A qualitative study of patients' experience of ketamine treatment for depression: The ‘Ketamine and me’ project
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports January 15, 2021 Chris Griffiths, Kate Walker, Isabel Reid et al. 26 citations
In-depth interviews with 13 people diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression who received ketamine infusions revealed a typical pattern: an initial dissociative 'high' and enhanced perception, followed by a lifting of mood and reduction or removal of suicidal ideation and depression symptoms lasting 3–6 days. This led to increased motivation, socialization, and activity. All participants valued the therapeutic alliance with clinicians and advocated for treatment access for those unresponsive to other therapies. Ketamine can be potentially life-transforming for some, though it is not tolerated or effective for everyone. Small sample size and single-site recruitment limit generalizability.