If you have been living with depression that just does not seem to get better—no matter how many antidepressants you have tried—you may want to consider Spravato. One of the most common questions people ask is: how many weeks long is a Spravato treatment? Is it something you do a couple of times, or is it a longer-term plan? Let us break it down together.
What Is Spravato?
Before we look at the Spravato treatment timeline, here is a quick refresher. Spravato is esketamine that is delivered via a nasal spray. The FDA has approved Spravato for adults with treatment-resistant depression—the clinical term for depression that has not improved even after trying at least two antidepressants at the right doses and for the appropriate time frames. It is also covered through many insurance plans.
Spravato engages glutamate rather than serotonin and dopamine. This difference is one reason why it can start working so quickly—sometimes within hours or days—rather than the weeks antidepressants usually take.
Spravato can cause short-term side effects such as dizziness or dissociation, so it must be given in a certified clinic. Patients administer the spray themselves and are monitored by a provider for at least two hours after each dose.
The General Timeline of Spravato Treatment
Spravato is not designed as a one-time treatment—instead, it is structured in multiweek phases that adjust over time depending on how you respond. The typical timeline consists of an induction phase and a maintenance phase.
The first month is called the induction phase. During this time, you will usually come to the clinic twice a week for four weeks. The goal during these eight sessions is to see how your body reacts to the treatment and whether your symptoms begin to improve. Some people notice shifts in mood after the first couple of treatments, while for others it takes the full month. Your provider will check in with you about any side effects and symptom changes you experience during this time.
Once you start feeling relief from your depression symptoms, you can move onto the maintenance phase of your treatment. Most people reduce their sessions to once a week for another four weeks. After that, many taper further to one session every two weeks.
Can You Stop Treatment When You Want?
Yes, you and your provider can always reassess your Spravato treatment regimen. Some people find they can taper off after a few months of symptom stability, while others achieve best results with a longer-term plan. The important thing is that your treatment path is individualized and designed to support your mental health for the long term.
In most cases, Spravato treatment lasts at least eight weeks, with the option to continue into longer-term maintenance if it is helping your symptoms. Think of Spravato not as a quick fix but as a structured tool that can become part of a more comprehensive care plan, often alongside therapy and other medications.
Contact Us To Learn More About Spravato and Its Timeline
If you are curious about the Spravato treatment timescales and whether Spravato could be the right next step for you, reach out to us. We can discuss what treatment might look like for your individual situation and help you find the right path forward.
