CARBONDALE (WSIL) -- While many focus on physical health in the new year, mental health also needs to be a priority, especially with added stressors from impacts of the pandemic. Â
Dr. Mark Garwin recently opened The Albany clinic in Carbondale, which is the first of its kind in southern Illinois. It offers two treatments not readily available for those suffering from PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.
"It's been three years in the making, and we opened last year to take on patients who are referred to us by mental healthcare professionals," he says.
The idea behind the clinic is to help veterans as on average 22 take their own lives each day. However some patients have also included women who are the victims of sexual abuse.
Garwin, who has more than 30 years of medical experience and has a focus in Anesthesia, is the main physician offering the treatments.
The first form of treatment is therapy where the patient receives medication, usually small doses of Ketamine, through an IV drip.
Garwin says Ketamine first became of use in the 1960's for combat soldiers, but an issue came about. Physicians gave too much of the new drug to those wounded, which gave patients bad dreams when they woke up.
Since then, studies have been done to show the drug can help when given appropriately.
"Ketamine is a rapid-acting anti-depressant," he explains. "It does not promote PTSD, it actually treats PTSD."
The other treatment is a Stellate Ganglion Block that targets those nerves in the neck that acts as the patient's "fight or flight" response to the brain when there is a perceived threat.
While this treatment has been around for more than 100 years, it was primaily used to treat pain the arm. That's until about 12 years ago.
'"A physician at a pain clinic in Chicago was reading a patient for arm pain and the patient's PTSD disappeared," says Garwin who's also taught at Harvard.
When those nerves are numbed it helps to calm PTSD patients from thinking they are constantly in an unstable environment.
Patients do not need to be referred from a mental health professional but must be seeing one for these treatments since these are supplemental.
Garwin adds that this is not a cure all but but a way to feel better enough to focus on therapy and getting through the day-to-day without feeling extremely low.
"It's just amazing to watch the people here who come in deeply and leave with a smile on their face," he exclaims.
Consultations are free and more information can be found .
The Albany clinic
35 Albany Road
Suite A
Carbondale, IL
(888) 804 - 4330
