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Abstract
Millions of people around the world suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, and many of these people are given drugs to help treat this potentially devastating disease. For many, the first treatment is successful, and if not, certainly the second treatment gives them the relief they so desperately need. Others, however, are not so lucky, people with treatment resistant depression undergo numerous treatments, some of which are more aggressive than others, but still nothing helps alleviate their depression. Recently an older anesthetic, the drug Ketamine, has been making some news as a new depression treatment. This paper will compare Ketamine to the traditional approved methods for treating depression, as well as discuss the next steps in making this drug more widely available. By reviewing scholarship on the subject of antidepressants, as well as available research on Ketamine, and by interviewing a patient who recently underwent a Ketamine treatment, this research highlights the positive results of Ketamine while acknowledging the setbacks that still currently exist, and advocates for the use of Ketamine as a treatment for depression.
Publication Date
2015
Keywords
Ketamine, Major Depressive Disorder, Treatment Resistant Depression, Depression
Disciplines
Other Chemicals and Drugs | Psychiatric and Mental Health
Current Academic Year
Freshman
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Bonnie Boaz
Rights
© The Author(s)