Depression is a condition that several people live in our society. Many reasons cause depression and mental instability. Some of the causes of depression involve work stress and anxiety. The condition exists in other forms such as postnatal depression which occurs after childbirth. A depressed person often thinks about committing suicide or harming oneself. Therefore, he or she needs help to come out of the overwhelming situation.
This is the reason behind the development of some facilities around the world that aid such people to come out of depression. Some medical facilities have also conducted several studies concerning the condition. They want to find other reasons for depression and how to control, cure, or stop the condition.
Coronavirus Pandemic and Depression
During this era, there is a prediction of an increased number of patients suffering from the condition of depression. This is because the pandemic has caused people to lose their jobs and businesses. Hence, there is a lot of pressure for people to cope with the situation in terms of providing essential needs such as food. Moreover, the stay-at-home order is causing restlessness among the youth and that may cause mild depression.
The Food and Drug Administration
The FDA is a federal agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is accountable for protecting the health of the public. It certified a variation of the pain killer party drug ketamine for suicidal people with depression. The drug is known as Spravato and it has esketamine.
Last year, the agency certified Spravato for patients who had a depressive disorder and hadn’t reacted to other medications. Besides, it is including people who are having thoughts on committing suicide and have tried hurting themselves.
What is Ketamine and Esketamine?
Ketamine is a treatment that doctors use for commencing and supporting anesthesia. Medical officers also use it for sedation and as a medication of depression. Effects commence within 5 minutes when administered via injection and last more than 20 minutes. Its side effects are confusion and hallucinations.
On the other hand, esketamine is a treatment doctors use as a pain killer and for treating depression in adults. People use it as a nasal spray or through an injection.
Dr. Charles Conway’s Views
He is a professor of psychiatry at the Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Charles says a single dose of esketamine can get a patient out of a challenging state when they are feeling overwhelmed.
Studies show that over 35% of suicidal people who got the medication had lessened symptoms of depression after a month. The esketamine was partially accountable for that outcome. Doctors should administer esketamine in hospital and not at homes because it changes the rates of blood pressure and the heart.
Dr. Gerard Sanacora
Dr. Gerard says:
“It is the first large scale clinical trial like this to be done in a population of patients that have severe depression. Moreover, they are also expressing acute suicidal ideation. Antidepressant studies have usually excluded this patient population.”
As we continue to battle with the coronavirus, families, and friends need to find ways of connecting. Either through phone calls or social media platforms. This may reduce the pressure one might be feeling when he or she is alone.
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