4 ms·

I'm more interested in the effects of Ketamine on anxiety. I know that it's not as effective, but haven't seen any statistics specifically related to anxiety. I

I'm more interested in the effects of Ketamine on anxiety. I know that it's not as effective, but haven't seen any statistics specifically related to anxiety. I have gotten my Ketamine through Mindbloom, and just need to schedule my treatment and follow up dates. My depression effects are due to my suffering through anxiety for over 20 years (started in 1999). My anxiety also seemed to correlate with 2 bad trips from LSD in the late 90s, that resulted in my being hospitalized and injected with Thorazine to abort the trip. While I have had some depression from divorce and breakups, those bouts aren't lasting the way my anxiety is, and persists in day to day life. I imagine it is related to my being hospitalized at night for LSD, but I do not suffer anxiety unless I drive at night. I have seen various psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and have undergone biofeedback and cognitive behavioral therapy with limited success. I find that when my life as a whole is less stressful, my anxiety at night is less pronounced and sometimes non-existent.

nullindividual 3y ago
They will give Ketamine and benzos together as K can cause anxiety symptoms (or terror with a K-hole).
- progmetaldev 3y ago
  I actually take a benzo only as needed, and try not to take it if I can absolutely help it. I was told that taking a benzo(diazepine) the day of a Ketamine treatment actually cancels out the positive effect of the Ketamine. I believe it as well. Benzodiazepines definitely have a beneficial effect, but if you are trying to get through a psychedelic crisis, or even a horrible panic attack, taking it will 100% negate any kind of benefit you would get by pushing through the uncomfortable negativity. I'm speaking from personal experience, but I feel Benzos cancel out anything positive from learning in regards to a psychically negative experience. Sometimes your anxiety is so bad you need them, I know I have been in that place where I'm responsible for another person, and can't deal with the anxiety and still help this other person. I'm also terrified as I've heard Benzos increase the odds of getting Alzheimer's by something like >80%. I have Alzheimer's on my dad's grandmother's side, and my mom's father's side. Unless it skips a generation, and favors mother's or father's side, and the side it skips works out, I'm screwed!
  - nullindividual 3y ago
    It would be administered in the IV immediately before a Ketamine IV. It does not cancel out the effect, but you might fall asleep during treatment which isn’t as fun.
    - progmetaldev 3y ago
      Benzodiazepines actually affect the recall of the Ketamine experience. My clinician stated that taking benzos with Ketamine reduce the effectiveness by a large margin. I can believe this, because taking a benzo completely changes your feelings about anxiety and your self image, which seem to be important in gaining insight from a Ketamine experience. Of course, I am not a scientist or psychotherapist, so this is just what has been repeated to me.
- justatdotin 3y ago
  but: * benzos counteract K * I always assumed therapeutic doses would embrace the K-hole (at which point, IME, you're so detatched that terror isn't really an option any more)
p1esk 3y ago
How does Mindbloom program work? From their website, it appears they send Ketamine pills. How different is the experience from IV administered doses?
- progmetaldev 3y ago
  I apologize for the late reply, I hope you end up seeing this. The Mindbloom program isn't as powerful as getting an IV or intramuscular injection (IM). I believe this is because you aren't hospitalized for the treatment. I've received my Ketamine pills, along with a face mask, a blood pressure monitor, and a journal to record my thoughts so that I can speak to a clinician the following day, and learn to integrate what I came across into a therapeutic way. The pills are definitely the least effective method, but the only method that can be done in an outpatient setting. You let the pill dissolve between your cheek and gum for 7 minutes, then you spit out the saliva and rinse your mouth. After that, you lie down with the face mask, and have a sitter nearby that can monitor you. From my understanding, the experience is very close to DXM (dextromethorphan) from cough syrup, like Robitussin DM. It's a disassociative anesthetic, so my understanding is that you will have feelings and thoughts arise, but be able to examine them "from a distance", as far as being disconnected from them and able to be more objective. I'm really excited to try it, I've had anxiety since 1999, have been given so many different drugs, and have been through biofeedback, cognitive therapy, as well as more new age treatments like meditation. If this doesn't work for me, my next step is probably microdosing psilocybin, but that carries a little bit of legal risk right now (where I'm located).
  - p1esk 3y ago
    Thank you, this is really interesting. Why do you think one would want a face mask? Ketamine was the only drug I tried (administered during a surgery in my teens) that made a huge impression on me. Everything else I tried later was frankly a disappointment.
    - progmetaldev 3y ago
      I believe the face mask is just to keep stray light from leaking through your eyelids, possibly affecting your ability to solely focus on your experience.

nullindividual 3y ago

They will give Ketamine and benzos together as K can cause anxiety symptoms (or terror with a K-hole).

progmetaldev 3y ago
I actually take a benzo only as needed, and try not to take it if I can absolutely help it. I was told that taking a benzo(diazepine) the day of a Ketamine treatment actually cancels out the positive effect of the Ketamine. I believe it as well. Benzodiazepines definitely have a beneficial effect, but if you are trying to get through a psychedelic crisis, or even a horrible panic attack, taking it will 100% negate any kind of benefit you would get by pushing through the uncomfortable negativity. I'm speaking from personal experience, but I feel Benzos cancel out anything positive from learning in regards to a psychically negative experience. Sometimes your anxiety is so bad you need them, I know I have been in that place where I'm responsible for another person, and can't deal with the anxiety and still help this other person. I'm also terrified as I've heard Benzos increase the odds of getting Alzheimer's by something like >80%. I have Alzheimer's on my dad's grandmother's side, and my mom's father's side. Unless it skips a generation, and favors mother's or father's side, and the side it skips works out, I'm screwed!
- nullindividual 3y ago
  It would be administered in the IV immediately before a Ketamine IV. It does not cancel out the effect, but you might fall asleep during treatment which isn’t as fun.
  - progmetaldev 3y ago
    Benzodiazepines actually affect the recall of the Ketamine experience. My clinician stated that taking benzos with Ketamine reduce the effectiveness by a large margin. I can believe this, because taking a benzo completely changes your feelings about anxiety and your self image, which seem to be important in gaining insight from a Ketamine experience. Of course, I am not a scientist or psychotherapist, so this is just what has been repeated to me.
justatdotin 3y ago
but: * benzos counteract K * I always assumed therapeutic doses would embrace the K-hole (at which point, IME, you're so detatched that terror isn't really an option any more)

p1esk 3y ago

How does Mindbloom program work? From their website, it appears they send Ketamine pills. How different is the experience from IV administered doses?

progmetaldev 3y ago
I apologize for the late reply, I hope you end up seeing this. The Mindbloom program isn't as powerful as getting an IV or intramuscular injection (IM). I believe this is because you aren't hospitalized for the treatment. I've received my Ketamine pills, along with a face mask, a blood pressure monitor, and a journal to record my thoughts so that I can speak to a clinician the following day, and learn to integrate what I came across into a therapeutic way. The pills are definitely the least effective method, but the only method that can be done in an outpatient setting. You let the pill dissolve between your cheek and gum for 7 minutes, then you spit out the saliva and rinse your mouth. After that, you lie down with the face mask, and have a sitter nearby that can monitor you. From my understanding, the experience is very close to DXM (dextromethorphan) from cough syrup, like Robitussin DM. It's a disassociative anesthetic, so my understanding is that you will have feelings and thoughts arise, but be able to examine them "from a distance", as far as being disconnected from them and able to be more objective. I'm really excited to try it, I've had anxiety since 1999, have been given so many different drugs, and have been through biofeedback, cognitive therapy, as well as more new age treatments like meditation. If this doesn't work for me, my next step is probably microdosing psilocybin, but that carries a little bit of legal risk right now (where I'm located).
- p1esk 3y ago
  Thank you, this is really interesting. Why do you think one would want a face mask? Ketamine was the only drug I tried (administered during a surgery in my teens) that made a huge impression on me. Everything else I tried later was frankly a disappointment.
  - progmetaldev 3y ago
    I believe the face mask is just to keep stray light from leaking through your eyelids, possibly affecting your ability to solely focus on your experience.