FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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• What is ketamine?

  Ketamine is a medication originally developed as an anesthetic but has since gained recognition for its use in mental health treatment, particularly for depression and other mood disorders. It works by blocking a receptor in the brain known as the NMDA receptor, which is involved in mood regulation, pain perception, and cognition. 

• How is ketamine used for mental health?

  Ketamine has gained attention in the field of mental health for its potential therapeutic effects, particularly in the treatment of depression and certain mood disorders. Ketamine has shown promising results in rapidly alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

  Ketamine works differently from traditional antidepressants by targeting the brain’s glutamate system, specifically the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. By doing so, ketamine can help create new neural pathways and enhance synaptic connections, which may contribute to its rapid antidepressant effects.

• How is ketamine administered?

  Ketamine can be administered in various ways. At Arizuma we use the following:

  1. Intravenous (IV) infusion: Ketamine is often given via intravenous injection, allowing for precise dosing and rapid onset of effects. This method is commonly used in medical settings for anesthesia or pain management.

  2. Intramuscular injection: Ketamine can also be administered through intramuscular injection, which is useful when IV access is not readily available. This method is particularly effective for sedation or anesthesia.

  It is crucial that ketamine administration is carried out by a trained healthcare professional in a controlled environment to ensure safety and effectiveness. The appropriate route of administration and dosage will be determined based on the individual’s wellness needs and the specific treatment goals.

• What is psychedelic therapy, and how does it work?

  Psychedelic therapy refers to the therapeutic use of psychedelic molecules like ketamine, psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA. Studies have shown that when taken in a safe environment with therapeutic support, psychedelics can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety after only a few hours. In psychedelic therapy, the participant must first undergo a medical and psychiatric intake to ensure the experience will be the right option for them. Next, the psychiatric team prepares them for the experience beforehand, discussing what to expect and how to ease their mindset leading up to it.

  With ketamine-assisted therapy, on the day of treatment, a medical professional administers the psychedelic intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally while the participant lays down with an eye mask and listens to music. A guide, known as an integrator, provides breathing techniques and reassurance if adverse effects should arise. The dosing session is followed by an integration session to recount their experience, describe their feelings during and after, talk through lingering questions, and glean key insights or takeaways.

• What is ketamine treatment?

  Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that elicits psychedelic-like effects. It can be used as an alternative treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mood disorders. At certain doses, similar to traditional psychedelics, ketamine allows one to experience different planes of consciousness.

• Isn’t ketamine dangerous and addictive?

  While ketamine has been used safely since the 1960s for pain and anesthesia, just like any psychoactive medicine, it can be misused, especially at lower doses and in recreational settings. However, when ketamine is administered by a medical professional in a clinical setting with proper education and support, the likelihood of addiction is low.

• Is ketamine treatment safe?

  Ketamine infusions for therapeutic use are considered safe when administered in a clinical environment by medical professionals. Participants will be carefully screened to ensure they’re appropriate candidates for the treatment. People are monitored throughout their treatment process for any signs of discomfort, dependence, or increased heart rate. While dissociative or “psychedelic” properties may be experienced, a number of studies show they contribute to the molecule’s antidepressant effects.

• Are there any side effects?

  Side effects of ketamine infusions can include:

  • Increase in blood pressure
  • Nausea or vomiting (we can add a medication to prevent this from happening)
  • A sense of impaired balance and coordination
  • A feeling of dizziness, drowsiness, slurred speech, and/or numbing sensation of the skin

  These side effects are normal, rarely require any medical intervention, and resolve soon after the infusion ends.

• How long is each session?

  While each person’s experience varies, a psychedelic ketamine journey lasts about 45-60 minutes. You’ll start to feel the effects 10-15 minutes after the ketamine is administered. The peak experience lasts about 30-45 minutes. Most people return to their ordinary level of awareness within 1-2 hours following administration.

• How many treatment sessions are required?

  Most of the clinical research with ketamine has involved people who receive the treatments twice a week for 3 weeks (6 ketamine sessions total).

• What do the psychedelic effects of ketamine feel like?

  The effects from a psychedelic dose of ketamine are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes but every person has a slightly different experience. Participants may experience:

  • Deep relaxation
  • Calm sensation
  • Heaviness in the body
  • Visual patterns and colors
  • Separation from usual states of thinking
  • Sense of being awake but on a different plane of consciousness
  • Separation from the body
  • Limited verbal expression
  • People, places, or events from their past

• What health conditions can ketamine treat?

  Ketamine, most widely used as an anesthetic, is a breakthrough therapy for treating many mental health disorders. The conditions listed below are either being studied in clinical trials (usually combined with psychotherapy) or soon to be studied.

  Ketamine can be used to treat:

  • Major depression
  • Bipolar 1 depression
  • Post-partum depression
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Chronic pain
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • Alcohol use disorder
  • Opioid use disorder
  • Disordered eating
  • Anxiety disorder

• Where can I read the relevant studies, trials, and data?

  Here’s is a list of ketamine-related studies and trials available:

  • Ketamine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Ketamine for Social Anxiety Disorder
  • Ketamine Administration for Chronic Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Ketamine Effects on EEG during Therapy of Treatment-Resistant Generalized Anxiety and Social Anxiety
  • Safety and efficacy of maintenance ketamine treatment in patients with treatment-refractory generalized anxiety and social anxiety disorders
  • Remission from Chronic Anorexia Nervosa With Ketogenic Diet and Ketamine
  • ‍Effects of Ketamine in Treatment-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial of Ketamine in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Proof-of-Concept
  • Double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial of intravenous ketamine as adjunctive therapy in treatment-resistant depression
  • Ketamine Reduces Alcohol Consumption in Hazardous Drinkers by Interfering with the Reconsolidation of Drinking Memories
  • A sub-set of psychoactive effects may be critical to the behavioral impact of Ketamine on cocaine use disorder
  • Ketamine psychotherapy for heroin addiction: immediate effects and two-year follow-up
  • ‍Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review