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In a significant advancement for mental health treatment, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Johnson & Johnson's nasal spray, Spravato (esketamine), as a standalone therapy for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). This decision, announced on January 21, 2025, marks a pivotal shift in the management of depression, offering new hope to those who have not found relief with traditional antidepressants.
Spravato was initially approved in 2019 for use in conjunction with oral antidepressants. The recent FDA approval now allows its use as a monotherapy, providing healthcare providers with greater flexibility to tailor treatment plans to individual patient needs. This is particularly beneficial for patients who have struggled with the side effects or ineffectiveness of conventional antidepressants.
Derived from esketamine, a compound related to the anesthetic ketamine, Spravato functions by targeting the brain's glutamate system, a pathway distinct from the mechanisms of traditional antidepressants. This unique action enables rapid alleviation of depressive symptoms, often within hours—a stark contrast to the weeks or months typically required for standard medications to take effect.
Due to its psychoactive properties and potential for misuse, Spravato is administered under strict medical supervision within certified healthcare settings. Patients self-administer the nasal spray under the guidance of a healthcare professional and are monitored for at least two hours post-administration. The treatment regimen usually starts with twice-weekly doses, which may be adjusted to once weekly or biweekly during the maintenance phase, depending on patient response.
Clinical trials have demonstrated Spravato's efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms. In studies, a significant proportion of patients achieved remission compared to those receiving a placebo. These findings underscore Spravato's potential as a valuable option for individuals who have not responded to multiple antidepressant therapies.
While Spravato offers promising benefits, it is essential to be aware of potential side effects, which can include dizziness, nausea, increased blood pressure, and dissociation (a feeling of being disconnected from reality). Due to these effects, patients are advised not to drive or operate machinery until the day after treatment and only once they have a clear sense of how the medication affects them.
The FDA's approval of Spravato as a standalone treatment reflects a growing recognition of the need for innovative approaches to address treatment-resistant depression. By expanding the arsenal of available therapies, this decision offers renewed hope to millions of individuals seeking effective relief from the burdens of depression.
As the landscape of mental health treatment continues to evolve, the approval of Spravato represents a significant milestone, underscoring the importance of personalized and responsive care in the journey toward mental wellness.
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My Virtual Physician’s Las Vegas clinic represents the future of hybrid healthcare, combining the convenience of virtual consultations with the reliability of in-person services. Schedule your next appointment today to take full advantage of our comprehensive offerings.Schedule your appointment with us today: BOOK HERE
Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet many people face barriers to accessing the care they need. Telehealth is changing the landscape of mental health care, making it more accessible, affordable, and effective.
Telehealth eliminates geographical barriers, allowing individuals to connect with mental health professionals from anywhere. This is especially beneficial for those living in rural or underserved areas where access to mental health services is limited.
Virtual therapy sessions can be conducted from the comfort of your home, creating a safe and familiar environment. This convenience reduces the stress and anxiety often associated with visiting a therapist's office.
Telehealth helps reduce the stigma associated with seeking mental health care. By providing a private and discreet way to access services, individuals are more likely to seek help without fear of judgment.
Telehealth offers flexible scheduling options, making it easier for people to fit therapy sessions into their busy lives. This flexibility ensures that more individuals can access the care they need when they need it.
Telehealth enables continuous and consistent mental health support. Regular virtual check-ins and follow-up sessions ensure that individuals receive ongoing care and support, improving treatment outcomes.
Telehealth can be more cost-effective than traditional in-person therapy. It reduces transportation costs and time off work, making mental health care more affordable and accessible to a broader population.
Telehealth is breaking down barriers to mental health care, providing a convenient, affordable, and effective way to access the support you need. Experience the benefits of telehealth with My Virtual Physician and take a step towards better mental health today.
Schedule your appointment with us today: BOOK HERE
We all know that reading with your children is crucial for their cognitive (and behavioral) development. But the reading experience is just as valuable for the parent as it is for the child.
Reading child-friendly content not only helps kids' minds learn important life lessons and morals, but it also helps adult minds stay connected to those lessons and morals. No matter how old you are, basic lessons about honesty, kindness, and courage are still applicable.
And even more, reading child-friendly content with your children can boost your imagination and help you connect/reconnect with your creative side. A testimonial from a mother who had a transformative reading experience with her children:
"I used to love writing fiction as a child. Yet, I told my adult self that I was not a writer. It was a childhood dream of mine to illustrate a book and I believed someday I might do that - but write one? That was too far fetched.
After having two children, though, I began to constantly dream up different children’s story ideas after reading so many to them. One idea kept resurfacing and seemed to work particularly well with the dozens of animal paintings I had created over the last decade - to create an ABC book. I began to realize that my background in education, my love for art, and my ability to be creative with words (even if they often have typos), could all be merged together to write an alphabetical affirmation book.
I self-published my first book, “Animals, ABCs and Me” this past December and I feel happy that all these past titles, degrees, and hats that I have worn can finally be put to use in the form of this book. I hope that in sharing my story of pursuing my dreams after pivoting a bit, I can help others to realize that they can do the same." (Jessica Buhman, author of Animals, ABCs, and Me!)
And here is a testimonial from an author who co-wrote a book with her own grandchildren:
"The last 3 1/2 years, I faced my mortality, several times from multiple life-threatening infections. By God’s grace, I lived through it and I am healing well. Right after [my grandchildren and I] wrote the story, I had more rounds of Covid, one very severe, I also had five friends die within a month and a half. it was such a traumatic season and even with all my tools and support life got very painful and I started to lose hope.
Writing the story, and working with the illustrator, brought such joy and me to see beyond the circumstances I was experiencing. It gave me a spaciousness and creative outlet to experience joy in the middle of so much loss and uncertainty.
And then saw God’s power manifest in such a huge way as the book came out it had the best seller list in England, and in the United States for children’s inspirational literature. I never marketed except sharing it on my Facebook page.
I connected deeply with the meaning and purpose in my life. Even though my body needed so much rest and care while I was healing I still could impact lives for good." (Debbie Milam, author of Invasion of the Thought Gremlins)
Never underestimate the power of reading (or writing) a children's book!
My Virtual Physician is now offering pediatric behavioral health services. If you are concerned about your child's mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE
