Ketamine has long been known as a powerful dissociative agent, and its potential medical uses are being explored by researchers around the world. It is considered a psychedelic drug due to its hallucinogenic properties. But what makes ketamine special? How does it compare to other psychedelics?
Why does it matter that ketamine is a psychedelic drug?
Recognizing that ketamine is a psychedelic drug is much more than a technicality. It is about removing the stigma around psychedelics, increasing the access people have to them for psychedelic-assisted therapy, and treating mental health conditions.
The mental health crisis is growing rapidly in the United States, with 1 in 5 adults experiencing some sort of mental illness. Access to treatment can be difficult for many people, and common treatments for depression and anxiety, like traditional antidepressants, don’t always work or don’t work fast enough and may leave patients with a long list of adverse effects.
The research being done on psychedelic medicine for treating mental health conditions has been very promising and is showing a large number of positive results. Studies have shown that psychedelics have therapeutic effects and have been able to help treat:
- A variety of mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and even patients with treatment-resistant depression and suicidal ideation.
- Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Addiction and substance use disorders such as alcohol use disorder and drug addiction
Psychedelics have gained a bad reputation in some circles due to the history that surrounds their recreational use, but they have an important place in medicine, specifically mental health treatment. They are so much more than party drugs; when used appropriately, they are life-changing for many people who desperately seek help for mental health disorders.
So, what exactly is a psychedelic?
Psychedelics are dissociative drugs that alter perception, mood, cognition, and consciousness. The term comes from the Greek words “psyche,” which means mind, and “Delos,” which means to reveal. Psychedelic substances, also called entheogenic substances, have been used for centuries in religious ceremonies and rituals. In recent years, scientists have discovered that certain drugs produce profound effects on brain function. These include substances like LSD, psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), mescaline, DMT, MDMA, and ketamine.
Psychedelics are often referred to as “mind-expanding” because they open people’s minds to new possibilities. They can be used to induce altered states of consciousness, such as visions, hallucinations, and mystical experiences. Some users say these experiences give them insight into their own lives and the world around them. Others use psychedelics to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings or to enhance creativity.
The Psychedelic Experience
The psychedelic experience is a very personal one and one that gives individuals new perspectives and insights. While everyone’s experience is unique, there are a few things that make the psychedelic experience different than any other experience you may have had before.
These six traits are what are considered to be the classic traits of a psychedelic experience.
- Ineffability: What sets a psychedelic experience apart is that it is something that you cannot quite express or verbally explain. The experience is something that cannot be fully put into words.
- Novel Experiences and Insights: Another thing that sets the experience apart is that it brings about a whole new world. You experience emotions, connections, experiences, and insights that you never knew existed or were possible.
- Ego Dissolution: This is a distinct characteristic of the psychedelic experience. It is where you feel totally isolated and is also known as a complete loss of subjective self-identity.
- Timelessness: When going through the psychedelic experience, you feel totally unaffected by time. You feel completely and totally outside of time and almost like you are suspended in time.
- Higher Order Reality: When you go through this experience, you see your reality differently. You see everything with a higher-order perspective. You see yourself and the world around you in a new way.
- 3rd Person Perspective: Lastly, the experience is dissociative, so you have an outside looking in perspective on your life. This allows you to gain new insights, emotions, and understandings that you have never seen before.
The Effects of Ketamine as a Psychedelic Medicine
Ketamine has dissociative effects similar to other psychedelic substances, but it isn’t really thought of as a “classic psychedelic” (like psilocybin or LSD). These refer to hallucinogenic substances which affect the serotonin neurotransmitters and have psychoactive effects. Ketamine, on the other hand, works with your brain’s glutamate and NDMA receptors. So while it doesn’t technically work like classical psychedelics, they are similar in their neurobiological and phenomenological makeup.
Ketamine is a powerful NDMA receptor antagonist that produces psychedelic or dissociative effects. It works by blocking these receptors and increases dopamine levels in the brain, causing a euphoric, dreamlike state. This effect also stimulates the release of serotonin in the brain, leading to feelings of calmness and relaxation. These two actions combine to produce an overall sense of well-being.
When used in clinical settings at low doses, ketamine treatments offer antidepressant effects for those suffering from mental health conditions like severe depression. Depending on the method it is administered (ketamine infusions, injections, nasal spray, or sublingual), onset time can vary, but psychedelic effects can last anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after a single dose. Some psychological effects can include disassociation, hallucinations, and disorientation. Some physical effects can include dizziness, nausea, loss of coordination, and changes in blood pressure or heart rate.
Learn More About Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy has helped many people find relief from the symptoms of debilitating mental health disorders. In the right setting, the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can offer people lasting change and relief in their life.
At HAPPŸŸ, we provide safe and effective ketamine treatments in the comfort of your own home. Our team of professionals helps guide you through the entire process and helps you find lasting relief from your symptoms.
Take our free 1-minute assessment to know if FLÖW ketamine-assisted therapy is right for you. Find freedom and relief from the comforts of home. More HAPPŸŸNESS is just a few clicks away.
