Ketamine
"Every good day starts with a bowl of Special K"
Ketamine…
Not exactly the first word that conjures up images of healing and inner peace, right? For years, ketamine has been relegated to two boxes: emergency anesthetic and party drug. But behind the headlines and the club lore, there’s something much deeper going on. And for many people struggling with depression, burnout, PTSD, and existential distress, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) is a life raft.
So... what is ketamine, really?
Developed in the 1960s as a surgical anesthetic, ketamine has long been used in medicine for its safety and fast-acting properties. But it wasn’t until more recently that researchers and clinicians began to explore its profound psychiatric effects.
Unlike most antidepressants, which often take weeks to work and may or may not work at all, ketamine has a rapid onset. We’re talking hours in some cases, not months. For someone experiencing suicidal ideation or the numbing fog of treatment-resistant depression, that kind of shift isn’t just helpful—-it can be life-saving.
What makes ketamine different?
It’s not just the speed. Ketamine changes the brain in a different way than traditional medications. It increases neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to form new connections, and temporarily quiets the Default Mode Network (DMN), that background hum of self-referential thought that can trap us in loops of rumination, anxiety, and unworthiness.
Think of it like hitting the reset button on your internal operating system, just long enough to glimpse a life outside the loop. And when paired with skilled psychotherapy, that window can be the beginning of lasting change.
What does a ketamine session actually feel like?
Ketamine induces a non-ordinary state of consciousness, often described as dissociative, expansive, or even spiritual. For about 60 to 90 minutes, verbal and motor skills take a back seat while internal processing takes center stage. You may feel detached, introspective, or even euphoric. Most people lie down, wear an eye mask and headphones, and go inward. It’s not a recreational high. It’s a deeply personal journey that defies simple explanation.
Who is it for?
KAP is being used for a growing list of mental health challenges, including:
Depression (especially treatment-resistant)
PTSD and trauma
Burnout and overwhelm
Anxiety and insomnia
Prolonged grief
Existential distress, particularly around chronic or terminal illness
And, this is important, even those without a formal diagnosis but who are seeking deeper self-awareness and emotional insight.
Why is therapy so essential in this process?
This isn’t just about popping a pill and watching your problems dissolve. Ketamine opens the door, but integration is how you walk through it.
When used intentionally with a therapist or guide, ketamine becomes a catalyst. It loosens the grip of old narratives, helps surface repressed memories or emotions, and creates space for new insights to land. This is why the best KAP programs emphasize not just the dosing session, but also preparation and integration therapy. That’s where the real magic unfolds.
What are the risks?
Ketamine is by no means a cure-all. It’s not appropriate for everyone. It’s contraindicated in cases of uncontrolled hypertension, acute mania, schizophrenia, or certain cardiac issues, among others. And while the risk of dependence is low in clinical settings, misuse outside of therapy can absolutely lead to addiction.
But when administered safely and intentionally, under trained supervision, the safety profile is strong. The most common side effects? Nausea, dizziness, a temporary rise in blood pressure, and feeling a little “floaty” afterward. That’s it.
The bigger picture
In truth, we are living in a world that increasingly grinds people down. The epidemic of burnout, disconnection, and existential despair isn’t a bug in the system, it’s the system itself.
Ketamine doesn’t fix broken systems. But it can help people find themselves within those systems. And, for a moment, this can allow individuals to remember what it feels like to be whole.
We need that kind of remembering. We need new models of healing that honor the inner world as much as the outer symptoms. And ketamine, when used with care and intention, offers a path into that work. Not as a miracle drug, but as a powerful ally.
P.S. If this topic speaks to you—or you’re someone who’s been quietly wondering if healing could look different than what you’ve been offered—-stick around. I’ll be writing more about psychedelic-assisted therapy, burnout, and the intersection of science, spirituality, and sanity.