A Personal Letter from Dr. Barton
We are always searching. We are always searching to heal. We are always searching for answers as to why today, we don’t feel like getting out of bed. We are always searching for ways to make life into what we were told it would be, and into what we desire it to become. We are always searching for hope.
I am on a search as well. Depression and trauma can cause devastating effects in an individual’s life that can ripple throughout all aspects of life; social, familial, occupational. Psychiatrists have been treating individuals experiencing issues like depression and trauma using many of the same medications and modalities that we have been using for decades. To be fair, many of those medications and modalities effectively relieve the suffering of the majority; but not for everyone. I am passionate about helping those in need and those who suffer. I have expanded the typical psychiatric toolbox in my practice by using new knowledge and testing of pharmocogenomics to help guide medication choices and at times Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to treat those who have not responded to other treatments.
The nature of searching necessitates the trying of new medications and new modalities for our patients. I first heard about ketamine and its rapid effect on the symptoms of depression years ago. For me, the loud sound created by the large and growing body of literature and research supporting its beneficial effects, its approximate 50-70% response rate, and its rapid onset of symptom relief have gotten my attention. I have found it time to rethink the way that we not only provide treatment, but also the ways in which we have not. As a result, I am now offering ketamine infusions to patients as part of my current outpatient practice. We must be intentional in our search.
Ketamine is a safe medication that has been used at higher doses for decades in adult and pediatric emergency rooms. It provides fast acting, rapid relief of depressive symptoms that works for many who have not been able to find relief. It is a continuation of my search. And in that search, I will work to find a way to bring hope to those individuals that have felt lost and without hope. We are all searching.
Please browse my website for answers to commonly questions about ketamine. Read the literature and research about its use. Learn about our private, comfortable, and cozy clinic. Call to ask questions or to inquire about receiving ketamine infusion treatment. Continue your search, as hope can be just around the corner.
Warmly,
Daniel Barton, M.D.