‘There’s a great need’: Desert Sands Ketamina offers hope to southern Utahns struggling with depression

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CONTENT PROVIDED Treating mental health disorders is a difficult task, but emerging science offers new hope. Desert Sands Ketamina Treatment Center offers an innovative and highly effective option for those who suffer in silence.

Desert Sands Ketamine it welcomes patients living with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, many of whom have already tried the pharmaceutical approach without lasting success.

There is a great need in southern Utah, said owner Dr. Eric Evans. I just want to help as many people as I can.

Understanding ketamine therapy

Desert Sands Ketamine administers low-dose ketamine via IV infusion. Although relatively new to the treatment of mood disorders, ketamine has been used for sedation and pain relief by physicians around the world since the 1970s. Therapeutically, it works within an area of ​​the brain called the amygdala, which plays a key role in regulating moods and emotions.

While antidepressants focus on increasing serotonin or dopamine levels, ketamine elevates a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Evans stood out ongoing research at Yale University indicating that depression is caused by a shortage of this protein.

For many patients, ketamine lays the groundwork for reshaping harmful thought and behavior patterns. With virtually no side effects and a 70% success rate in clinical trials, Evans calls it a wonder drug for treatment-resistant depression and other mental health disorders.

The infusion process

Some clinics administer ketamine via intramuscular injection or nasal spray, but Desert Sands Ketamine only uses IV infusions for greater specificity and control during treatment. Infusions are always performed under supervision in a safe and comfortable clinical environment.

Ketamine infusions usually last about 40 minutes. During this time, the patient enters a dreamlike state of altered reality. Evans said people often describe a sense of being in touch with their inner self and the ability to gain powerful insight into deep-seated emotional issues.

A physician-led practice

Patients should not trust any ketamine provider with their therapy, Evans said. Desert Sands Ketamine has been recognized as the best in Southern Utah with a third consecutive silver medal in the mental/behavioral health treatment category for 2023, as well as gold for alternative therapies in 2021.The clinic offers a comfortable, spa-like healing environment with a compassionate staff dedicated to helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

Evans has administered ketamine to thousands of patients during his nearly 30-year career as a board-certified anesthesiologist. Before opening Desert Sands Ketamine, he spent 18 months researching the safety and addiction potential of ketamine use for mental health disorders and visiting other successful ketamine clinics around the country.

Real patients, real success

John C’s journey with depression has spanned over 40 years of wheels, ditches and close calls. He found medication that helped, but its long-term side effects took their toll and eventually allowed the darkness to return. He contacted Desert Sands Ketamine in hopes of recovering from a long streak of lows.

From the first infusion, I had a wonderful experience that for the first time took me out of the garbage, and then I felt really happy, he said. (The staff) has made my experience with Desert Sands a worthwhile investment in my future.

On my third treatment, I stopped having anxiety and panic attacks and my depression has improved so significantly that I really feel like my old self, said another patient, Teresa J.. I’ve started doing things again that I like, I get out of the house, take care of myself again, and I’m ready to move on from being stuck in the trauma of the past and move on to the next and best phase of my life. I am eternally grateful.

Evans created Desert Sands Ketamina to help patients get back to living passionate, rewarding and productive lives as quickly as possible. The clinic offers support systems to improve all aspects of wellness, including dietary guidance, meditation, massage therapy, relationship counseling and talk therapy. In addition, Desert Sands Ketamine evaluates and manages hormone replacement problems to maximize results.

Each person has such a unique story and set of issues they’re dealing with, he said. We try to use a comprehensive approach for each patient.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, visit the Desert Sands Ketamine Treatment Center website or call 435-522-5190.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

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