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This week my feeds have been filled with ads promoting “at-home” and “affordable” ketamine therapy. While these platforms note that clients are paired with licensed clinicians, they also acknowledge that ketamine has not been determined by the FDA to be effective for anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions. Have you seen this on your feed?
What is ketamine? This drug has long been used medically for people and pets as an anesthetic—but it also has a history of misuse as a party drug. More recently, it made headlines following the death of actor Matthew Perry after undergoing ketamine infusion therapy.
What the allure? Messages like “fast, life-changing relief” can be powerful—especially for individuals struggling with mental health challenges. Mindbloom is just one brand in this growing industry. BetterU is another example!
Why this matters? The normalization and increased availability of ketamine can impact individual and community safety due to the strong dissociative effects the drug can have, especially when mixed with alcohol, benzos, etc.
As always, it’s important to read the fine print, understand the evidence, and have informed conversations with qualified healthcare providers. Repeated use can lead to addiction, especially in those with a history of it.
Want to learn more? Check out this 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School post.
📸: Mindbloom
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