ABBC Mental Health Clinic Steps Up To Provide Ketamine Treatments for Veterans Suffering From Depression or Suicidal Thoughts

MINNEAPOLIS , March 30 /Businesswire/ - After the abrupt closure of a national chain of Ketamine Wellness Centers, including one in the Twin Cities, Advanced Brain + Body Clinic (ABBC) entered into an agreement with the Minneapolis VA to provide care to more than 50 veterans who were left stranded by the closure. Offering hard-to-find treatments including ketamine/esketamine (Spravato) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), ABBC specializes in treating people who struggle with symptoms of severe depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and PTSD, while also offering medication management for other mental health conditions.

While veterans, as a group, suffer from higher rates of depression, PTSD, and suicidality, it is less commonly known that more than 30% of individuals suffering from these disorders do not respond to standard antidepressant medications. Patients who have tried multiple antidepressants without symptom reduction may be considered “treatment-resistant”. Fortunately, ketamine, esketamine (Spravato) and TMS often provide relief to people with treatment-resistant depression that cannot be found elsewhere. Compared to a less than 10% success rate that an additional antidepressant medication would have for these individuals, ketamine/esketamine and TMS have an astounding 70% success rate in treatment-resistant patients.

Note to clinicians: The VA provides guidelines for ketamine and TMS in its VA Clinicians Guide: Combating Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) in Veterans with Major Depressive Disorder.

This is not the first time that psychiatrist and ABBC co-founder, Dr. Brian Johns, has worked with the Minneapolis VA. In 2013, Dr. Johns co-authored a landmark study with researchers at the Minneapolis VA, which was the first in the country to add multiple doses of ketamine to outpatient treatment regimens, and subsequently set the standard for ketamine infusions nationwide.

The staff at Advanced Brain and Body Clinic is experienced in working with veterans, as well as first responders and front-line healthcare workers. “Being able to provide these life saving treatments to those who have given so much to our country and our communities helps us reach our own goal to make these innovative treatments available to everyone,” says Dr. Johns.

ABBC follows a strict safety protocol for all ketamine/esketamine treatments and takes a holistic approach to ensure that each patient has a safe and effective treatment plan, which may include medications, therapy, comprehensive laboratory work, genetic testing, or lifestyle management.

ABBC works with most major insurance companies to help cover the cost of treatment. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, or suicidal thoughts, call to schedule an initial assessment.

About Advanced Brain and Body Clinic

Advanced Brain and Body Clinic offers a full spectrum of psychiatric treatments, medication management, and innovative treatment for depression and suicidal thoughts including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), ketamine/esketamine (Spravato) and vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). Each patient's treatment plan is tailored to their needs and insurance coverage.

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