Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety & Depression in Los Altos, CA

Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a type of treatment for several mental health conditions that involves the use of a medication called ketamine, which is best known for its psychedelic and pain relief properties. Ketamine has been historically used in the medical field as part of general anesthesia to help control pain levels both during and following surgical procedures due to its ability to decrease sensitivity to pain. The effects of ketamine can be altered depending on the dosage and the method of administration, including dream-like, hypnotic states, and even full dissociative states in some cases. The pain-relieving and trance-inducing properties of ketamine have allowed it to become an effective mental health treatment method to help individuals work through a variety of emotional and mental challenges.

Much of the success of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is dependent on the preparation and mindset the patient has undertaken leading up to the appointment. Going into your appointment with a healthy, calm, and grounded mindset will help to ensure that the appointment has a positive experience and can yield the best possible benefits. Your mental health care provider will likely work with you before your first session to develop some specific intentions for the treatment, such as a specific goal or outcome that you would like to work towards regarding your mental health, so it is important to have a clear intention that will work to guide the psychotherapy session. Leading up to the appointment, you will be instructed to avoid using substances such as marijuana or alcohol, and should avoid consuming any negative or violent media, such as TV shows, movies, music, or podcasts. You must be prepared mentally, emotionally, and physically in the days leading up to the appointment.

On the day of your appointment, try to show up to the clinic early to prevent any last-minute stress or anxiety, and you should not consume any food or drinks for about 3 hours before the session. You may be asked to provide a small urine sample when you arrive for your first appointment. It may also be beneficial to show up to your appointment with a water bottle, eye shades, a method to listen to calming music, and wearing comfortable clothes or bringing a blanket to ensure that you can feel as comfortable as possible throughout the session.

Ketamine is used as a method of therapy for mental health symptoms and disorders such as anxiety and depression as it quickly stimulates the activity of a chemical messenger that plays a role in mood regulation, learning, and memory, glutamate. Increased activity of glutamate also supports the brain’s “neuroplasticity”, which is its ability to change and adapt to every new experience that an individual has, allowing for the brain to essentially be “rewired” during treatment. This rewiring of the brain disrupts harmful or problematic thought patterns and creates new pathways that involve more positive thoughts. So, the results from ketamine-assisted therapy include having these new thought patterns that are positive and productive, significantly relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression in many individuals.

The results provided by ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can be somewhat immediate but are very long-lasting in patients who have found this form of treatment to be effective. It may not be equally effective for everyone and should only be tried at the discretion of a healthcare provider who is very familiar with your situation and mental health conditions and symptoms. This is an alternative form of treatment that often only requires occasional maintenance but can provide many patients with significant relief, drastically improving their mental health and quality of life in just a few treatments. Most patients will use ketamine-assisted psychotherapy alongside talk therapy to address the underlying causes of anxiety or depression while the ketamine works to provide symptom relief. If you suffer from anxiety or depression and have not found more traditional methods of treatment to be effective for you, schedule a consultation with Bay Area Ketamine Center to learn more about our services and if we can provide you with an effective treatment option. We serve patients from Los Altos, CA, Sunnyvale CA, Palo Alto CA, Stanford CA, Atherton CA, and Cupertino CA.