WELCOME TO A LIFE WITHOUT PAIN AND DEPRESSION

This is the ultimate Ketamine Therapy resource created by a team of independent researchers.

Who Needs Ketamine Therapy?

Ketamine Therapy is an increasingly popular medical procedure that uses safe non-addicting microdosing levels of Ketamine via an IV to treat patients for chronic pain, PTSD, depression, anxiety, OCD and seizures. Additional uses for medical applications of Ketamine are currently being researched at universities and hospitals across the country. If you are suffering from any of the above and are looking for relief, talk to a doctor today if Ketamine Therapy is right for you.

KETAMINE THERAPY FOR PAIN

Ketamine Therapy helps treat chronic pain, and includes treating pain from diseases like cancer, sickle cell, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, shingles and even chronic migraines. It gives patients much needed relief from the pain.

KETAMINE THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION

Ketamine Therapy helps treat depression, including treatment resistant forms, like bipolar depression. Ketamine Therapy relief happens rapidly (within an hour), instead of needing weeks for other medication to work.

KETAMINE THERAPY FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Ketamine Therapy helps treat numerous mental health conditions. Besides depression, it can also treat anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and even seizures.

Download Our Free Ketamine eBook

For a limited time, get a free digital copy of our The Patient's Guide to Ketamine book.

  • Learn The Rich History Behind Ketamine

    Find out how Ketamine went from being a Vietnam War anesthetic, to a popular party drug to becoming a breakthrough pain and mental health treatment.

  • Explore All the Conditions that Ketamine Can Treat

    Learn about all the different medical uses for Ketamine therapy and learn the effectiveness of how well Ketamine treats each condition.

  • Learn How to Pick a Good Ketamine Clinic

    Find out how to recognize a quality Ketamine clinic so you know what to look for when picking your service provider.

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Last Year's Ketamine Statistics

U.S. Data Collected Over the Last Year

Ketamine Clinics

New Research Papers

New Ketamine Patients

Total Ketamine Patients

 

Featured Ketamine Research

A selection of Ketamine research papers, articles and studies showing Ketamine effectiveness.

Repeated subcutaneous esketamine on treatment-resistant depression: An open-label dose titration study

"This groundbreaking study, which addresses SC esketamine treatment for TRD, reported promising response and remission rates, as well as sustained antidepressant effects."
published: 09/26/2024

Ketamine for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: Double-blind active-controlled crossover study

"further preliminary evidence for the efficacy and tolerability of IM ketamine in an outpatient cohort of OCD"
published: 11/28/24

Effect of ketamine on anxiety: findings from the Ketamine for Adult Depression Study

"Ketamine reduces anxiety in people with TRD when administered subcutaneously in adequate doses"
published: 01/07/2025

The effect of low-dose esketamine on maternal depression after cesarean delivery

"Low-dose intravenous esketamine, reduces postpartum depression scores post-cesarean section"
published: 07/03/2025

Evaluation of Low-Dose Ketamine and Dexmedetomidine Compared to Morphine for Control of Traumatic Limb Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial

"K-D controlled traumatic limb pain more effectively than morphine and was generally well tolerated. Our results suggest K-D may be a good alternative to opioids in controlling acute pain."
published: 03/27/2025

Efficacy and safety of esketamine for smoking cessation among patients diagnosed with lung cancer and major depression disorder: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

"We found that 8 sessions of ESK treatments significantly improved the self-reported (44.1 %) and biologically verified (28.8 %) continuous abstinence rates. Additionally, the severity of both depression and anxiety was also significantly relieved by ESK delivery."
published: 04/23/2025

Ketamine Medical Uses

 

Ketamine for Anesthesia

Ketamine is used as a dissociative anesthetic for various medical and surgical procedures. Usually it is used for short-term procedures that don't require full muscle relaxation. It is also sometimes used as an initiator before other agents are introduced. Due to its effectiveness and safety profile it is also a common choice for any anesthesia involving children. What makes Ketamine unique is that it affects the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor instead of GABA receptors. This means Ketamine preserves airway reflexes and respiratory function, increases heart rate and blood pressure, while providing strong pain relief by disrupting pain signal transmission in the central nervous system.

Ketamine for Anxiety

Ketamine offers rapid relief (within hours of treatment) for patients who haven't responded to the more traditional therapies. By targeting N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor it accelerates the formation of new neural connections (neuroplasticity) in brain regions affected by chronic anxiety. Research has been effective in treating a number of treatment resistant conditions like Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD).

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating anxiety by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Ketamine for Bipolar Disorder

Ketamine has emerged as a promising rapid-acting treatment for the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. It offers rapid system relief, often within hours or days of the first treatment. It is known to reduce suicidality. According to research, patients have a low risk of the manic switch during treatment (0-2% of patients).

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating bipolar disorder by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Ketamine for Depression

Clinical research on ketamine for depression highlights its rapid-acting antidepressant effects. A 2024 "Bio-K" study found that after only three infusions over 11 days, 52% of patients with severe depression achieved remission. A 2025 SUSTAIN study followed patients for 6.5 years and found no new safety concerns or long-term side effects, with side effects being limited to the day of the dosing.

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating depression by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician. The only approved use for depression is through use of nasal spray Ketamine.

Ketamine for OCD

Ketamine has been recognized as a rapid-acting intervention for treatment-resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) giving much needed relief to patients who have not responded to standard (SSRIs) or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Ketamine targets the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuit, which is often overactive in OCD patients, essentially "resetting" rigid neural pathways that drive obsessive thoughts. By blocking NMDA receptors and increasing glutamate levels, ketamine promotes the growth of new synaptic connections, making the brain more flexible and adaptable to new ways of thinking. Studies suggest that Ketamine normalizes activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the brain region responsible for shifting focus between thoughts and actions. Clinical trials show that a single low-dose IV infusion can lead to a 30–50% reduction in symptoms within one to two hours of treatment. For OCD treatment, results are transient, with a single infusion effects lasting only 1-7 days. Sustaining the treatment requires a series of sessions often twice weekly for 3-4 weeks.

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating OCD by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Ketamine for Opioid Addiction

Ketamine helps with opioid addiction by blocking the cue-response pathways that lead to drug-seeking behavior. It also helps treat depression which often drives opioid use. There have been a number of studies for using Ketamine in treating opioid addiction. A 2024 study found that ultra-low dose of Ketamine can curb withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting Fentanyl. Another 2024 study found that adding a two-week ketamine regimen to the beginning of methadone treatment helped patients remain in the program through a three-month follow-up. Another 2024 study found that 5-day in-hospital low-dose ketamine infusion treatment allowed 68% of patients to decrease their opioid dose by more than 50% at discharge without significant withdrawal symptoms. Overall the research is very promising for using Ketamine to treat opioid addiction.

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating opioid addiction by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Ketamine for Pain Management

Research into Ketamine for pain management shows it to be a safe alternative to opioids in emergency settings. A 2025 study has shown that 20-46% of patients achieved clinically meaningful improvements in pain management and found the benefits were sustained 6 months post treatment. A 2025 study found Ketamine to match the effect of opioids for immediate pain relief without the side effects. Overall the studies show that Ketamine is an effective tool for treating pain.

Note: Ketamine is FDA approved for general use in anesthesia and as of August 2025 it is approved for surgical pain management in perioperative settings.

Ketamine for PTSD

Research into Ketamine for PTSD focuses on its ability to rapidly disrupt traumatic memory cycles and its synergy with specialized psychotherapy. A 2025 study found that most significant symptoms reductions occur early, during the first 3 treatments. Another 2025 study found that repeated infusions of Ketamine achieved a 67-80% response rate for chronic PTSD. A 2024 study found that Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy results sustained for up to 6 months after the final session.

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating PTSD by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Ketamine for Seizures

During long seizures, GABA receptors (the target of traditional drugs) are internalized and become less effective, while NMDA receptors are upregulated. Ketamine targets these upregulated NMDA receptors to blunt excitatory signals. By blocking glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, Ketamine may help prevent brain damage during intense, prolonged seizures. Research into Ketamine use for seizures focuses on its role in treating severe, prolonged seizures that do not respond to standard medications. a When looking at 19 different studies, ketamine achieved seizure resolution in 53-91% of cases. A 2025 study in a pediatric emergency department found that 76% of children receiving a ketamine-midazolam combination achieved seizure cessation in five minutes, compared to only 21% for those who only got medizolam. Another 2024 study found that 84% of patients had their seizure burden reduced by 50% within 24 hours.

Note: Ketamine has not yet officially been approved for treating seizures by the FDA, so its use is considered "off-label" and should only be done under supervision of a physician.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Ketamine

What medical conditions does Ketamine treat?

Ketamine has been medically used to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, chronic pain and substance abuse. It is also used for anesthesia.

How is medical Ketamine different from recreational Ketamine?

Medical Ketamine is highly regulated, pharmaceutical-grade, while recreational Ketamine is unregulated and often contains harmful adulterants such as fentanyl, cocaine, or methamphetamine. Medical Ketamine is administered in lower, sub-anesthetic doses (microdosing) and is usually delivered intraveneously (IV), while recreational Ketamine is consumed in higher doses usually via less efficient methods like snorting which increases adverse effects and addiction. Medical Ketamine is also administered in a clinical setting by licensed professionals that monitor vitals like heart rate, oxygen levels and blood pressure.

Is medical Ketamine legal?

Medical Ketamine is legal in all 50 states, but it is a Schedule III controlled substance, which means it can only be legally prescribed by a physician or other healthcare provider.

Is medical Ketamine safe?

Yes, because it is administered in a controlled clinical setting by trained professionals who monitor vitals like heart rate and blood pressure.

What are the common side effects of medical Ketamine?

Short-term effects include dissociation (out-of-body feeling), mild nausea, dizziness, and temporary increases in blood pressure.

Is medical Ketamine addictive?

There has been no clear evidence of physical addiction when medical Ketamine is used in monitored, low-dose medical settings.

Featured Ketamine Clinic

This is a Ketamine clinic that offers ethical treatments, proper supervision by an MD before and after treatment and goes above and beyond in delivering top grade medical service.

Fountain Health

New York, NY

Fountain Health NYC is a physician-led integrated health organization in Manhattan that offers personalized, evidence-based IV Ketamine therapy.

Doreen Zarfati

Supervising MD

Dr. Doreen Zarfati leads the clinical vision at Fountain Health NYC. She is a double board-certified psychiatrist. She received her training from Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel and St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, Columbia. She then specialized in Addiction Psychiatry at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan.

Brooke Alves

Registered Nurse

Brooke Alves is an experienced former Emergency Room nurse. She supports patients through their Ketamine therapy.

Abby Wohl

Registered Nurse

Abby is the group's Medical Coordinator and part-time ketamine infusion nurse with over 25 years of combined experience in both administrative support and patient-centered, evidence-based nursing care.