Beyond Traditional Therapy: Exploring Spravato® for Treatment-Resistant Depression 

Living with persistent sadness can make you feel like you've run out of options, especially when standard treatments fail to bring relief. If you're struggling to find hope, you're not alone in this journey. At VP MindCare, we understand how exhausting it is to live with severe depression that doesn't seem to budge. 

Our dedicated psychiatric nurse practitioner, Vanja Pumpalovic, NP, provides compassionate, holistic care to help you reclaim your mental wellness. From our offices in Anchorage, Alaska, and Lexington, Kentucky, we offer advanced treatment options designed to go beyond traditional therapy.

What is treatment-resistant depression?

Treatment-resistant depression generally means major depressive disorder that has not improved enough after at least two antidepressant treatments taken at an adequate dose and for an adequate length of time.

This diagnosis is surprisingly common in mental health care. According to the University of North Carolina (2026), up to 30% of patients with major depressive disorder don't find relief from standard treatments. 

Traditional antidepressants can take weeks or even months to show results, and for many people, they never quite do the job. This gap in care is why medical researchers developed Spravato, an FDA-approved prescription nasal spray containing esketamine. 

How Spravato offers a different path to relief 

Spravato works differently than standard oral medications by targeting different pathways in the brain to provide rapid symptom relief. Instead of waiting months to see if a treatment works, many patients experience noticeable improvements within just a few weeks.

For some adults with treatment-resistant depression, Sprsato may help improve symptoms more quickly than another trial of a traditional antidepressant.

Clinical studies highlight just how effective this treatment can be for those who have struggled for years. A 2023 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry reported that studies of intranasal esketamine found improvement for some patients after a four-week induction phase, including a clinical response rate of 78.4% and a remission rate of 47.2%.*

Spravato side effects

Some patients worry that Spravato will cause the same side effects they experienced with daily antidepressants. 

Esketamine has a different side-effect profile than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), but it can still cause side effects, including dizziness, dissociation, nausea, sedation, increased blood pressure, headache, or feeling “drunk.” We review the possible risks and benefits before treatment.

What to expect during your treatment

Because Spravato is a specialized medication, you always take it under direct medical supervision at our clinic. Each session lasts about two hours so we can monitor your vital signs and ensure you remain comfortable and safe throughout the process.

This structured environment allows you to relax while the medication works. We guide you through every step of the journey, adjusting your care plan to match your unique recovery goals.

You don't have to navigate the heavy burden of treatment-resistant depression on your own. If you're ready to explore options beyond traditional therapy, we're here to help. Please contact our team at VP MindCare today to schedule a consultation.

*Individual results vary, and not every patient responds.