Ketamine is a substance that is increasing in popularity rapidly over recent years whether on a dance floor or a therapist’s office.
I find it to be somewhat of a miracle drug. It is extremely uncommon to have a negative experience, and it is very light and easy on the system. It peaks for about 20-30 minutes with a total gentle high of 90min or so. You will come down off of ketamine feeling as if almost nothing happened other than perhaps a pleasant fog. It does not cause hangovers or ill feelings in the body.
It’s easy to dose, as it comes on rather quickly, and you can build on it by re-upping the dose as soon as you feel it to achieve the desired effects.
In a clinical setting, it can be administered by many methods - primarily IV, lozenge, or tablets.
Recreationally or in “alternative” medicine spaces, it is a powder that can be snorted or sometimes mixed into a nasal spray. The powder is made by evaporating the liquid form of the medicine and leaving the active components in a crystal that is then scraped into a powder.
The only “negative” ketamine experience I have ever personally heard of is the same story… cocaine and ketamine are often placed out to pair together at parties (which is an excellent experience). If someone takes a large line of ketamine, thinking it is cocaine, they are suddenly hit with a huge surprise of a somewhat opposite effect of cocaine. Ketamine is also taken in much smaller doses than cocaine. So someone will find themselves rather terrified in an experience they weren’t expecting.
When used mindfully, it is a beautiful experience. I find it very helpful in many contexts and use it as a supplement to other journeys, particularly if I find that someone is getting “stuck” on very challenging emotions or sensations.
It also is profoundly helpful for folks who are struggling with sexual trauma, performance anxiety, or sexual shame. I find it to be a perfect tool for those who need to get “out of their head” and more into their body.
It is classified as a dissociative medicine, and often gets placed under the umbrella of psychedelics, as it can have some psychedelic effects in larger doses.
Often I think we hear the word “dissociative” as having negative connotations, but this component is actually super helpful when used mindfully. I describe ketamine as helping “shut down” the monkey-mind part of our processing. In proper doses, you will be present, aware, and experiencing wonderfully relaxing and pleasurable body sensations with full consciousness. However, the part of your mind that feels anxiety or shame will be dramatically softened, if present at all.
For this reason, I find it extremely helpful to pair with safe, sexually healing physical contact. The sensations in the body are very “melty” and soft. When engaged in physical sexual contact with someone else, you may find yourself losing track of where your flesh ends and theirs begins. You may have some very slight hallucinations when closing your eyes like obscure patterns or images of vast emptiness. You will likely feel a sense of connectedness, oneness, and safety while engaging in this sensual experience.
For many of the people I work with, shame and performance anxiety are a huge barrier to experiencing sexual pleasure. With ketamine, one can let go of these inner expectations and “stories” and be more willing to receive and give sexual energy freely.
I have also witnessed people suffering from sexual trauma be able to honor and acknowledge past traumatic experiences while actively engaging in sex. Instead of being “triggered” and the energetic system shutting down, they remain open and find a place of peace, safety, and acceptance with what has happened.
Because of the delicate, easy, and relaxing nature of ketamine, I also find it to be an excellent start point for those looking to dip their toes into psychedelic medicine healing. It is much less commitment in time, cost, and energy and can create lasting healing effects - not to mention being a great tool to just simply have fun!
