What Is Ketamine Therapy?

Ketamine is a unique compound that has drawn increasing news for its use as a therapeutic drug to treat mental illness. Experts refer to the use of ketamine as ketamine therapy. This article will break down what you need to know about this potentially revolutionary mental health treatment. 

What Is Ketamine? 

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, which means it creates a sense of detachment from one’s environment or self. Medical professionals often use it for its rapid onset and short duration of action.n

Researchers first synthesized ketamine in the 1960s, and medical professionals still use it widely for anesthesia during surgery. Unlike opioids, the key feature that distinguishes it from more traditional anesthetics like morphine is that it doesn’t slow a person’s breathing. Respiratory depression is a dangerous and life-threatening condition – it’s the reason why many people die of opioid overdoses. 

More recently, ketamine has garnered attention in the press and medical community for its ability to treat depression. Depression therapists at clinics specializing in ketamine therapy administer controlled doses to help alleviate depressive symptoms. Clinics have opened that specialize in ketamine therapy, where the drug is administered in controlled doses to help alleviate depressive symptoms. Results can be seen in a matter of hours vs weeks – and oftentimes never – when it comes to traditional antidepressants. 

What Is Ketamine Therapy? 

Ketamine therapy, also known as ketamine-assisted therapy or ketamine treatment, is the use of ketamine in sub-anesthetic doses to treat various psychiatric conditions. These include not only ketamine for depression but anxiety and other mood disorders as well – even PTSD! 

Ketamine blocks the brain’s NMDA receptors, which play a role in transmitting signals between synapses. These receptors are crucial for learning and memory and are thought to be connected to clinical depression.

By blocking these receptors, this leads to the release of glutamate, which, in turn, spurs the growth of new neural connections. This neuroplasticity is thought to be the key to ketamine therapy’s miraculous antidepressant effects. 

The media has highlighted ketamine-assisted therapy in recent years, with celebrities like Elon Musk openly discussing how it has helped them in their mental health care journey. In an interview with CNN anchor Don Lemon in March 2024, Musk described taking doses of ketamine, prescribed by a doctor, to manage “a negative chemical state in my brain.” He said that sparing the use of the drug every couple of weeks is enough to stave off these negative feelings.  

Forms of Ketamine Therapy 

As clinical research around ketamine-assisted therapy has grown, so too have the methods of administering it. Certified medical centers or treatment facilities exclusively administer ketamine therapy for mental health issues.

Here’s an overview of the different methods used for ketamine therapy: 

• Intravenous (IV) Infusion: This is the most studied and perhaps the most common method in clinical settings. Ketamine is diluted in saline and administered slowly through an IV line for about 40 minutes to an hour. IV ketamine therapy allows for precise and immediate effects, which a medical professional can monitor in real time, adjusting the dosage as needed. 

• Intramuscular Injection: Ketamine is injected into a muscle, usually the thigh or upper arm. This allows for the onset of effects much more quickly, making it useful in emergency situations. 

• Intranasal Spray: With this method of ketamine therapy, ketamine, a derivative of ketamine, is administered via a nasal spray. This method was approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression in 2019. It’s easy to administer and much less invasive than ketamine IV therapy or intramuscular injections. 

• Oral Tablets or Sublingual Administration: Ketamine can be taken orally, either as tablets or lozenges that dissolve under the tongue (sublingual). This is another non-invasive method, even less so than ketamine nasal spray, to do self-administered ketamine therapy from the comfort of home. 

When considering ketamine therapy, consult a healthcare provider to determine the best method for you.  

Reasons for Ketamine Therapy 

Ketamine therapy has emerged as a significant option for the treatment of various psychiatric and pain conditions due to its unique pharmacological profile.  

Here are some of the primary reasons for employing ketamine therapy: 

• Ketamine for Treatment-resistant Depression: One of the most compelling reasons for ketamine therapy is its ability to provide rapid relief for individuals with depression that hasn’t responded to other treatments. Traditional antidepressants might take weeks to months to show effects, whereas ketamine can start alleviating symptoms within hours to days. It’s also shown promise in reducing suicidal ideation quickly, something ideal in emergency situations. 

• Severe Anxiety: For patients with severe, treatment-resistant anxiety, ketamine can offer temporary relief and is often used as part of a broader treatment plan. 

• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Ketamine therapy has been explored for its potential to help with PTSD, particularly in reducing avoidance symptoms and hyperarousal. It might facilitate the reprocessing of traumatic memories in a dissociative state, making psychotherapy more effective. 

• Chronic Pain Management: Ketamine infusions have been used to manage chronic pain conditions, especially CRPS, where traditional pain management fails. It can interrupt pain signaling pathways, providing significant relief. 

• Bipolar Disorder: For some individuals with bipolar depression, ketamine can act as an adjunctive treatment, particularly when other mood stabilizers or antidepressants are not sufficiently effective. 

• Substance Use Disorders: There’s preliminary evidence suggesting ketamine might help in treating substance use disorders by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms, offering a novel approach to addiction treatment. 

As can be seen, ketamine therapy represents a paradigm shift in how we approach some of the most challenging mental health and pain conditions, offering hope where other treatments have failed. However, it’s crucial that this therapy is administered by professionals in controlled settings, with a clear understanding of its benefits and limitations. 

Is Ketamine Therapy Legal? 

Ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance, indicating it has a low to moderate potential for physical and psychological dependence. However, licensed medical professionals can legally prescribe it for therapeutic use.

One caveat: ketamine-assisted therapy for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, or PTSD is considered “off-label” because it has not been officially FDA-approved for these uses. Despite this, off-label prescribing is common and legal, provided the prescribing physician deems it medically appropriate. 

Does Ketamine Therapy Get You High? 

Ketamine therapy can indeed produce effects that some might describe as “getting high,” but the context, purpose, and experience are quite different from recreational use. One reason ketamine effectively treats depression is its ability to quickly alter mood, often leading to feelings of euphoria or a sense of well-being, which can be misconstrued as being “high.” 

In addition, ketamine induces feelings of detachment from one’s environment, body, or self. People often describe this stateas  “dream-like,” likening itto  floating. In therapeutic doses, this dissociation is usually less intense than with recreational use but can still be significant.