A Message From Dr Michael Ocana
Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 by Calvin Stevens, a professor of chemistry at Wayne State University. Ketamine is classified as a “dissociative anaesthetic” and has been used widely and safely as an anaesthetic and analgesic since the 1970s. It has the advantages of not suppressing respiration and blood pressure, as it is a mild stimulant rather than a depressant to the circulatory and motor system.
Ketamine has been demonstrated to be a rapid and robust treatment for treatment resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, eating disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Zarate et al published a seminal paper in this regard in 2006 and since this time there have been thousands of scientific papers supporting this use of ketamine. In this antidepressant treatment paradigm, ketamine is administered via IV infusion in biweekly treatments over 3-4 weeks without psychotherapy. This treatment paradigm has demonstrated equivalent efficacy to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for treatment resistant depression.
Ketamine has been known to have psychedelic properties since its discovery. This aspect of ketamine has often been viewed as a side effect. However, Ketamine has been studied for the purposes of psychedelic therapy in the treatment of alcoholism and opioid addiction since the 1990s.
Psychedelic psychotherapy has been studied for the treatment of addictions and end of life anxiety since the 1950s, however there was long period where scientific study was halted due to the prohibition of psychedelic medicines in the 1970s. Over the past few decades, research into this modality of therapy has resumed with very good initial evidence accumulating for its effectiveness for end of life depression and anxiety, PTSD, OCD, alcohol use disorder, eating disorder and treatment resistant depression.
At EntheoTech, we are offering a treatment paradigm with ketamine that takes advantage of both its antidepressant and its psychedelic properties, so as to offer the best possible outcomes for treatment resistant depression. Our approach begins with a psychiatric intake and preparation session, orienting the client to the psychedelic properties of the medicine so as to optimize the set and setting, and best harness the healing opportunities provided by these altered states of consciousness. We also offer mindfulness, mindful movement, and breathing workshops to support the integration of these experiences. The medicine sessions are delivered by intramuscular injection, in doses felt to be ideal to provide a psychedelic experience and the clients are supported by a skilled nurse and facilitator. We offer packages that include intake, preparation, and three medicine sessions with integration therapy sessions and adjunctive workshops provided between medicine sessions and after completion to support the ongoing integration of these experiences.
In summary, ketamine is a safe and effective medication which has been used for decades in the medical community. Ketamine is, on its own, an effective short term antidepressant with effectiveness for treatment resistant depression and is also an effective psychedelic agent that is well suited to provide psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, an emerging treatment modality for anxiety, PTSD, OCD, alcohol use disorder, eating disorder and treatment resistant depression.
At EntheoTech we are providing a cutting edge treatment for treatment resistant depression which harnesses all of these qualities of ketamine, as well as mindfulness, breathwork, and mindful movement. We invite you to consider this holistic and promising approach to the treatment of mental health concerns like treatment resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, alcohol use disorder and eating disorders.