4 ms·

I did a full 6 week course of ketamine therapy. It was really good, and I would recommend it if you're open minded. It's not for everyone, and the lasting (a ye

I did a full 6 week course of ketamine therapy. It was really good, and I would recommend it if you're open minded. It's not for everyone, and the lasting (a year+) benefits aren't really measurable (maybe I'm different? maybe I'm not, maybe I've just gotten older). I'd like to go again and see if it can help with my obsessive existential dread.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
mrwaffle 5y ago
Absolutely, I have a partner who has had severe PTSD and went through a great month-long program, she's overcome many longstanding fears and triggers and has made huge strides in being able to feel that she is living her life once again.
- jokowueu 5y ago
  May I recommend stellate gangelion block for PTSD . https://youtu.be/nC2fBe6U7lg https://youtu.be/nC2fBe6U7lg
- jcims 5y ago
  I wonder what the age limit is on stuff like this. So many young folks experiencing crippling anxieties that are impacting their ability to navigate the world at an age where it's going to have longstanding ramifications for relationships and careers.
- sshine 5y ago
  I have a close acquaintance who uses ketamine to manage depression and Complex PTSD. My experience as a bystander is that the depressive symptoms reoccur periodically regardless of the use of ketamine. The depressive symptoms seem to be caused by the PTSD, and ketamine does not seem to alleviate the PTSD. I'm saying this as a huge fan of the positive impact of ketamine. There are some symptoms that seem like they need more rewiring.
  - dwaltrip 5y ago
    C-PTSD is probably the simplest way to summarize what I’ve been dealing with (I’m not totally comfortable with the label). I’ve done 20 ketamine sessions over the past 2 years (the last one about 5 months ago). I agree with you that a lot of the immediate relief from an infusion can fade after not that long. However, combined with some of the other work I was doing there was a slow accumulation of benefits and new perspectives on life. Overall, the infusions definitely helped… it hasn’t been easy going though, and I have been continuing to work on myself. A few months ago, I finally found a therapist who I felt was actually helping me. I had tried a few different therapists in years past and it wasn’t that helpful. My current therapist uses a lot of “somatic therapy” in her work, which I think is really important. With trauma, talk alone won’t get you very far. I’ve made a lot of progress since November when I started seeing her. I think the Ketamine and the work I had been doing on my on own “prepped” me in a certain sense. Your friend might benefit from finding a good somatic therapist.
hemloc_io 5y ago
What's the process for this like? Been curious about the current state of psych medicine.
- ketamine 5y ago
  Not OP I did 2 surveys and a phone consult then a baseline depression survey before my first infusion. I go to the clinic and go in my room and they give me my IV then the doctor hangs the ketamine mix bag, hooks it up and leaves. The rooms are dark and they have colored lights or a dim light. I wear an eye mask. I pay extra to receive talk therapy during the infusion so I have a therapist with me the whole time. We do a ceremony to start each infusion and set the intent just before the effects start.
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  Depends on the place, there really isn't much regulation for it where I went. I made an appointment, signed all the papers and got started. It's very expensive ($400-$600 a week). They have a head doctor and then an anesthesiologist that handles the actual infusion.
agumonkey 5y ago
what about how it felt early on / during the therapy ? what about side effects also ?
- bradly 5y ago
  There is the "trip" side affect which lasts about 30-45 minutes. Then there is some wobbly legs and slow speech for an hour or two after. I had no side-affects besides those.
  - agumonkey 5y ago
    and how does that trip feels ? just new fresh ideas ? physical sensations ? a weightlifting sensations ? colorful emotions ?
    - bradly 5y ago
      physical sensations: Yes. I often feel like a going on a journey. I've stood at the top of an endless drain pipe, holding hands with my brain, before jumping in. colorful emotions: Yes. I've gone inside a rainbow and swam in a lake of my own feelings The biggest thing you do is disconnect from your self. I've become the particles I'm made of and often lose the sense of what it is to be human or if I am human or not.
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  The trip itself is fun. It'll get scary if you don't let yourself go, but it was really manageable. You are heavily sedated obviously, so you can't drive or do much after. Mentally its exhausting, and akin to spending all night studying. You will probably have a headache for the rest of the day.
ketamine 5y ago
It immediately relieved my existential dread. I fear the next infusion will be intense, however.
- oldstrangers 5y ago
  Ohhh that's encouraging. I was supposed to go for a "booster" session ages ago but kept putting it off.
aaaronic 5y ago
There are treatments for that? I've never had anyone suggest anything other than therapy for it.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

mrwaffle 5y ago

Absolutely, I have a partner who has had severe PTSD and went through a great month-long program, she's overcome many longstanding fears and triggers and has made huge strides in being able to feel that she is living her life once again.

jokowueu 5y ago
May I recommend stellate gangelion block for PTSD . https://youtu.be/nC2fBe6U7lg https://youtu.be/nC2fBe6U7lg
jcims 5y ago
I wonder what the age limit is on stuff like this. So many young folks experiencing crippling anxieties that are impacting their ability to navigate the world at an age where it's going to have longstanding ramifications for relationships and careers.
sshine 5y ago
I have a close acquaintance who uses ketamine to manage depression and Complex PTSD. My experience as a bystander is that the depressive symptoms reoccur periodically regardless of the use of ketamine. The depressive symptoms seem to be caused by the PTSD, and ketamine does not seem to alleviate the PTSD. I'm saying this as a huge fan of the positive impact of ketamine. There are some symptoms that seem like they need more rewiring.
- dwaltrip 5y ago
  C-PTSD is probably the simplest way to summarize what I’ve been dealing with (I’m not totally comfortable with the label). I’ve done 20 ketamine sessions over the past 2 years (the last one about 5 months ago). I agree with you that a lot of the immediate relief from an infusion can fade after not that long. However, combined with some of the other work I was doing there was a slow accumulation of benefits and new perspectives on life. Overall, the infusions definitely helped… it hasn’t been easy going though, and I have been continuing to work on myself. A few months ago, I finally found a therapist who I felt was actually helping me. I had tried a few different therapists in years past and it wasn’t that helpful. My current therapist uses a lot of “somatic therapy” in her work, which I think is really important. With trauma, talk alone won’t get you very far. I’ve made a lot of progress since November when I started seeing her. I think the Ketamine and the work I had been doing on my on own “prepped” me in a certain sense. Your friend might benefit from finding a good somatic therapist.

hemloc_io 5y ago

What's the process for this like? Been curious about the current state of psych medicine.

ketamine 5y ago
Not OP I did 2 surveys and a phone consult then a baseline depression survey before my first infusion. I go to the clinic and go in my room and they give me my IV then the doctor hangs the ketamine mix bag, hooks it up and leaves. The rooms are dark and they have colored lights or a dim light. I wear an eye mask. I pay extra to receive talk therapy during the infusion so I have a therapist with me the whole time. We do a ceremony to start each infusion and set the intent just before the effects start.
oldstrangers 5y ago
Depends on the place, there really isn't much regulation for it where I went. I made an appointment, signed all the papers and got started. It's very expensive ($400-$600 a week). They have a head doctor and then an anesthesiologist that handles the actual infusion.

agumonkey 5y ago

what about how it felt early on / during the therapy ? what about side effects also ?

bradly 5y ago
There is the "trip" side affect which lasts about 30-45 minutes. Then there is some wobbly legs and slow speech for an hour or two after. I had no side-affects besides those.
- agumonkey 5y ago
  and how does that trip feels ? just new fresh ideas ? physical sensations ? a weightlifting sensations ? colorful emotions ?
  - bradly 5y ago
    physical sensations: Yes. I often feel like a going on a journey. I've stood at the top of an endless drain pipe, holding hands with my brain, before jumping in. colorful emotions: Yes. I've gone inside a rainbow and swam in a lake of my own feelings The biggest thing you do is disconnect from your self. I've become the particles I'm made of and often lose the sense of what it is to be human or if I am human or not.
oldstrangers 5y ago
The trip itself is fun. It'll get scary if you don't let yourself go, but it was really manageable. You are heavily sedated obviously, so you can't drive or do much after. Mentally its exhausting, and akin to spending all night studying. You will probably have a headache for the rest of the day.

ketamine 5y ago

It immediately relieved my existential dread. I fear the next infusion will be intense, however.

oldstrangers 5y ago
Ohhh that's encouraging. I was supposed to go for a "booster" session ages ago but kept putting it off.

aaaronic 5y ago

There are treatments for that? I've never had anyone suggest anything other than therapy for it.