is ketamine safe?

Even if you have no experience with ketamine, you’ve probably heard the term K-hole. Maybe you know someone who took it at a club, rave, or party and things got way off track. Or you’ve taken ketamine recreationally yourself - and recall reckless decisions - or worse yet nothing at all. Ketamine assisted psychotherapy has grown in popularity in recent years, but stories about others’ ketamine abuse cause some people to worry about its safety or potential for addiction. Or other people to worry they’d end up like Matthew Perry.

would i end up like matthew perry?

When Perry died in October 2023, he told his his assistant to “shoot me up with a big one,” sent the assistant away, climbed in his hot tub and died with 3500mg in his system. That’s 75% more than he would have needed to have abdominal surgery. Then sadly, he slipped into a coma and drowned. I’m sure those closest to him are still grieving. The people who prescribed him, sold him, and administered the ketamine are finally being prosecuted and sentenced. But Perry’s behavior was reckless at best. And it’s not at all how ketamine assisted therapy works.

How does it work?

At Journey clinical, each patient is matched with a psychiatrist who does a thorough exam. Patients have their vitals taken before and after each dosing session to make sure they’re in an appropriate range. Then, under the watchful eye of a well-trained therapist who’s monitoring for physical and psychological responses, patients take the prescribed dose of ketamine. When the medicine is taken in a relaxing, peaceful, safe environment, with music playing and a supportive presence offering guided meditation, patients are far more likely to enjoy the experience while waiting for the medicine to take effect and for the sessions to yield positive treatment results.

How much would I take?

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy uses a subanaesthetic dose, but it’s enough that you wouldn’t be able to walk or talk. Beyond that, it has a dissociative effect, so patients feel completely separate from their body. Therapeutic dosing varies based on the route of administration and the size of the patient. For instance, the dose with the lowest bio-availability is sublingual, in the form of 1-3 100mg lozenges. This is the mode of dosing used at Journey Clinical (where I’m Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy provider). Patients swish the lozenges around in their mouths for several minutes and the medicine is absorbed through the mouth.

Are there other ways to take ketamine therapeutically?

Yes, you have many options. Another administration route is intramuscular injection (IM). These doses would most likely range between 50mg and 100mg. There are a growing number of doctors and medical clinics who administer ketamine with a shot in the arm, and many of them take insurance. You can find doctors who offer therapeutic ketamine in online directories like the American Society of Ketamine Physicians or by just doing a search in your area. Other methods of therapeutic ketamine include an FDA-approved nasal spray and an intravenous drip. The IV method has the highest bio-availability and the dose is likely to be in the 100-300mg range.

Whatever clinic you find, you should feel empowered to ask about the medical qualifications and board certifications of the staff. Also, be sure to ask and safety procedures, including policies about how you get home after the treatment sessions. I recommend finding a clinic or practice that incorporates therapy or other integration opportunities to process your experience while on the medication. For more information about how ketamine works and its proven efficacy, please visit the “links and resources” page on this website. Buttons will link you to research articles near the bottom of the page.

When ketamine is administered by clinicians with specialized training who adhere to the highest ethical standards, you can be reassured about your safety and optimistic about your clinical outcome.