Ketamine Infusion Therapy

If you’ve been exploring options to treat your mental health, you may have heard about ketamine infusion therapy. Once known primarily as an anesthetic or, less flatteringly, as a party drug, ketamine is now making waves in the mental health field- and for good reason. The research shows that ketamine can be an incredibly useful tool for those suffering within the confines of their own mind.

So, what exactly is ketamine infusion therapy? How does it work? Is it safe? And could it actually help you where other treatments have failed? Let’s dig into the facts.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

1. What Is Ketamine?
2. What Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
3. What Can Ketamine Therapy Help With?
4. What Makes It Different?

What Is Ketamine?

You have probably heard about people getting ketamine infusions, but what exactly is ketamine?

Ketamine has been used as an FDA approved anesthetic since the 1970s. It works differently from traditional sedatives and painkillers and is known for its rapid onset. This originally made it especially useful in emergency rooms, on the battlefield, and even in veterinary medicine.

In the last two decades, researchers started noticing something remarkable: patients who received ketamine for surgery often reported a noticeable improvement in their mood, even when they had treatment resistant depression.

This observation kicked off a wave of research into ketamine’s antidepressant effects, and the results have been consistently promising.

What Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?

Ketamine therapy is most often done via low dose infusions. For maximum effectiveness, it should be followed up by talk therapy with a trained and trusted therapist. Sessions typically last about 40–60 minutes and take place in a calm, quiet setting, often with mood enhancing music, comfortable seating, and eyeshades.

During the infusion, patients may feel relaxed, dissociated, floaty, or introspective. Some describe it as a meditative or dream like state where they see vibrant colors. After the session, patients typically stay for another 30–60 minutes to rest and reorient, and they’re advised not to drive for the rest of the day.

Most treatment plans involve a series of initial infusions, often six over two to three weeks, followed by maintenance sessions as needed.

Psychedelics have been used in medicinal and ceremonial settings for thousands of years, though it is still relatively new in western cultures. Ketamine works differently from traditional antidepressants, which usually take weeks to kick in. In both clinical and nonclinical settings, many different mind altering psychedelic drugs are currently being administered and researched for therapeutic purposes.

What Can Ketamine Therapy Help With?

Ketamine infusion therapy has shown promise in treating several mental health conditions, especially those that haven’t responded to traditional treatment. This includes depression, PTSD, alcoholism, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders.

According to this study published in 2023, 55% of those who received ketamine treatment found notable improvements in their depressive symptoms. Another study found that one dose of ketamine greatly reduced patients’ suicidal thoughts within mere hours.

What Makes It Different?

One of the biggest advantages of ketamine therapy is speed. Traditional antidepressants can take weeks, or even months, to work. For some people, they unfortunately don’t work at all. Ketamine often produces results within hours or days. This makes it an especially powerful tool for people in crisis.

But perhaps most important is the sense of possibility ketamine gives people who feel stuck. Ketamine is a sort of ‘reset’ for the mind. Many patients describe feeling more open, connected, and capable of healing, especially when talk therapy is part of the process.

Final Thoughts on Ketamine Infusion Therapy

Ketamine infusion therapy can change lives. For many people struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma, especially when other treatments haven’t worked, it offers a new path forward. Ketamine allows for deep introspection, and a greater openness to explore the corners of your mind and break through harmful thought patterns.

If you’re curious about whether ketamine therapy might be right for you, reach out to a licensed provider who can walk you through your options. The healing journey may look different for everyone, but you don’t have to walk it alone.

Psychedelics such as ketamine are deeply powerful tools for healing and transformation, but they must be used with great care and intention. For your safety and well being, please avoid using these substances on your own or with unqualified guides. Proper medical supervision and therapeutic support are essential for safe and effective treatment.