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At-home ketamine therapy is quickly becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional in-person experience of going to a ketamine clinic. Not only is it often more affordable and convenient, it's also more comfortable and provides more personalized care than a clinic can provide.

When considering the cost of in-person ketamine treatment at a clinic, many people are surprised by how expensive it can be – often costing twice as much or more than at-home treatment. With at-home therapy, patients are able to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars from their overall bill.

The comfort level of being able to undergo a treatment in your own home cannot be understated either. All too often, clinics can be intimidating environments due to unfamiliarity with medical staff and surroundings. At home, patients are able to relax in an environment that is familiar and comfortable for them – making it easier for them to open up emotionally and experience the full therapeutic benefits of the ketamine experience without feeling uncomfortable in any way. This is especially beneficial for those who suffer from social anxiety or those who may feel intimidated by visiting a clinical setting. 

Personalized Programs & Self-Care Resources

One of the other key advantages of at-home ketamine treatments is that they offer greater flexibility and personalized care than what you might receive at a clinic. For example at Innerwell, we have multiple plan options as well as the ability to supplement your care plan with specialized add-on therapy services from licensed psychotherapists who have been trained in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. These options allow us to tailor our plans around each individual’s unique needs and requirements. 

In addition, the Innerwell program offers support tools like guided meditations by Zen master Henry Shukman, journaling exercises, curated music playlists for accompanying your session and charts that illustrate how your mood and symptoms improve over time as compared to your previous experiences with ketamine treatments. Resources like these are rarely a part of the in-person ketamine experience delivered by most clinics.

Lastly, when you choose an at-home treatment option such as Innerwell’s model you don't have to worry about transportation from the clinic after your session ends like you would if you went there in person, since you won’t be able to drive for a few hours after a ketamine experience. 

In addition, having the flexibility to self-administer ketamine at home makes the process easy and manageable for many people who may have difficulty taking time off work or facing logistical challenges that come with going to an in-person facility. Keep in mind that you’ll still need to coordinate with your Sitter to make sure they’re able to be with you in person for the duration of each of your ketamine sessions.

Who is in-person ketamine treatment best for?

Despite the drawbacks, in-person ketamine treatment at a clinic can be the right choice for you depending on your circumstances. In-person ketamine treatment is best for those who would feel more comfortable with a clinician overseeing each of their sessions. For those who are especially nervous or worried about treatment, having a medical professional available may provide them with added confidence and comfort. In addition, in-person ketamine treatments offer intravenous or intramuscular administration methods which may be preferred for some people, depending on their medical history or circumstances. 

There are numerous benefits associated with choosing an at-home ketamine therapy program over traditional in-person visits, which include saving money while still receiving quality care, convenience due to flexible scheduling, comfort due to being in familiar surroundings, and personalization through tailored care plans. These benefits make choosing an at-home option over traditional clinics an attractive choice for many. If you're weighing the decision between at-home and in-person care, it’s always a good idea to seek the advice of a psychiatric professional who can help you make an informed decision about what's right for you.

FAQs about at-home ketamine therapy with Innnerwell

1. What are the benefits of at-home ketamine therapy?

At-home ketamine therapy is highly convenient and cost-effective, as it allows patients to receive quality care without having to travel to a clinic. It also provides a very safe and comfortable setting that allows patients the time they need to process their experience in the privacy of their own home. Benefits may include improved mood, decreased anxiety, and improved sleep quality. 

2. What are the benefits of going to a ketamine clinic?

Going to a ketamine clinic offers certain advantages that can't be achieved at home. For example, clinics provide direct supervision by medical professionals who can closely monitor symptoms and side effects while administering the ketamine treatments. Some patients may have a stressful home environment, so undergoing treatment at a clinic may be more relaxing for them. 

Ketamine works by blocking nerve signals within the brain that are associated with depression and anxiety, giving patients an increased ability to manage their symptoms and feel better over time. It rapidly increases communication between neurons in the brain which stimulates neural pathways for fast relief from depressive symptoms like sadness, fatigue, and low motivation.

4. How is at-home ketamine therapy administered?

At-home ketamine therapy is generally administered orally via rapid dissolve tablets that are held in the mouth with periodic swishing for approximately ten minutes to facilitate absorption.. This form of administration is fast-acting, convenient, and easy to regulate dosing levels depending on each patient’s individual needs. 

5. How many ketamine therapy sessions are needed?

We don't believe in one-size-fits all care so our plans are personalized to each patient's unique needs based on factors such as severity of symptoms and overall health condition of the patient. Patients begin treatment with either our 8-dose or 24-dose programs, and undergo a proprietary dose-finding process to reach the optimal dose and frequency of treatment. Most patients undergo either weekly or twice weekly ketamine sessions for the duration of their plan.

Ketamine therapy is right for you if you are experiencing moderate to severe depression that has not responded positively to other forms of treatment such as psychotherapy or medication management alone. Patients who have responded to ketamine generally find long-lasting relief from their symptoms with many reporting complete remission of depression after only several treatments! If you think you may benefit from ketamine therapy, you can take our patient screener or reach out to Innerwell at care@helloinnerwell.com or call us at (909) 679-3482.

Learn about the benefits of at-home ketamine therapy, which is quickly becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional in-person experience of going to a ketamine clinic. Make an informed decision about what's best for you.

The Benefits of At-Home Ketamine Therapy vs In-Person Clinics

Cost & Convenience

Comfort

Personalized Care

Logistics

Conclusion

FAQs about Innerwell At-Home Ketamine Treatment

Whether you’re a seasoned psychonaut or having your first psychedelic experience, it is critical to prepare your mind, body, and environment in order to have a safe and fulfilling journey towards introspection and self-understanding.

We’ve put together a guide to help you navigate your psychedelic experience and get the most out of it.

Creating an environment that is conducive for a safe, disruption free psychedelic trip is a crucial step towards having a meaningful experience. Read on to learn how you can prepare your physical surroundings.

Choose an area where you can sit and then lie down, like a couch or bed

Set up ambient mood lighting (e.g. lamps instead of overhead lights)

Surround yourself with cozy blankets and pillows

Make sure all housemates (including furry friends!) do not enter your session space during the experience

Turn on an essential oil diffuser or light an incense stick for a pleasant aroma

Medicine - be sure to double check the dose you should be taking each session

Journal & Pen - this is helpful to keep on hand to jot down notes, questions, or inspiration during or immediately after your psychedelic experiences.

Eyemask - most patients find that wearing an eyemask during their experience helps immensely with immersion and focus.

Blood pressure cuff - this is used for an important safety check before taking your medicine.

Spit cup - spitting out ketamine after 10 minutes allows you to receive the benefits and full effect of the medicine while also minimizing any potential nausea.

Glass of water or juice - this can be helpful to cleanse your palate once you no longer have the medicine in your mouth.

Headphones - for listening to music during your experience. Remember to fully charge them if they have batteries! 

Create distance from work and external responsibilities

Calm the mind with a guided meditation from our library

Avoid any irritating personal conflicts, news, and social media

The Do’s and Don’ts for a Safe Psychedelic Experience

Double-check to make sure your Sitter will be home and present during your experience

Use the restroom immediately before to avoid disruptive bathroom breaks

Plan to spend the rest of your day relaxing and integrating

Take the medicine if your blood pressure is over 160/100*

Drink alcohol or excessive caffeine the day of (tea is okay)

Smoke cannabis or take benzodiazepines on your dosing day

Eat any food within 3 hours of taking medicine (but do not fast the entire day)

Drink any liquids within 1 hour of taking medicine


*If your systolic blood pressure (top number) is over 170, or your diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) is over 100, take some slow, deep breaths and sit quietly for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes have passed, recheck your blood pressure. If it remains above 160/100, do not take ketamine. Try rechecking your readings later or the next morning. If your readings remain high, you should consult your primary care doctor before proceeding.

Place the cuff on your left bare wrist, with the screen & buttons on your inner wrist (i.e., the same side of your wrist as your palm)

Hold your arm level with your heart and press the start button on the device

Stay relaxed while your blood pressure is taken - it should only take a minute

Only take the medicine if your blood pressure is under 160/100

Stick to the script - Make sure you take the prescribed dose, and ask questions if you are confused

Settle In - Get comfortable in the place where you’ll have your experience and make sure all of your supplies are on hand

Take the medicine
1. Put the rapid dissolve tablet(s) under your tongue. Sit up with your head bent slightly forward.
2. As the tablet dissolves, hold your saliva in your mouth for 10 minutes without swallowing. You will hear a cue in your Innerwell playlist when the time is up.
3. Gently swish every 20 seconds or so for maximum absorption.
4. After 10 minutes, spit out the saliva into a nearby cup. If you’d like, take a sip of a beverage to get the taste out of your mouth. 

Enjoy the experience - Lie back, put on your eye mask, and make yourself comfortable.

Incorporating music into your experience:

Choose the playlist which suits your intentions, whether that means classical, slow binaural beats, ambient music, or whatever else suits you.

Feel free to pause or continue the music on your phone during the session. If you’re having a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy session, this can be especially helpful to make communicating with your therapist easier.

If you start to become anxious, return to your breath and do your best to remain in the moment and let thoughts pass by

Keep in mind that you are safe and this is a temporary experience

If you need reassurance, rely on your sitter - they’re here to help

Keep in contact with your Innerwell care team through your member portal

In the event of emergency, always call 911

Post-Session Care - How to Get The Most out of Your Experience

Write down any insights or themes that arose for you during the journey

Jot down particularly interesting visions, ideas, or sense experiences

Did any questions arise that you’d like to reflect on further? 

If you can, take it easy the rest of the day

If your dose was 200mg or less, do not drive for at least 4 hours.  If your dose was 200-400mg, do not drive for at least 8 hours.  If your dose was above 400mg, do not drive for the remainder of the day.

Try not to have stressful encounters or tasks.

The 72 hours following a ketamine journey create a state of enhanced “neuroplasticity” where your brain’s pathways are more malleable and open to integrating new ideas, habits, and inputs. This is a great time to let go of old habits that no longer serve you, and take on new habits that will fuel your growth and wellbeing. Change is on the way!

This step-by-step guide walks you through how to prepare your mind, body, and environment for a safe and fulfilling journey inwards with at-home psychedelic assisted therapy.

How to Prepare for Your Ketamine Experience

Innewell clients that are on plans that include Psychotherapist-Led Ketamine Experiences begin with two supervised ketamine experiences. These experiences are under the guided care of a licensed therapist who’s been trained in helping you harness the power of psychedelics for introspection and self-exploration. Your therapist is with you from start to finish during your ketamine experience.

You may be wondering what it’s like to work with a therapist while you’re undergoing a psychedelic experience. In this article, we’re going to break down what to expect and provide tips for interacting with your therapist during your virtual ketamine sessions.

Will I feel like talking during my ketamine experience?

Ketamine is classified as a dissociative anesthetic. When you take ketamine, you will most likely feel calm, quiet, and relaxed. Some people compare taking ketamine to going into a very deep meditation. The experience offers a beautiful opportunity to reflect on your life from a more distanced and less emotionally reactive space. During supervised experiences, your therapist will be on-camera and present with you, and their role is to maintain a safe and supportive environment throughout your experience, enabling deep introspection without fear of judgment. Likewise, their job is not to “watch you” during your session*, but rather to keep a pulse on the energy and shifts that take place as your experience unfolds.

Do I need to talk to my therapist during Ketamine Assisted Therapy?

If there is a story, memory, or thought that comes up during your session, your therapist will be happily ready to listen and help you process it. You may exchange dialogue similar to a typical therapy session while you are in your altered state. 

However, it’s important to recognize that you are not required or expected to talk and engage with your therapist throughout your experience. If you feel like putting on your eyemask and simply listening to the music, that is completely fine. In some cases, clients will not speak at all during a ketamine-assisted therapy session, only opening up once the effects have worn off and their session is complete. In this case, your therapist will honor the quiet space while still being attentive..

The dynamics of communication during ketamine experiences are fluid, and will likely change from session to session. At one particular dose, you might have a highly verbal session, and at another dose, you may prefer more silence.

In summary, there is no “right way” to interact with your therapist during the journey. They are there to support you in whatever way you need. 

What happens after my supervised experiences?

After your first two supervised sessions, you should start to feel comfortable with how ketamine makes you feel. Likewise, your therapist and psychiatric clinician will be working together with you to ensure you’re safe and at the optimal dose throughout the duration of your program.

Subsequent ketamine experiences are self-guided and followed by an Integration Session with your therapist. Integration sessions allow you to work with your therapist during the optimal time window when your brain is benefitting from the neuroplasticity that ketamine induces.

You will always have access to your therapist and psychiatric clinician throughout your entire journey at Innerwell. We want you to feel comfortable communicating anything that comes up for you, whether it’s an insight, question, or concern.

*You’ll have a sitter at home to make sure you’re safe. Plus, all Innerwell sessions start with a series of safety checks to make sure you’re ready to go.

A must-read for anyone considering the Individualized Psychedelic Assisted Therapy plan, this article discusses what it's like to have a therapist with you while you're undergoing a psychedelic experience.

How do I interact with my therapist during my ketamine experience?

It’s normal to feel nervous about trying psychedelic-assisted therapy. In the United States, psychedelics are loaded with cultural and political taboos as a result of the War on Drugs. Started in 1971, this government-sponsored campaign published a cascade of negative press against psychedelics, even though medicines like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA were showing tremendous promise as psychiatric treatments. 

The truth is, like any other medicine, psychedelics do pose risk when they are not taken appropriately. However, the virtue of psychedelic-assisted therapy is that it creates a clinical framework for taking these substances in safe and healthy ways. In general, psychedelics actually have an impressive safety profile. While televised public service announcements in the 1980s and 1990s depicted scary images under the guise of “This is your brain on drugs”, world experts in addiction and public health have repeatedly demonstrated that psychedelics are among the least harmful drugs known. Referring to mushrooms and LSD, professor and drug policy expert David Nutt wrote:,

“It’s virtually impossible to die from an overdose of them; they cause no physical harm; and if anything they are anti-addictive.”

As you can see from this chart published in The Lancet in 2019, legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco are ranked significantly higher on the ‘drug harm score’ than psychedelic substances like mushrooms and LSD.

Fear around losing control is a common worry amongst first-time psychedelic users. But when taken in safe settings, it is extremely rare for someone to lose control of their senses or sensibilities after consuming psychedelics. You will not take off your clothes and run naked in the street, nor will you have flashbacks or “go crazy” as some media portrayals have suggested. By and large, psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions are gentle, reflective, and meditative in nature. Rather than losing control, people tend to report seeing things clearly and experiencing a sense of profound inner peace.

When taken as prescribed, ketamine is also a safe psychedelic. Furthermore, ketamine has a long safety track record  when administered in surgical settings to adults as well as children as young as 1.5-years old. The World Health Organization has put ketamine on its list of “essential medicines” for its enormous medical potential and low risk profile. Overdosing on ketamine is nearly unheard of in clinical contexts, and the doses that are prescribed for psychedelic-assisted therapy are far below the level that could pose such a risk.

All that being said, signing up for psychedelic-assisted therapy is a major decision. Being ready to take the courageous leap toward wellbeing with the aid of psychedelics is a big step, and it’s very normal to be a bit nervous or scared. At Innerwell, licensed psychiatric clinicians are present at each step of your journey to ensure your experiences are safe and beneficial. 

Get a better understanding of the stigmas and misconceptions behind psychedelics, and learn about how they are revolutionizing mental healthcare.

Dispelling the stigma around psychedelics

Ketamine is a medication that has historically been used in hospital settings for anesthesia. However, over the past two decades, it’s been studied and utilized as a treatment for mental health conditions. Several studies have demonstrated that ketamine can be helpful in treating anxiety.

Ketamine is thought to work by regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, which may help to reduce anxiety symptoms. Read on for more about how ketamine is being used by psychiatric clinicians to help patients with anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal emotion that helps us deal with danger. It can become problematic when it is out of proportion to the situation or when it interferes with our daily lives. Symptoms of anxiety can include:

Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom

There is not one single cause of anxiety. It is often a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.

Genetic: Anxiety can run in families, so it may be partially due to genetics.

Psychological: Anxiety can be the result of trauma or other stressful life events.

Environmental: Anxiety can be triggered by factors in the environment, such as job stress or relationship problems.

There are a number of different types of treatment available for anxiety. These can include:

Psychotherapy: This can help people learn about their anxiety and how to manage it.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This type of therapy can help people change the way they think about and react to anxiety-provoking situations.

Medications: There are a number of different medications that can be used to treat anxiety, such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and beta-blockers. Psychedelics are a new class of medicine that is being leveraged to treat anxiety.

Relaxation techniques: This can help people learn how to control their anxiety symptoms.

Exercise: Exercise can help to relieve anxiety by reducing stress and improving mood.

What are the benefits of ketamine for anxiety?

There are a number of potential benefits of using ketamine for anxiety treatment. These can include:

Relief from anxiety symptoms: Small studies suggest that ketamine may be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety.

Rapid onset of action: Ketamine is thought to work quickly, with some people reporting relief from anxiety symptoms within a few hours of taking the medication. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, on the other hand, can sometimes take several months to effectively treat anxiety.

Long-lasting effects: The effects of a single dose of ketamine may last for a few days or weeks, which is longer than most other anxiety medications.

Increased access to treatment: Ketamine is available as an at-home treatment option, which can increase access to care for people who live in rural or underserved areas.

Reduced need for hospitalization: For people with severe anxiety, ketamine may reduce the need for hospitalization.

What is the evidence for anxiety treatment using ketamine?

A small study published in 2016 in the journal Biological Psychiatry found that a single dose of ketamine was associated with a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD).

The researchers noted that the effects of ketamine were not just due to the medication's anesthetic properties. They suggested that ketamine may work by regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, such as glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are thought to be involved in the development of anxiety and depression.

Another small study, published in 2018 in the journal Nature, found that a single dose of ketamine was associated with a reduction in symptoms of social anxiety in people with social anxiety disorder (SAD).

The researchers suggested that ketamine may work by reducing activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain that is involved in the processing of fear and anxiety.

Ketamine for anxiety is still being studied, and more research is being published each year. If you’re considering ketamine for anxiety, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

If you are interested in at-home ketamine therapy for anxiety, you will work with a provider to develop a treatment plan. This usually involves meeting with the provider to discuss your symptoms and create a plan that includes a dosing schedule.

During treatment, you will self-administer ketamine via orally disintegrating tablets. The exact dose and frequency of treatment will be determined by your provider. These tablets are held in the mouth until they dissolve. After ten minutes of swishing, the medicine is either spit out or swallowed. Spitting is recommended for most patients to reduce nausea that is sometimes experienced with ketamine.

Ketamine Therapy

The Benefits of At-Home Ketamine Therapy vs In-Person Clinics

How to Prepare for Your Ketamine Experience

How do I interact with my therapist during my ketamine experience?

Dispelling the stigma around psychedelics

Ketamine for Anxiety

Post-Session Care: What to Do Once Your Psychedelic Experience Has Ended

How to Help Others Journey Safely: A Sitter’s Guide