If you are considering using Spravato for depression, you may be looking for the best Spravato clinic in your area. Those who live around California and Nevada may struggle to find the right clinic since there are several things you need to consider to ensure you get the best quality treatment. Here is everything you need to know about what a Spravato clinic should provide, how Spravato works for depression, and how to choose the right clinic for your mental health needs.
What is a Spravato Clinic?
A Spravato clinic is a mental health treatment center that provides Spravato, an esketamine-based nasal spray. Some clinics may also provide evidence-based and alternative therapy options in the treatment of depression and mood disorders as well, but some may only offer Spravato. It is important to understand that not all mental health treatment clinics will provide Spravato or specialize in this area. Spravato is unlike other depression treatment options, which is why it is essential that you find a clinic that specifically offers this therapy.
Spravato clinics will also usually accept most major insurance policies, making it a more affordable option for most people.
What Exactly is Spravato?
Spravato, also clinically known as esketamine nasal spray, is an atypical antidepressant option. The fact that it comes in the form of a nasal spray makes it stand out from other antidepressants that usually only come in the form of a pill. Unlike how traditional antidepressants target serotonin and norepinephrine, Spravato modulates glutamate receptors and promotes plasticity and synaptogenesis, which help with emotional processing and mood regulation.
Because Spravato is administered through a nasal spray, it tends to work much faster, providing you with immediate relief. However, esketamine nasal spray has to be administered under the supervision of a healthcare provider in a certified treatment clinic.
Spravato Side Effects and Safety
Spravato has quickly become a very desirable antidepressant therapy option, even though it is still relatively new. The main reason for this is that it can reduce depression symptoms in as little as 24 hours and can create lasting changes in your neural pathways. However, like any type of antidepressant treatment option, esketamine can come with some side effects and safety concerns.
Since Spravato is administered through a nasal spray, you may experience side effects quite quickly, which is why it is required that this is administered under the supervision of a licensed healthcare prescriber. They will watch you for any safety concerns and check your blood pressure mid-session and certain medications will be kept on hand as a precautionary measure in case you have an adverse reaction.
Most Spravato side effects are quite short-lived and can include things such as:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Hypertension
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Trouble concentrating
- Dissociation
An additional benefit to using Spravato instead of other more traditional antidepressants is that it does not seem to cause weight gain, which is a common antidepressant side effect. Most people also find that any side effects they do experience wear off quite quickly after receiving their initial dose.
What to Expect During a Spravato Session
When you first begin Spravato therapy, this always involves twice weekly sessions starting out and will eventually taper off into biweekly or monthly sessions. You can self administer the nasal spray in a private room under the supervision of a certified healthcare provider who will monitor you for any adverse side effects. Each session lasts for two hours, although some clinics may allow you to stay for a longer period of time if you need additional time to process your experience.
When you show up for your Spravato session, you should plan for a ride home. This can be a rideshare, taxi, or a someone you know personally. Before your session, your insurance your clinic should have taken care of all of the necessary insurance paperwork, like the prior authorization request. Once you’re authorized, you can set up the schedule with your clinic. Some clinics may require you to send your medical records in advance, and you should look into any specific requirements that the clinic requires for patients.
Post-treatment care and support are also crucial for ensuring this treatment option has a long-term impact on your depression. This may include therapy or counseling follow-up appointments as well as outpatient depression programs to maintain the benefits of Spravato.
Where To Get Spravato Treatment
Some Spravato clinics, such as the Bespoke Treatment clinic, may provide you with additional items such as an eye mask, iPod, and noise-canceling headphones to ensure the process is comfortable and stress-free. The Bespoke Treatment clinic also provides private rooms for each patient that are comfortable for those in non-ordinary states of consciousness and designated specifically for psychedelic therapy. This provides more comfort than other Spravato clinics, as some put multiple patients in each room and may or may not provide privacy dividers.
Spravato treatment rooms should also have live cameras and buzzers for safety so that patients can get more medical assistance if necessary. The entire process will be supervised by a licensed provider and you can get additional assistance if you require more medication monitoring. Any Spravato clinic must adhere to REMS guidelines, as well.
What to Look For in a Spravato Clinic
There is a very specific process that has to be followed when you are using esketamine therapy to manage depression. Before you choose a Spravato clinic, you need to be entirely sure that the treatment center you are going to has experience with this process and can provide the safest experience possible. Here are the main things you should look for in a Spravato clinic near you.
Expertise in the Field
Expertise is everything when it comes to choosing a Spravato clinic to treat your depression. Spravato is still quite a new therapy option for depression, and many treatment centers may not offer this option at all or may not have much experience providing it. You need to look for a clinic that is certified and has undergone rigorous evaluations to meet all of the specific standards set for this treatment.
You can verify the clinic’s certification by checking to see if it is accredited by a reputable organization such as the CARF or Joint Commission. A high-quality Spravato clinic should also provide evidence of its certification and safety standards so that you have complete transparency.
It is a good idea to check to see what the Spravato protocol is since there is a strict dosing schedule that should be adhered to. This protocol should include a comprehensive evaluation to ensure that esketamine therapy is the right fit for your mental health needs and goals.
Location
When you’re looking for a high-quality Spravato clinic, it is also important that you look for clinics as close to you as possible. Even though you do not need to go to the clinic every day for Spravato dosing, you do want to be close enough that it is not inconvenient to go to your appointments. You also need to keep in mind that a friend or family member will need to drive you home, and they may not want to drive very far away.
Depending on what the clinic offers, you may also choose to join other treatment programs, so it is more realistic if the clinic is nearby.
Treatment Success
Just because certain treatment clinics may provide the same types of therapies does not mean that they offer the same experience. You need to do thorough research into your local options, considering how much treatment success each clinic has. Treatment success will also be dependent on the dosing schedule, the treatment process, the clinic professionals, and the other available treatments. You should also do a quick Google search to find reviews from people who have gone to the clinic and have shared what their experience was like.
Additional Therapy Options
Although you can receive esketamine nasal spray therapy on its own, it can also be beneficial to receive a multidisciplinary approach when managing your depression. This is why many Spravato clinics will provide additional treatment options such as TMS therapy, psychiatry, PTSD and trauma programs, and outpatient depression programs.
Antidepressant options such as Spravato can bring up things like trauma or PTSD during your treatment session, which may be better treated with another option such as TMS therapy or neurofeedback. You may also learn more about your mental health condition as you are using an antidepressant, which can help you better understand what other therapies your care plan should include.
Choosing a clinic that requires a comprehensive evaluation will help you better determine what additional therapy options may be beneficial for your depression management plan. Keep in mind that this will be very dependent on each individual and will need to take into account the source of your depression, your symptoms, and your mental health goals.
If you are looking for a gentle and non-invasive option for treating depression, Spravato may be the right fit for you. Contact the Bespoke Treatment team today to learn more about Spravato therapy and whether or not this is a good treatment option for your mental health.
