Anxiety Treatment in Westminster, CO

Physician-Led Anxiety Care Serving Westminster and North Denver

At Vitalitas, we understand that persistent anxiety can affect sleep, concentration, relationships, work, physical comfort, and your ability to feel at ease in everyday situations. At our Westminster clinic at 12110 North Pecos St, Suite 160, Westminster, CO 80234, we review your symptoms, mental health history, medications, previous treatment, safety factors, and goals before determining whether IV ketamine therapy may be appropriate for your care.

When Anxiety Becomes Difficult to Manage

Anxiety is a normal response to stress at times, but an anxiety disorder involves symptoms that become persistent, difficult to control, or disruptive to daily life. Generalized anxiety disorder, for example, can involve frequent or excessive worry that continues even when the level of concern is out of proportion to the situation.

Anxiety may involve symptoms and patterns such as:

• Persistent or difficult-to-control worry

• Feeling restless, tense, or frequently on edge

• Trouble concentrating

• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

• Physical tension or discomfort

• Panic or sudden periods of intense fear

• Avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety

• Anxiety that interferes with work, relationships, or everyday routines

Anxiety can also take different forms. Some people experience generalized worry, while others struggle more with panic attacks, social anxiety, avoidance, or anxiety that overlaps with other mental health concerns.

Established anxiety treatment commonly includes psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of approaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a well-studied psychotherapy for anxiety disorders. When symptoms remain difficult to manage despite previous care, some patients may explore additional treatment options.

IV Ketamine Therapy for Anxiety

At Vitalitas, we provide physician-led IV ketamine therapy for selected patients with anxiety.

Ketamine is FDA-approved as a general anesthetic. Its use for anxiety and other psychiatric conditions is off-label, meaning ketamine has not been FDA-approved specifically to treat anxiety disorders. The FDA provides additional context on the current use of ketamine in emerging areas of therapeutic interest.

Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist that affects glutamate signaling in the brain. Researchers have studied whether ketamine’s effects on glutamate signaling may have therapeutic relevance for persistent anxiety disorders.

The evidence is still developing. A 2026 systematic review of ketamine and anxiety identified 11 ketamine studies involving patients primarily diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, alongside additional research examining anxiety symptoms in people with depression. The studies varied in design, administration method, and outcome measures. The authors found preliminary indications that ketamine may reduce pathological anxiety while emphasizing that additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.

We approach ketamine accordingly. IV ketamine is not a cure for anxiety, and it does not replace established mental health care when psychotherapy, psychiatric treatment, or medication management remains appropriate. Instead, ketamine may be considered as an additional off-label option for some patients after careful evaluation.

Learn more about our broader approach to ketamine therapy for anxiety.

Careful Screening and Physician-Led Ketamine Treatment

Anxiety symptoms can vary considerably from one person to another, so having anxiety does not automatically mean ketamine therapy is appropriate.

Before recommending IV ketamine therapy, we consider your:

• Anxiety symptoms and how they affect daily life

• Mental health and medical history

• Current medications

• Previous psychotherapy and medication treatment

• Clinical stability and safety factors

• Treatment goals and expectations

If IV ketamine treatment moves forward, our care model includes:

• Individualized planning based on your symptoms, history, previous care, and clinical needs

• Physician oversight throughout treatment

• Clinical monitoring of heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure, oxygen level, and how you are feeling during the infusion

• Follow-up to review your response and guide future treatment decisions

• Care coordination with the clinician managing your mental health treatment when appropriate

Not everyone with anxiety will be a candidate for ketamine therapy. We believe careful screening, clear recommendations, and realistic expectations are essential parts of responsible care.