CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — All of us bear the scars of living through a global pandemic. If you’re having difficulty managing your mental health in the wake of a traumatic two years, there’s help available at Desert Sands Ketamine Treatment Center.
Dr. Eric Evans created Desert Sands Ketamine to offer hope and healing to Southern Utahns living with mental health disorders including clinical depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ketamine has been nothing short of miraculous for many of his patients, he said, and now is the perfect opportunity to experience what it can do for you.
“It’s time to shift your focus from fear and anxiety to the joy that we’ve made it through something very difficult,” he added. “It’s time to rejoice a little bit. It’s time to start looking forward with optimism.”
A mental health crisis
Recent events have been challenging for countless people, but especially those already struggling to manage their emotional well-being. The World Health Organization reported that the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% during the first year of the pandemic. And while the pandemic may not be the root cause of someone’s mental health issues, it’s unquestionably a contributing factor.
Evans has witnessed firsthand the pandemic’s devastating toll on mental health in Southern Utah. Many of his patients lost loved ones to COVID-19, and some were laid off or forced to close their business. Others yet are battling the long-term physical effects of the virus.
“It’s just so widespread that it’s hard to put a number on the patients in our clinic that have been affected by the pandemic in one way or another,” he said. “I can’t overstate the impact on people’s mental health.”
Letting go of “survival mode”
Evans said most anxious and negative thoughts are the result of the brain not being present in the now. Instead, the brain is either living in the past and still trying to process difficult experiences or living in – and constantly worrying about – the unknowns of the future.
As the world slowly regains a sense of normalcy and starts moving forward, many people are still dragging a burden of trauma along with them. However, making decisions and trying to solve problems from a place of fear is never a good idea. Desert Sands Ketamine offers a path to a new beginning and a brighter future.
“It’s time to stop surviving and start thriving,” Evans said. “Get out of ‘survival mode’ and get your mind in a place that’s healthy and has optimism, and start working toward the things that give you meaning and passion in your life.”
Understanding ketamine therapy
Rather than working to elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine like traditional antidepressants, ketamine boosts a chemical known as a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which plays an essential role in stabilizing mood. It lays the foundation to reshape detrimental thought and behavior patterns with the help of additional resources, such as medication and counseling.
“In our clinic, we try to help people focus on today,” Evans said. “Ketamine really does help with that.”
Patients often experience improvement in baseline mood after their first infusion and frequently describe a feeling of being in touch with their inner self to gain powerful insight into deeply rooted emotional issues. Offering lasting results with virtually no side effects, ketamine is hailed as a “wonder drug” for patients struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders.
Experience the Desert Sands difference
Patients shouldn’t trust just any ketamine provider with their treatment, however. Desert Sands Ketamine is a physician-driven practice recognized as the Best of Southern Utah in 2021, winning gold in alternative therapies as well as silver in the behavioral/mental health treatment category.
The clinic offers a comfortable, spa-like healing environment with compassionate staff dedicated to helping patients achieve the best results possible. Desert Sands Ketamine also provides resources for improving all aspects of well-being, including dietary guidance, meditation, massage therapy, relationship counseling and talk therapy.
“Every person has such a unique story and set of issues that they’re dealing with,” Evans said. “We try to use a complete approach to each patient.”
For more information or to schedule a free consultation, visit the Desert Sands Ketamine Treatment Center website or call 435-522-5190.
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
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Resources
- Desert Sands Ketamine Treatment Center | Address: 346 E. 600 South, St. George | Telephone: 435-522-5190 | Email: [email protected] | Website.
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