What Does Ketamine Therapy Feel Like?
If you are considering ketamine therapy, you may have already asked “What does ketamine therapy feel like?” You may have heard stories about how you might feel while undergoing the treatment. Understandably, patients often want to have somewhat of an understanding of the feeling beforehand. Some even ask: does ketamine therapy get you high? Ketamine is a psychedelic drug, but in therapy it’s not used for a “high,” explained Dr. Natalie Phan, M.D., manager of Nevada Mental Health’s Interventional Psychiatry program.
The effects of the medication often help shift a patient’s perspective about personal concerns that may influence their severe depression. Each person’s experience is unique, and the goals they set and how they prepare for the treatment also influences how they feel during a ketamine therapy session. Phan recently discussed how she explains the experience to patients.
Heightened Senses
First and foremost, all of your senses operate at a higher level during ketamine treatment, Phan said.
“Colors, sounds, tastes, you see them all a bit differently,” she emphasized. “A lot of times patients will also say it’s kind of like an out of body experience. So, it may feel like it’s happening to someone else, and you’re kind of watching them. … The environment also feels safe; it’s like a warm hug.”
The “out of body” and “warm hug” experiences are integral, Phan said, for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to consider fresh perspectives around emotional challenges.
“You no longer feel attacked or threatened, so you can kind of take a step back,” Phan noted, “and you can think ‘what do I want to do in this situation? What is it I want to work on?’”
The Role of Counseling and Ketamine Therapy
The counseling sessions before, during and after a ketamine therapy session are “the most important part” of the overall treatment plan, Phan added.
Before the day of the session, it’s important for you to set goals with your therapist. The therapist then will help to reinforce those goals right before the session starts, and as he or she guides you through it. It’s also important to clear your mind and enter the therapy session with an open, positive mindset, eliminating as much negative internal chatter as possible.
“How you feel during the experience is often dependent on how you first enter your treatments,” she further explained. “The intention of the ketamine is to make it so that we are a little more open to changing the way we think about certain things. I like to think of it as the ketamine essentially gives you a blank slate and the therapist helps guide you to where you want to be.”
Exiting the Experience
Phan also emphasized the importance of having someone drive you home after a treatment session. You should also avoid making any major decisions on the day of the session and get at least eight hours of sleep afterwards. Ketamine’s effects kick in within 15 to 20 minutes after taking it, and patients fully exit the experience within an hour or two.
“Coming out, things can feel a little overstimulating at first,” Phan said. “You may not be able to talk initially, but then you can eventually talk about how the treatment went. You can answer questions about what came about during the experience, and then you can set your goals for the week. Things like eating right and reinforcing all the good habits that are part of your plan and goals is important. You should see it as the ketamine experience solidifying all of what you’re trying to accomplish.”
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