Ketamine therapy is growing in popularity for hard-to-treat mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and PTSD. Still, it can be hard to know what to expect.
Many people come to our clinic expecting or hoping to feel better right away. The reality is that we have seen lots of patients experience remarkable improvements after the first infusion.
Yet, we have noticed that all patients respond differently. While some people feel better within a few hours to a few days after the first session, others can take up to six ketamine treatments to experience a significant improvement. Moreover, while there can be a noticeable shift in mood soon after treatment, it’s not uncommon for the changes to be more subtle.
Some patients don’t feel any different after the first few treatments. However, their family members notice a difference, and their mood scores improve. Keep in mind that while there can be a lot of changes happening, you might not recognize them right away.
In life, when things don’t go as planned, we often feel disappointed. This negativity can slow us down from achieving the results we want. It’s the same with ketamine treatments. If your symptoms don’t improve as quickly as you had hoped, or you don’t feel as good as you expected, you could feel discouraged. This sense of negativity could delay your recovery.
While ketamine is possibly the most effective and fastest-acting medication for mood conditions, it’s critical to manage your expectations. You have likely been struggling for a long time. So, even though you could see improvement quickly, remember that healing is a process.
Here are some important points to remember to help you manage your expectations:
Don’t compare your experience with what you have read or heard from others. While it is helpful to research the treatment and speak to others about their experience, every person is different. Remember that you are on your own personal road to self-discovery.
Realize that ketamine is meant to be a tool to spark changes in your life. Invest in applying the insights that you gain from your ketamine treatment to your daily life. These changes may include specifically doing activities to build positive habits and letting go of stress or trauma. For example, you could begin journaling, meditating, exercising, or being more kind towards yourself.
Be patient - realize that changes may occur before you are aware of them.
Focus on setting intentions, or a specific purpose, for each session. This will help you to create a healthy mindset. Intentions can be as simple as focusing on “love”, “awareness”, “self-acceptance” or “finding joy”.
Celebrate each success, new-found awareness and insight. It’s important to recognize each gain you make, no matter how small.
If you or someone you love suffers from a mental health condition, contact Ketamine Health to see if ketamine would be right for you.
Visit our website at www.ketaminehealth.ca for more information.