About 4.4% of American adults have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — and experts believe it’s underdiagnosed. At Revival Infusion Madison in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, certified registered nurse anesthetist Sarah Wilczewski, CRNA, APNP, understands the difficulties of living with ADHD as an adult. She offers ketamine infusions, an alternative treatment that can recalibrate your jumbled thoughts and overcome the limitations of ADHD with rapid results. Call the office today or book your appointment online.
ADHD is a disorder that disrupts focus and causes difficulty controlling behavior. Although most cases of ADHD occur in children, adults can experience ADHD too. More than 4% of American adults have been diagnosed with ADHD, and many others likely have the condition but aren’t diagnosed.
Adult ADHD symptoms include:
Adults with ADHD often experience other mental health disorders. More than 18% of adults have both ADHD and depression, and nearly half of people with ADHD experience an anxiety disorder.
In some cases, ADHD and other disorders simply happen to coincide. But in others, the stress of coping with ADHD symptoms leads to the other disorder.
ADHD treatment usually involves a combination of medication, education about the disorder, psychotherapy, and stress management.
Stimulant medications are the most common pharmaceutical approach to treating ADHD. Stimulants work by increasing brain chemicals (neurotransmitters). Unfortunately, they can cause side effects. Stimulants can also cause drug dependency if taken excessively.
There are also nonstimulant medications for ADHD, including some antidepressants and cognition-enhancing drugs. Nonstimulants work slower and can be less effective.
For some people with ADHD, none of the standard medication approaches really work. This can leave you feeling frustrated and hopeless about treatment in general. If this sounds familiar, ketamine could be a good solution for you.
Ketamine is a drug that’s FDA-approved for use as an anesthetic. In large doses, as you’d have during anesthesia, ketamine blocks glutamate, a neurotransmitter in your brain. Many of your brain neurons use glutamate to communicate, and it’s heavily involved in your moods and pain perception.
For anesthesia purposes, blocking glutamate stops pain. But, in much lower doses, ketamine works very differently. It increases glutamate levels and helps relieve unhealthy, negative, and unproductive feelings.
Ketamine can also stimulate the repair of broken-down brain connections, so it can help you overcome the negative ADHD behaviors that you can’t currently control.
To learn more about ketamine infusions at Revival Infusion Madison, call the office now or click on the online booking link.
NOTE: Ketamine infusions are an alternative treatment. Ketamine is not FDA-approved for the treatment of ADHD at this time. Ketamine affects each patient differently, so results may vary.