Living with anxiety can be so challenging. You just want to wake up and live your days in peace, but you can't help but feel worried and anxious — often about things that you know other people just take in stride. There are, of course, many different treatments for anxiety. But if you've tried a few of them with little to no success, the idea of trying yet another one can feel overwhelming. Take a deep breath and brace yourself for just one more try with a medication called ketamine. Ketamine truly is different from every other anxiety treatment out there, and it could offer the relief you've always dreamed of.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a medication that has been used for decades as an anesthetic. Doctors were noticing that patients who were given ketamine prior to surgery were waking up with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Before long, ketamine started to be used for the treatment of depression and anxiety. It is not another pill that you have to take every day. Rather, it is an infused medication that is given via an IV in your doctor's office.

How does ketamine work?

Ketamine has been shown to increase the levels of glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is a neurochemical that your brain releases at times when you are learning or forming new memories. The idea is that if you are given ketamine, and then you undergo therapy with the goal of reducing your anxiety, your brain will be more "plastic" and able to make the necessary changes to actually implement what you've learned in therapy. The combination of ketamine and therapy can essentially rewire your brain in ways that bypass the anxious thoughts you used to experience.

How often do you need ketamine treatments?

People often notice an improvement in their anxiety after just one round of treatment with ketamine. However, most people need a few treatments, spaced a week or two apart, to experience complete relief from anxiety symptoms. Usually, you and your doctor will play it by ear, scheduling subsequent treatments until you're happy with your mood and mindset. But ketamine treatment is a short-lived, defined treatment, not one that you have to dedicate yourself to for years.

Anxiety can truly be a burden, and you deserve to live without it. Even if other treatments have failed you, ketamine is well worth trying. Talk to your doctor for more info.