Dr. Steven Reichbach Discusses Ketamine Therapy for Mental Health Awareness Month
While mental health awareness has grown in recent years, so have its avenues of treatment. Dr. Steven Reichbach, an anesthesiologist with over 20 years of experience, delivers alternative therapeutics for patients every day at Gulf Coast Ketamine Center in Sarasota, and he is lending his expertise to shed light on the treatments his practice offers and what that means for mental health. Patients and caregivers seeking treatment for pain disorders, severe depression or other mental health needs are encouraged to call (941) 242-7243 to learn about their options or to be seen in Sarasota at 2415 University Parkway, Building 3, Suite 215.
Gulf Coast Ketamine Center was established in 2016 and serves as a national center for the treatment of chronic pain and mental health disorders. Offering solutions to combat treatment-resistant depression, chronic pain and a range of mental health concerns, Gulf Coast Ketamine Center stays at the forefront of evidence-based care for people from all backgrounds and zip codes, from soldiers and first responders to spouses, parents, caregivers and friends. There, patients can access alternative mental health treatments, including the innovative ketamine infusion therapy as well as medical cannabis.
“Ketamine has proven to successfully treat a variety of conditions ranging from mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, to neuropathic and chronic pain,” said Dr. Reichbach. “Even after a physical problem has healed, ongoing pain can develop a psychological dimension, and ketamine works by balancing out important neurons and hormones, simultaneously addressing the physical and psychological discomfort caused by chronic pain — it allows the nervous system to relax.”
In addition to helping chronic pain patients, ketamine has shown to be effective in up to 90% of patients with severe depression and other mood disorders when conventional modalities haven’t brought the desired effects. Unlike with most antidepressants, many patients experience dramatic relief after their very first ketamine IV infusion.
Ketamine infusion has been shown to provide sustained improvement in adults suffering from:
- Anxiety disorders.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Several types of depression, including unipolar depression (major depression), bipolar depression and postpartum depression.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Suicidal ideations.
“Paired with therapy and guidance from mental health practitioners, ketamine infusion therapy has shown to offer patients hope and exceptional outcomes,” said Dr. Reichbach. “At Gulf Coast Ketamine Center, we are proud to provide a new pathway for our patient-guests to experience relief and transform their lives.”
Dr. Reichbach is a graduate of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. He trained in internal medicine at Staten Island University Hospital and completed his anesthesiology residency at Stony Brook University while also receiving specialty training in pain management and pediatrics. Dr. Reichbach has been board-certified in anesthesiology since 1994, and he has worked with ketamine for more than 20 years. Before moving to Sarasota in 2015, he practiced as a partner with an anesthesiology group in New York for nearly two decades. Dr. Reichbach is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Florida Society of Anesthesiology, the American Medical Association and the American Society of Ketamine Physicians.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Reichbach at Gulf Coast Ketamine Center, call (941) 242-7243.