Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy: A revolution in the treatment of mental illness
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a groundbreaking method that combines traditional psychotherapeutic approaches with the administration of ketamine. This innovative treatment method, offered at the renowned Almas Institute and Las Almas clinics, enables patients to resolve deep-rooted emotional blockages and gain new perspectives, which can lead to faster and more sustained improvement in symptoms.
What is ketamine-assisted psychotherapy?
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy involves a series of sessions tailored to the individual's needs. Treatment typically begins with a ketamine infusion, followed by a psychotherapy session. This method uses the anesthetic ketamine at low doses to induce an altered state of consciousness in a safe environment. This facilitates profound change and enables the development of new insights.
Why ketamine in psychotherapy?
Ketamine has been proven effective in reducing depressive and anxious states. It expands the window of stress tolerance, making it easier for patients to open up and experience themselves in a new way. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, as practiced at the Almas Institute, integrates various psychotherapeutic methods to facilitate new experiences and integrate unprocessed memories. This leads to greater self-compassion, clarity, and serenity.
How does ketamine-assisted psychotherapy work?
Ketamine works by inhibiting the activity of the NMDA receptor in the brain, leading to increased release of glutamate. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood, cognition, and pain. The ketamine-induced opening of the mind increases the brain's neuroplasticity, or ability to change and rewire itself. This allows patients to have new experiences and change negative behavioral patterns.
Treatment approaches in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy
The Almas Institute uses various treatment approaches based on attachment and polyvagal theory:
- hypnosis
- IFS (Systemic Therapy with Inner Personality Aspects)
- Body-oriented techniques
- Attachment and polyvagal theory
- Psychotraumatology
Clinical pictures and areas of application
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of mental illnesses. At the Almas Institute, we achieve good results in:
- Severe depressive disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Addictions
- Chronic pain
- Long Covid
Combination with other therapies
Because ketamine promotes neuroplasticity, it is ideal for combination with other therapeutic modalities to enhance their effectiveness. At the Almas Institute, therapies are individually tailored to each patient. Possible combination therapies include:
- rTMS (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation): This method stimulates the brain's neuroplasticity and can enhance the effects of ketamine infusions.
- Neurofeedback: Allows the patient to see their brain activity in real time and learn to regulate it themselves.
- Psychotherapy: Helps the patient understand the causes of their illness and develop new coping strategies.
What makes ketamine-assisted psychotherapy so special?
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offers several advantages:
- Fast and lasting effect: Ketamine infusions can provide rapid symptom relief in treatment-resistant depression and other mental illnesses. In combination with psychotherapy, this effect can be deepened and stabilized over the long term.
- Depth psychological work: The ketamine-induced opening of the mind allows patients to reach and work through deeper emotional layers.
- New perspectives: Ketamine can enable new ways of thinking and perspectives that can break the vicious cycle of negative thought patterns.
- Personal development: This form of therapy can not only help relieve symptoms but also promote the patient’s personal development.
Side effects and risks
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is a promising new treatment method for patients with depression and other mental illnesses. Ketamine infusions are generally well tolerated. Possible side effects include increased blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headaches, but these usually subside after a short time. The incidence of unpleasant side effects in our setting is less than 4%. If unpleasant side effects occur, the infusion is stopped, and the symptoms disappear within a few minutes. This is the great advantage of IV infusions, which are easily controllable and whose drip rate can be adjusted to the patient's condition.
Conclusion
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, as practiced at the Almas Institute and Las Almas practices, offers new hope for patients suffering from serious mental illnesses. By combining ketamine infusions with psychotherapeutic approaches, deep-seated emotional blockages can be resolved and new perspectives can be gained. This method has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental illnesses, enabling patients to experience faster and more sustained improvement in their symptoms.