Ketamine therapy is a highly effective treatment for a variety of ailments, from chronic pain to depression and other psychological disorders. Yet, because ketamine is a relatively new therapy, there are many myths floating around about the treatment which aren’t strictly true. Learning your ketamine facts—and understanding why these myths aren’t accurate—can ease your mind before you begin seeking out treatment.
Ketamine Facts and Fiction
You may have heard the following myths about ketamine. Here are the facts behind them:
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- Ketamine is Addictive. Ketamine is in fact less addictive than everyday drugs such as caffeine. While long-term users may develop a psychological dependence on ketamine, taking ketamine in a controlled dose under supervision is perfectly safe and will not lead to addiction.
- Ketamine is Only for Recreational Use. People often think of ketamine as a party drug, referring to it by such names as “Special K.” It’s true that people do use ketamine recreationally, but such uses are very different from therapeutic applications, which, unlike recreational use, are safe and 100 percent legal.
- Ketamine is Too Experimental. While many people are only now hearing about ketamine therapy, it has actually been around for decades. Ketamine research dates back over half a century, and ketamine has been FDA-approved for medical use since 1970. The therapeutic benefits of ketamine have been long established.
- Ketamine Will Flip You Out. Perhaps you’ve heard of people taking ketamine and falling into a “k-hole.” This strong dissociative experience has been known to happen to people who take excessive doses in recreational settings, but is extremely unlikely to happen in a therapeutic environment. What ketamine does is create a dreamlike state that brings about short-term changes in perception that have been shown to have strong mental benefits for the patient.
At Blue Water psychiatry, we understand that, when it comes to mental health needs, everyone is different. We work with every patient individually to come up with a customized treatment plan. Whether ketamine therapy ends up being right for you or not, we are here to help all our patients with our client-centered approach.
Give us a call today at 520-341-6542 or fill out our contact form to get started today.