Ketamine therapy is rising in popularity. Both at-home and in-person treatments are becoming more widely available. At Nushama, we treat our members in-person at our center under medical supervision, but this may not be for everyone. What do you need to know before choosing the treatment that’s right for you?
Safety
For safety purposes, nothing beats a medical setting with trained physicians on hand. This ensures clinical administration, proper dosing, and the ability to stop the treatment altogether if needed—ending a ketamine journey is as easy as stopping its IV drip, the source of its delivery.
Some people may prefer receiving treatment at home, especially if they live far away from the nearest ketamine center. Addiction can be a concern of at-home treatment. Those left to their own devices may prefer taking smaller amounts of ketamine that cause a euphoric effect. Surprisingly, ketamine is more addictive at lower doses, so there is a greater risk of becoming addicted.
Set and Setting
Set and setting are extremely important to the psychedelic journey. It’s important that your environment is conducive to a favorable experience. Be sure to pick a comfortable place free of distractions. Warm lighting and ambient music can also enhance the journey. It will be beneficial to have a trusted person present and ready to provide support if needed.
Some people may find taking ketamine at home more comfortable than in an in-person setting with medical professionals on hand. However, it’s still important to be cautious. Change happens when we are uncomfortable, and it can be hard to heal in your same day-to-day environment without a new setting for a fresh perspective. Telemedicine, the method of communication for at-home journeying, also can’t always provide the support needed. Without an in-person guide, someone can feel even more isolated than before.
Administration
In a medical center, ketamine is usually administered via IV (intravenous) or IM (intramuscular) injection, the safest, most efficacious, and studied methods.
When done at home, ketamine is usually administered using oral lozenges. At-home methods may be cheaper than the clinical route, but ketamine is significantly less bioavailable sublingually. This means that the exact amount of ketamine actually reaching the brain is unknown. The rate of delivery is difficult to control and highly variable.
What Do We Recommend?
At Nushama, we administer ketamine via IV for individuals, or IM for groups, in a serene environment under the supervision of medical professionals. Safety is our number one priority.
For optimal safety and efficacy, we strongly advise seeking ketamine treatment at a clinical facility in-person, like Nushama, where you can receive comprehensive support and get the most out of your journey.
