COVID-19 What We’re Doing to Help Our Patients During This Time

As the concern for the coronavirus continues to grow, we want to do our part to inform our patients on what we are doing to help keep you safe and provide continued treatment options during this time.

 

Gulf Coast Ketamine Center will continue to operate as usual, but with an enhanced focus on sanitizing our treatment rooms, environmental cleanliness, and your overall safety. We are already doing everything we can to provide a safe environment for our patients and staff.

The safety and wellbeing of our patients is always our number one priority. We will be implementing additional changes in the days ahead to help provide further safety, comfort, and reduce any risk to you.

Here are some changes that we have already made.

  • Our staff has been updated and trained on all methods of transmission and how to control them
  • Our location has already been and will continue to be fully cleaned and sanitized
  • Hand washing or hand sanitizing is required for everybody entering our practice
  • All staff, visitors, and patients are asked to stay home if they have any signs of a contagious disease or are not feeling well. (coughing, fever, sore throat, etc.)
  • All treatment rooms will be sanitized between each infusion
  • Blankets, pillows, or magazines which could transmit a virus are no longer available for patient use. Instead we invite you to bring your own pillow and blanket from home that has already been cleaned by you.

If you have an existing infusion scheduled, we encourage you to keep your appointment unless we inform you otherwise. If you need a booster infusion, please contact us today so we can get you scheduled right away.

The quick onset and the spread of this virus has been scary for many, and it’s natural to feel anxiety or stress. The staff at Gulf Coast Ketamine Center encourages you to try and take a step back and breathe a little more during this time. We are here for you and we will get through this together.

Below are a few things you can do to help manage anxiety naturally.

Manage Anxiety Naturally

Be Active

Regular physical activity and exercise is important to both physical and emotional health. In fact, exercise can be just as effective as medication for some people according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Avoid Substance Abuse

The symptoms of anxiety can be stressful and many turn to harmful substances like alcohol or cigarettes to try to find relief. Unfortunately, this only puts off the symptoms temporarily and you can develop further anxiety or even depression because of how they make you feel.

Limit Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine is seen as a necessary part of life for many of us, but the primary symptoms of anxiety, like general nervousness and jitters, may be made worse by excessive caffeine intake.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Many with anxiety also experience insomnia. If you are struggling with sleep as well, try only sleeping at night when you feel tired, not reading or watching TV in bed, minimizing use of electronic devices early in the day, and avoiding caffeine and large meals before bedtime.

Meditation

Meditation is a centuries-old technique for removing chaotic thought and returning your mindset to something calm and serene. In fact, just half an hour of meditation a day can relieve some symptoms of anxiety according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Diet

Some people experience mood changes because of low blood sugar levels, dehydration, or ingredients of processed foods like artificial flavors and colors and preservatives. If you find that your anxiety gets worse after eating, you may be on a diet that is contributing to your symptoms. Try drinking lots of water, cutting down on processed foods, and eating foods high in complex carbohydrates or lean proteins.

Deep Breathing

People have used deep breathing as a relaxation technique for hundreds of years. Try to focus on inhaling and exhaling evenly and deeply.

Find Something to Distract Yourself With

Try taking a walk or eating your lunch outside today instead. Anything that can disrupt your usual train of thought can help relieve your anxiety symptoms.

Self-Care

It is important to take time for yourself now and again to take care of your needs and spend time doing activities that you enjoy.

Clean Up

Despite how cliché it sounds, the old idiom of “a cluttered desk is a cluttered mind” rings true. Take some time to clean up the clutter around you – you may be surprised to see how much better you feel.

As always if you or a loved one has any questions for us please give us a call or send us an email and a member of our staff will be glad to help.