What is Ketamine Therapy for Mental Health?

Ketamine is a medication that has been used safely in medical settings for decades, most commonly as an anesthetic. In mental health care, ketamine is administered at much lower doses under medical supervision to help alleviate symptoms associated with certain psychiatric conditions. Unlike daily psychiatric medications, ketamine is typically given in structured treatment sessions within a clinic setting, with monitoring before, during, and after each treatment.

Most antidepressants affect serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, and often take weeks to work. While these medications are effective for many people, they do not help everyone. 

Ketamine works through a different pathway, targeting glutamate—the brain’s most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter and a key driver of learning, memory, and emotional regulation.

Because of this mechanism, ketamine therapy may:

1. Produce symptom relief more rapidly for some patients

2. Help restore communication between brain cells affected by depression and trauma

3. Reduce rigid or repetitive negative thought patterns

This unique action is why ketamine is often considered for individuals with treatment-resistant depression or persistent symptoms despite standard care.

Ketamine therapy is most commonly used for:

1. Treatment-resistant depression

2. Severe or persistent anxiety disorder

3. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in select cases

It is not a first-line treatment, but rather an option when conventional treatments have not provided sufficient relief.

Ketamine therapy is not a cure, and it does not replace comprehensive mental health care. Instead, it may help reduce symptom severity and create a window for healing, allowing patients to better engage in therapy, daily activities, and long-term treatment plans.

Response varies from person to person, and ongoing care is often needed to sustain benefits.