Ketamine itself causes a number of short-term effects, including the desired effects for psychotherapy and ketamine therapy. It is important to familiarize yourself with the short term effects of ketamine if you are planning on undergoing ketamine therapy.
What Are The Short Term Effects of esKetamine?
We like to refer to the desired short-term side effects of ketamine as the “brief effects” of ketamine, as the Oxford Health / NHS prefers to call them. This allows a separation between the positive (short term) side effects, and the negative (short term) side effects.
Brief (Short Term) Effects of Ketamine for Ketamine Therapy
Dissociation — the feeling of being disconnected from your body and/or connected to the universe. This can be felt as a floating feeling,” or even as strong as an “out of body experience.”
Ego Dissolution — A temporary breakdown of your connection to your “Ego” or your earthly vision of who you are.
How Dissociation Helps To Treat Depression in Ketamine Therapy
Dissociation is one of the desired effects during ketamine therapy. It is desired that you will feel a disconnection from your mind and body, so that you can get a look at your life, your choices, and your earthly connections from a higher point of view (outside of your body).
The “daily grind” of life can make your life and your daily activities seem “unimportant” sometimes. Looking at your life from a dissociated point of view allows you to see your connection to the universe and the miraculous gift that your life is.
How Ego Dissolution Helps to Treat Depression in Ketamine Therapy
What Exactly Is Your Ego?
- Your ego is important for you to get through your daily life. Your “ego” is the worker in charge of your mind and body — the conscious being that controls eating, sleeping, breathing, and keeping you functioning in society and the outside world. Your ego is and important part of you, even though you may never have thought of this part of yourself.
- Your ego can be a roadblock for you in life, though.
- Your ego is stubborn, resistant to change, cynical, grumpy, and sometimes mean.
- Your ego is the part of you that makes fun of someone or laughs at a joke at someone else’s expense — even though you know it is wrong or feel ashamed.
- Your ego is the one who wants to fit-in with society and friends, even if you have to do or say things you are ashamed-of.
- Your ego is the questioning child inside of yourself that is asking existential questions (Who am I? What am I doing on Earth?)
- Your ego also makes up your earthly goals and how you want your life to play-out.
Breaking Down the Ego in Psychedelic Psychotherapy
During a psychedelic “trip” — while experiencing a breakdown of your ego — you can actually see yourself, your life, your family, friends hobbies, and everything in your life in quite detail, but from a dissociated point of view. From this point of view, all the answers seem right in front of you. It is very easy to then make small life changes that will have a big positive impact.
Short Term Side Effects Of Ketamine Therapy
The “Negative” or undesired effects of ketamine are those effects that to be expected during administration of ketamine infusions/nasal spray, but are not the main effects that help with recovering from depression during psychedelic psychotherapy.
- Inability to Move or Stand
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Headache
- Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
- Increased Blood Pressure
- Increase Heart Rate
- Bruising at the Injection Site
- Feeling of being Drunk
Is There a “Hangover” Associated with Ketamine Therapy?
“Hangover” is a bad way to describe the after-effects of ketamine therapy; it compares the effects to an alcohol hangover, which are much more severe and due to physical damage.
The “next day” effects of a ketamine infusion for ketamine therapy are much more mild. You may feel more tired than usual or sleep in the days after ketamine therapy. Strange dreams in the following days are a less common side effect, but possible. You can also expect your mind to be racing a bit faster than normal for a while.
All-in-all the after effects and “what to expect” in the first few days after a ketamine treatment are incredibly mild and overwhelmingly positive.
How Long Do The Effects of Ketamine Last?
8 Hours – 2 Weeks. The initial and most profound effects peak at about 4 hours into the ketamine therapy session. Mild, lingering effects can be seen for up to a week after the initial injection. Within 2 weeks all short term effects of esketamine for ketamine therapy should have worn-off.
How to Get Ketamine Therapy for Depression
The first step to starting ketamine therapy for depression is to start a consultation with your local ketamine therapy clinic. Ketamine therapy is legal in Arizona only for those who have met the criteria for pre-qualification for ketamine therapy.
The Arizona Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy Institute is the leader in pre-qualifying Arizona candidates for ketamine therapy. We invite you to contact us to start the pre-qualification process now.
