We have entered a new age of psychology and psychiatry in which there are newly understood/accepted medicines and treatments available for depression and anxiety, specifically ketamine, psilocybin, neurofeedback, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). (https://clearmindtreatment.com/mushroomvsketamine/) It is important to maximize the therapeutic aspects of these psychoactive molecules with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) AKA psychotherapy.
NEUROPLASTICITY
These particular treatments named above, cause, in part, a process called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is a natural process that means that your brain is reconfiguring and changing, specifically the neurons are making new neural pathways and connections. Neuroplasticity happens when you learn something new, processing and storing memories, or learning new skills.
DEPRESSION
When people are depressed, there is not only a metaphorical slowdown of the brain, there is also a literal slowdown of the brain, meaning that the depressed person haas decreased neural activity in certain parts of the brain, neuroplasticity is decreased, which in part causes depression.
When people do the treatments above, it helps them increase neural activity, and therefore may help them with increasing mood. But that is not the end of the story.
CREATING NEW NEURAL CONNECTIONS
It is not enough to just have a brain state of neuroplasticity, you also have to create new neural connections and pathways. There is no point in having increased neuroplasticity, if you are just going to reinforce the old ways that you are thinking and feeling, because will you land eventually to the same negative thinking that makes you depressed or anxious.
COMBINATION
The combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)(talk therapy) with a professional and Ketamine, TMS, psilocybin, and neurofeedback is the real key to breaking depression and anxiety. The studies have all shown it. (See link for a 2017 study).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28490030/
CONCLUSION
If you are considering getting ketamine or TMS without having CBT therapy during or shortly thereafter each treatment, you are not maximizing your treatment benefits.
There are many programs out there that will offer you the neuromodulation techniques as we named above, and CBT therapy during treatment. Clear Mind Treatment is one of them.
www.ClearMindTreatment.com
