Step inside a ketamine therapy session for depression, from the patient’s point of view. In this episode of Talking Ketamine (episode 13), we look at the immediate personal experience, drawing on a qualitative study published in 2021. This study interviewed 13 people with treatment-resistant depression about what it was like during and right after their ketamine infusions.

Participants described initial sensations during the infusion including a feeling like a high, enhanced perception (sounds and sights more intense, colors more vibrant), and dissociation, sometimes feeling detached or having an out-of-body experience. Many also felt very relaxed, even sleepy.

In the hours and days following the infusion, many reported a significant uplifted feeling and a real brightened mood. They described feeling bright, using phrases like having “fire in their belly”, and contrasting it with depression, which felt like “lifting darkness away like a weight just gone”.

Beyond mood, there was a noticeable boost in motivation and the ability to do everyday tasks they’d struggled with, like cooking or being sociable. Relationships could feel stronger. Cognitively, people had more positive thoughts and fewer negative ones. A very significant finding was a major reduction in suicidal ideation, moving towards wanting to live again and seeing a future. Some felt their mindset was reframed or reprogrammed, describing the change as going from “gray and black” to “technicolor”.

The experience was also shaped by the conducive and safe environment and feeling supported by caring staff.

Important Note: The study highlighted that not everyone responds the same way, some are non-responders, and the duration of positive effects varies greatly. However, these firsthand accounts offer powerful insights into the potential impact of ketamine for those with severe depression.

Griffiths, C., Walker, K., Reid, I., Maravic da Silva, K., & O’Neill-Kerr, A. (2021). A qualitative study of patients’ experience of ketamine treatment for depression: The ‘Ketamine and me’ project. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 4, 100079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100079