Is ketamine safe?

Yes, ketamine is one of the safest medicines used in hospitals and clinics worldwide everyday. It is used as an anesthetic at high doses to sedate patients of any age, including children. The doses used in KAT are much lower and carry almost no physiological risk.

How does it work?

The exact mechanisms of ketamine’s effects are still being studied, but it appears to work on the NDMA receptors, which are commonly associated with depressive symptoms. It also promotes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an endogenous hormone that helps create new connections between neurons. This allows ketamine to create and strengthen new neuronal pathways in the brain. With the right guidance before, during, and after the experience, it can help break maladaptive habits and strengthen positive ones in both a physical and a cognitive way.

What is the experience like?

It’s different for everyone, but taking ketamine therapeutically brings about a departure from one’s normal sense of self: thoughts, sensations, motivations, and reactions often become very different while on ketamine. This shift is enormously beneficial in that it allows one to feel the difference between their usual experience in life and this new way of being. Automatic, unconscious reactions can be examined and appreciated in ways that we are not typically able to access.

There are a wide range of additional effects that can be experienced. A calmness or contentedness with the world, closed-eye visuals or distortions, euphoria, lowered defenses, and connectedness to others are some of the more pleasant effects. There can also be more neutral or intense effects, such as rapid thoughts, slight disorientation, and confusion, but even these are experienced in a different way (and are often more easily “accepted” by the user) than they would be in an ordinary state of consciousness.

What are the side effects?

Side effects, if experienced, are typically mild and usually wear off within a few hours after treatment. It is possible to experience dizziness, drowsiness, reduced coordination, nausea, and slurred speech during and after ketamine. Some patients see these effects as a feature rather than a bug - they can point to areas of exploration within the psyche, or can invite one to lay back and relax into the experience.

All medications carry some risk. What are the risks with ketamine?

Prolonged, repeated, and frequent use of ketamine has, in rare cases, been linked to bladder dysfunction and urinary tract symptoms. This is seen much more frequently in repeated high-dose recreational use. The controlled consumption of medical-grade ketamine in moderate doses carries very little risk of these more serious outcomes.

Is ketamine addictive?

Ketamine has a history of recreational use, especially in party settings, and has gained a reputation as being “more” addictive than other psychedelics when used (or misused) in those situations.

The concept of “addiction” is currently being redefined to include its broad social and cultural considerations. Taking ketamine in a therapeutic setting with a trained facilitator, in low doses and at a safe interval, poses little to no potential for “addiction.” But of course, experiencing positive change from the treatment can create a desire to continue reaping the benefits! Ketamine does not produce physical withdrawal. At the doses used in KAP, and the rate at which they are administered, there is also virtually no risk of psychological withdrawal.

Does my medication prevent me from engaging in KAT?

Most regularly prescribed antidepressants pose no risk for interaction with ketamine, and it is perfectly safe to continue taking them during KAT. However, there are a few interactions to be aware of. SNRI’s and TCA’s can elevate blood pressure a bit more than normal. Mirtazapine and ketamine can combine to produce strong sedation, which can be counterintuitive to a successful ketamine experience. Lamotrigine can dampen some of the psychedelic effects, also creating a barrier for therapeutic exploration. MAOI’s are probably not a good idea.

A more comprehensive (and more scientific) overview of contraindications can be found here, but by and large, there are no serious risks or barriers to treatment.

How do I get started?

I invite you to reach out to me and we can set up a free consultation to discuss if KAT is a good fit for you.