As mental health discussions become more widely accepted, many seek alternative treatments to traditional psychotherapy. Talk therapy combined with prescription medication may not be sufficient to make significant strides in some patients’ mental health.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for depression is an increasingly popular treatment option. HBOT offers an addition, not substitution, to traditional depressive disorder treatments to improve the likelihood of success and efficacy of traditional methods. A patient might consider HBOT for depression if their current treatment plan does not seem to improve symptoms sufficiently.
NexGen Hyperbaric LLC can help you decide whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy for depression could help you.
During the Covid-19 pandemic and the following few years, depression rates took a sharp uptick. While depression affected only about 8.5% of adults in the United States before 2020, over 32% of adults experienced depression after 2021.
Depression comes in many forms and impacts people differently. From seasonal affective disorder that may only cause temporary suffering for a few months of the year to major depressive disorder, each person’s case is unique.
Regardless of case-to-case differences, there are some common characteristics of depression. The major symptoms of depression include:
With the crippling effects of depression, seeking every possible treatment provides the best chance at a holistic recovery. For many people, treatment begins with psychotherapy, which encourages reflective thinking and habit changes to improve depression and prescribed anti-depressant medication. However, these methods may not be sufficient alone.
Recent studies using hyperbaric oxygen therapy for depression demonstrate positive and powerful results when combining this treatment with traditional methods. While practitioners have used these methods for traumatic brain injury treatment, a hyperbaric chamber for depression could significantly impact cognitive functions.
Since some previous studies were inconclusive in determining the efficacy of using a hyperbaric chamber for depression, there is discussion as to whether these methods have clinical legitimacy. However, recent developments in HBOT show promising impacts on depression patients. Thus, hyperbaric oxygen therapy for mental illness may become a more common practice to address various issues, including depression.
Studies demonstrate the effects of HBOT on a range of mental health disorders and brain injuries. The many positive impacts of HBOT supported by research-based evidence include:
These benefits demonstrate the power of HBOT as a potential supplement to other treatment practices. While HBOT in isolation may not be a “cure” for depressive disorders, it can effectively supplement other treatments.
A hyperbaric chamber for depression offers positive neurological benefits that can improve cognitive functions to bolster recovery from depression, and its effects do not appear to taper off after time, as can happen with other treatments. HBOT does not instill the habits and lifestyle changes necessary for full, long-lasting recovery, which is why many patients use it to supplement other forms of treatment, like psychotherapy and medication. Nevertheless, the evidence demonstrates that this treatment can have powerful effects on many of depression’s symptoms.
HBOT has shown promising results in treating depression. Both depressive disorders and hyperbaric oxygen therapy impact every patient differently. As a result, HBOT could have comprehensive benefits for one depressed patient while producing little effect on another.
Deciding whether or not to augment your treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a question for your mental health professionals. Consult your doctors to see if they think HBOT could help you. They’ll also have to prescribe the treatment.
During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you sit in a chamber that resembles an MRI machine. Within this chamber, your body becomes exposed to a steadily increasing level of oxygen that eventually reaches 100%. Furthermore, the chamber also increases air pressure as your body absorbs the increased oxygen levels.
Exposure times can vary from 80 to 300 minutes. Medical professionals monitor your vitals and condition during this time to prevent side effects. Albeit rare, HBOT can cause oxygen poisoning, which is why deciding to pursue this treatment is a decision you should make in conjunction with medical professionals.
HBOT, as a depression treatment, integrates an exciting and potentially impactful new element into your treatment plan. While psychotherapy and medication may provide certain benefits, the neurological impacts of HBOT create long-lasting benefits that can significantly improve your depressive disorder.
When combined with typical anti-depressant Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medications, HBOT has been shown to improve brain metabolism and cognitive function after six weeks.
In another study of 29 veterans, the patients who underwent HBOT showed improvement in depression, including a reduction in suicidal thoughts), anxiety, and PTSD symptoms.
Ultimately, HBOT is not a cure for your depression. The increased oxygen benefits neurological functioning and can augment your treatment.
Certain impacts of HBOT, like increased mental acuity and improved neurotransmitter functioning, can combat some of the crippling symptoms of depression, like fatigue and brain fog. These benefits may help increase your day-to-day functionality, while psychotherapy and medications aim to provide long-term solutions to your depression. Thus, HBOT can help you feel better in the short term, while long-term treatment aims to cure or ease the disorder’s distress.
Why struggle in silence when treatment options are available to combat your depression? HBOT treatment at NexGen Hyperbaric LLC offers an alternative to traditional treatments. With the powerful effects of psychotherapy, medication, and HBOT, a range of options are available to improve mental health and wellness.
No one likes struggling with their mental health, but you have more treatment options than you might think. When combined with counseling and medication, HBOT has shown promising results for treating symptoms of depression in many patients.
Consulting your doctor about HBOT for your depression could be a crucial step toward peace and self-love. With the holistic benefits of this unique treatment practice, it’s a promising option to augment your current treatment plan for depression.
The therapeutic effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for depression might make this treatment an excellent complement to psychotherapy and medications. NexGen Hyperbaric LLC provides HBOT treatment for patients managing various conditions, including mental health disorders like depression.
Our licensed treatment specialists can consult you on your current condition and help you decide whether hyperbaric oxygen treatment is right for your current neurological condition.
For more information about hyperbaric oxygen therapy for depression, call NexGen Hyperbaric LLC at (888) 567-4302 to schedule your consultation.