If you have been living with depression and have not found relief in antidepressants, you may have heard about Spravato and wondered what it actually does. A lot of people come across the name while searching for options that work differently from the usual antidepressants. Maybe your current medication helps a little, but not enough. Maybe you have tried several medications and still feel stuck.
Spravato could be an option for people in those situations, but the way it works can feel a little confusing at first. Our team could help you determine whether Spravato is the right option for your needs.
How Spravato Works in the Brain
Spravato is a treatment for adults with
treatment-resistant depression, which means you have tried at least two antidepressants and have not seen the improvement you need. What makes Spravato different is the part of the brain it works on. Most antidepressants affect chemicals like serotonin or norepinephrine. Spravato works on a different system that involves glutamate, a chemical that helps your brain communicate and stay flexible.
Spravato can sometimes create changes in mood much faster than traditional antidepressants. Some people notice a shift within hours or days. This faster effect is one of the reasons Spravato has gotten so much attention.
What You Feel During and After Treatment
Spravato is given as a nasal spray in a certified clinic. You spray it yourself while sitting in a comfortable chair, and then you stay for at least two hours while staff check in on you. Many people describe the experience as feeling floaty or disconnected. That feeling usually fades during the monitoring period.
What matters most is what happens after. Many patients say they start noticing more mental clarity, lighter moods, or fewer overwhelming thoughts. Others describe feeling like something shifted, even if it is hard to put into words. It is not about feeling instantly cured. It is about giving your brain a chance to respond in a new way.
How Spravato Helps Over Time
Spravato is not a one-time treatment. It usually starts with twice-a-week sessions for the first month. After that, treatments often taper down to once a week and later to once every two weeks. This schedule helps your brain build and maintain the progress you are making.
Think of it as giving your brain repeated chances to reset and strengthen new patterns. For many people, this structure helps break through symptoms that would not lift with standard medications alone.
Is Spravato Right for You?
Spravato can be helpful for people who feel like they have tried everything and are still struggling. It is not meant to replace therapy or other medications, but to work alongside them. You and your provider can talk together about your history, your symptoms, and whether Spravato fits into your treatment plan.
If you are curious about how Spravato might help you,
reach out to us. We can talk through what it would look like and whether it could be a good option for you.
