity you haven’t felt in months. After weeks of waiting for relief from traditional antidepressants, 24 hours can indeed seem like it’s working right away.
For some, the results are felt almost immediately, in as little as one hour after therapy.
At Allied Psychiatry and Mental Health, Dr. Hadi Estakhri offers two forms of ketamine therapy:
Both forms of therapy are administered in our office under careful supervision. Regardless of which type you receive, you need to arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home.
You may feel a little groggy after ketamine therapy, but after a good night’s sleep, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed.
If you’ve tried multiple treatments without success, ketamine therapy could be a life-changing option. Dr. Estakhri tailors your treatment plan based on your symptoms, medical history, and goals — whether you're dealing with depression, PTSD, anxiety, or chronic pain.
You don’t have to keep struggling. Relief might be closer — and faster — than you think. Schedule a consultation at Allied Psychiatry and Mental Health to learn if ketamine therapy is right for you. Call our office at 949-945-0927 or book an appointment online today.
