Local ketamine clinic treating PTSD

EVANSILLE, In. (WEHT) – Post traumatic stress disorder is an affliction suffered by millions – from regular people to veterans of war. But some are hoping a new treatment may help – and a center specializing in it use is operating in Evansville.

The Evansville Ketamine Cinic is a first for the Tri-state, and in its three years of operation, boasts many satisfied clients.

“I come bouncing out – feeling like a million bucks and it just really helps alleviate a lot of the stresses in my life,” says Scott Van Wormer, a former Army medic who says the treatment has been life changing, helping him deal with trauma he is unable to deal with otherwise.

“It allows me to go in my mind and address certain issues that I’m hesitant to talk about or even express any emotion over – it allows me to address some of those issues in my head,” says Van Wormer.

The military veteran acknowledges that ones mileage may vary – but for him, the drug is doing wonders.

“It’s a night and day difference especially for someone like me.. It’s a wonderful alternative to having to have a series of medicines in order to take on what this one realm is doing, so it’s incredibly helpful and I would highly recommend it to anyone,” says Van Wormer.

Ketamine, a schedule 3 drug often only used in the operating room, is not FDA approved for this use.

Evansville Ketamine Clinic owner Lisa Sheller says she opened her center after investigating potential use of the drug for psychiatric treatment.

“I’ve been using ketamine in the operating room for years – as an anesthetic and for pain control m- and then I sort of passively came across an article -where it was being used for mental health – and I just out of pure curiosity and read a little bit about it – and as time went on – learned that there were places like this elsewhere, and I just kept thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if one came here?’,” says Sheller.

The treatment is not for everyone,and can have side effects as with any other medication or therapy, such as dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision.

However, Sheller says the science is there for this new treatment to be medically safe and sound.

“It increases what we call synapses, which increases communications between what we call neural cells , and by doing that we create new pathways specifically in mood, emotion, and memory. For memories specific to PTSD, it bypasses those trigger areas and responds to triggers differently, but it’s a process,” says Sheller.

Those who are interested need a doctor recommendation and a consultation to determine if it could be a potential benefit for their condition.