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What if relief wasn’t months away, but days? We sit down with ER physician and Ember Health cofounder Dr. Nico Grundmann to unpack how IV ketamine delivers fast, measurable change for people living with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts—especially veterans and first responders under relentless stress. No hype, no mystique: just clear protocols, clinical guardrails, and results that hold up to scrutiny.

Dr. Nico explains why modern science views depression as stress- and trauma-driven neural pruning, and how a focused series of four infusions over two weeks can regrow synapses in emotional regulation circuits. The outcome isn’t euphoria—it’s alignment. Joy returns when life warrants it; grief shows up when it should; apathy loosens its grip. We also dig into the “neuroplasticity window” that follows each session, when therapy becomes easier and more effective, helping people integrate insights and sustain change.

We address the tough questions head-on: safety, misuse, and the difference between clinical dosing and recreational patterns; why benzodiazepines can blunt benefits; who should avoid treatment (e.g., schizophrenia); and how ketamine compares to SSRIs, alcohol, and emerging therapies. Access is changing fast: the VA now offers IV ketamine in many states, some insurers are coming on board, and reputable clinics can help with out-of-network reimbursement. You’ll hear a stark statistic—an 80% drop in suicidal ideation within a day for many patients—and a grounded reminder that maintenance is normal, not failure.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation is a practical map: what to ask, how to find credible care, and how to pair ketamine with therapy to get the most out of that critical two-week window. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review

John R. Boyd's Conceptual Spiral was originally titled No Way Out. In his own words: 

“There is no way out unless we can eliminate the features just cited. Since we don’t know how to do this, we must continue the whirl of reorientation…”

March 25, 2025

Flow Learning Lab

Find us on X. @NoWayOutcast
Substack: The Whirl of ReOrientation

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Recent podcasts where you’ll also find Mark and Ponch:

The No Bell Podcast Episode 24
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