FAQ
Ketamine is neither a traditional pain reliever nor an antidepressant. Its primary medical function is to induce a sleep-like state for surgical procedures. However, at lower doses, it has a unique ability to disengage the brain from a state of heightened alertness—drawing patients out of fight mode and allowing them to relax deeply.The human body is designed to react instantly to perceived threats, but when a person consciously senses the opportunity to relinquish control and embrace stillness, their nervous system can shift out of survival mode just as quickly as it responds to danger.
KBlend is carefully designed to ensure that this transition happens by the patient’s own free will, empowering them to intentionally reshape behavioral patterns that can lead to lasting change. Rather than chemically forcing a shift, we guide patients through the process so they can fully experience their body’s transformation. As the fight-or-flight response dissipates, patients often feel dormant functions—such as digestion—coming back online. Soon after, they notice obsessive and ruminating thoughts subside, as the mind emotionaly processes things they are resolved.
Remarkably, within just a few treatments, many patients report that their self-preservation instincts begin to override harmful thought patterns. Suicidal ideation, which may have consumed them just days before, is often significantly reduced or completely absent. This process highlights ketamine’s potential not as a direct antidepressant, but as a catalyst that enables the mind and body to reset—allowing patients to experience profound emotional and psychological healing.
Ketamine is a unique medication that works differently from traditional antidepressants and pain relievers. Originally developed as an anesthetic, its profound effects on brain chemistry have made it a groundbreaking treatment for mood disorders, chronic pain, and addiction recovery. Unlike medications that work over weeks or months, ketamine can create rapid and lasting changes in brain function. Below, we break down how ketamine works chemically in the brain.
Ketamine primarily targets the brain’s glutamate system, which is responsible for neural communication, learning, and memory. Unlike traditional antidepressants that work by increasing serotonin or dopamine, ketamine blocks a receptor called the NMDA receptor. This action leads to a temporary surge in glutamate, triggering a cascade of events that rapidly increase synaptic connections between neurons.
This glutamate surge is critical because it enhances neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself. For individuals suffering from depression, PTSD, or addiction, their brain often becomes trapped in rigid, maladaptive patterns. Ketamine helps unlock these patterns, providing an opportunity to establish new, healthier neural pathways.
Traditional antidepressants, such as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), work by gradually increasing serotonin levels, which can take weeks or even months to show noticeable effects. In contrast,ketamine works within hours by directly enhancing glutamate signaling.
This difference is particularly important for individuals with treatment-resistant depression or acute suicidal thoughts.
Whereas SSRIs slowly adjust brain chemistry, ketamine creates an almost immediate shift in perspective and emotional regulation,
allowing patients to experience relief much faster.
Ketamine is sometimes confused with classic psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin (magic mushrooms) because it can cause dissociation and altered perceptions. However, ketamine does not act on the serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, which are responsible for the hallucinogenic effects of psychedelics. Instead, its dissociative properties come from NMDA receptor inhibition, which temporarily disconnects parts of the brain associated with ego, identity, and self-referential thinking.
This is why ketamine is often referred to as a dissociative anesthetic rather than a true psychedelic. The temporary detachment from thoughts and emotions allows patients to gain a new perspective on their mental state, making it easier to break out of negative thought loops.
Beyond its immediate effects, ketamine has been shown to stimulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that encourages long-term brain growth and resilience. This means that with repeated treatments, ketamine can rebuild lost neural connections, allowing patients to sustain improvements in mood, cognition, and emotional processing.
In summary, ketamine is not just a drug that temporarily alters perception—it is a neurological reset that helps individuals create lasting behavioral and emotional changes. By working through glutamate pathways, enhancing neuroplasticity, and promoting synaptic growth, ketamine offers a revolutionary alternative to traditional treatments for mental health and addiction recovery.
Affordability is at the heart of Complete Ketamine. By operating stand-alone clinics, we eliminate unnecessary overhead costs and pass the savings directly to our patients. The goal is to ensure everyone has a chance to beat their disease!
What value would you place on a life filled with clarity, focus, and boundless energy—the ability to achieve things you once thought impossible?
Currently, ketamine infusion therapy is not covered by insurance, but our high success rates reflect the commitment of our patients. We recognize that the financial aspect can be challenging, which is why we have worked tirelessly to keep costs low. Our treatments provide the same transformative benefits as other clinics—at a fraction of the cost. To ensure affordability, we also offer two flexible financing options, making treatment accessible to everyone in need of hope.
At Complete Ketamine, we believe that healing should be within reach for everyone. Take the first step toward a brighter future today.
Ketamine is not recommended for detoxing from substances because of its profound effects on neuroplasticity, which can reinforce existing behavioral patterns rather than disrupt them. While ketamine has been explored as a tool in addiction treatment, its ability to enhance synaptic connections can inadvertently strengthen maladaptive behaviors if introduced too early in the recovery process. Individuals who are still actively using substances may reinforce their cravings or dependency cycles when exposed to ketamine, reducing its long-term efficacy. Research suggests that ketamine's success rates in treating addiction significantly improve when a person is completely clean before starting treatment. This allows the brain to reset, maximizing ketamine's potential to foster new, healthier behavioral pathways rather than reinforcing old patterns of substance use.
A person is ready to transition from addiction treatment when they qualify for a Vivitrol injection. We find that coordinating a transfer from a substance use program to KBlend is best timed when the body is clean and before relapse desires become consuming. This transition period is critical—introducing ketamine too soon, while the brain is still in the withdrawal phase, can interfere with the body’s natural ability to regulate itself and fully engage in the healing process. Withdrawal symptoms create stress signals in the brain that ketamine may amplify rather than alleviate, making it difficult to separate its therapeutic effects from the chaotic neurochemical environment caused by active addiction.
Furthermore, the goal of ketamine therapy is not to replace one substance with another, but to facilitate a mental and emotional reset that helps individuals build resilience against future cravings. When used prematurely, ketamine may provide temporary relief from withdrawal discomfort, but without a solid foundation of sobriety, patients may associate it with immediate symptom relief rather than long-term healing. This can weaken its impact as a transformative tool for breaking addiction patterns.
By ensuring that ketamine is administered at the right stage of recovery, patients are more likely to benefit from its ability to rewire the brain in a way that supports lasting change. KBlend uses timing and integration, ensuring that ketamine treatment is introduced as a means to fortify recovery rather than as a shortcut to escape withdrawal symptoms. When paired with proper counseling and behavioral therapy, ketamine can help individuals not only avoid relapse but also develop a fundamentally new relationship with their emotions, thoughts, and sense of control over their lives.
Psychedelic mushrooms can induce sudden relief from mental health symptoms, but this relief is often short-lived, and in many cases, symptoms may worsen over time. This is because mushrooms provide an immediate chemical experience rather than requiring the individual to alter their behaviors in order to achieve relief. While the trip may feel profound, it does not necessarily create lasting changes in thought patterns or emotional responses. When patients receive instant symptom relief without engaging in active behavioral change, they risk developing a dependency on the experience itself rather than addressing the root causes of their struggles.
In contrast, ketamine, when administered in a clinical environment, facilitates transformation through choice. Patients must voluntarily surrender and embrace vulnerability, physically creating new behavioral pathways in the brain. Unlike the fleeting effects of a psychedelic trip, behavioral patterns do not simply fade away like the effects of a drug. Instead, they can last a lifetime as they are nurtured and reinforced. This fundamental difference makes ketamine therapy a more sustainable and effective option for individuals seeking long-term healing from addiction and mental health conditions.
Ketamine is an exceptionally safe medication that has been widely used in medical and surgical applications for over 50 years. From battlefield medicine to the operating room, it has consistently demonstrated reliability and safety. While each patient responds differently to ketamine, most remain awake and able to interact with staff during the infusion. Many choose to talk to a counselor, listen to music, or simply relax in silence.
Side effects are typically mild and limited to the duration of the infusion and recovery period. These may include:
Our experienced medical staff carefully adjusts the dosage and infusion length to maximize therapeutic benefits while minimizing side effects. During the recovery period, it is common to feel extremely fatigued or experience a sensation of heaviness in the body.
To help counteract post-infusion lethargy, we also offer vitamin infusions designed to support recovery and replenish essential nutrients. Since a ketamine experience can be similar to an intense physical workout for the brain and body, these infusions aid in:
At our clinic, patient safety, comfort, and long-term wellness are our top priorities, ensuring every treatment is both effective and well-tolerated.
Ketamine is one of the safest and most widely used anesthetics in the world, so much so that nearly everyone has received it at some point in their lives—whether during a medical procedure, emergency treatment, or even in veterinary care. It is the most common anesthetic used in pediatric and veterinary medicine due to its rapid onset and unique ability to provide anesthesia without suppressing breathing or lowering blood pressure. This makes it a preferred choice in emergency and surgical settings.
Originally synthesized in 1962 by Parke-Davis researchers as an alternative to PCP (phencyclidine), ketamine was designed to provide dissociative anesthesia while minimizing the hallucinogenic side effects that plagued its predecessor. For decades, it was primarily used as a battlefield and hospital anesthetic, with an exceptional safety profile due to its ability to maintain vital functions.
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the military made an unexpected discovery—soldiers returning from Afghanistan who had received ketamine for battlefield injuries showed significantly lower rates of PTSD compared to those who had not. This led to a resurgence of interest in ketamine's effects on the brain, particularly its ability to promote neuroplasticity and modulate glutamate, a key neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation.
Today, ketamine is not only recognized as a safe anesthetic but also as a groundbreaking treatment for depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions, providing hope for those who have not responded to traditional therapies.
Off-label prescribing is a common practice in medicine, with estimates suggesting that approximately 10% to 20% of all prescriptions are for off-label uses. In certain specialties, such as pediatrics, this rate can be even higher. (American Medical Association).
Ketamine, originally developed and approved as an anesthetic, has been recognized over the past decade as an innovative treatment for mood disorders and chronic pain syndromes. Institutions such as the National Institute of Mental Health, Mayo Clinic, Yale University, Mount Sinai Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Black Dog Institute have conducted research demonstrating statistically significant outcomes with ketamine infusion therapy.
Numerous studies have shown rapid improvement in severe depression when patients receive six low-dose ketamine infusions over two to three weeks, with well over 70% of patients experiencing success. Experts at the National Institute of Mental Health have stated, "IV Ketamine Therapy may be the most important treatment breakthrough in decades." (Oxford University).
However, because ketamine is an older drug with expired patents, pharmaceutical companies have limited financial incentive to pursue the costly process of obtaining new FDA approvals for its use in treating mood disorders. This economic reality, coupled with the current legal framework in the United States, has slowed the mainstream adoption of ketamine for these indications. In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom have been able to integrate ketamine into treatment protocols for mood disorders much more rapidly.
In summary, while ketamine’s use for mood disorders is considered off-label, it is supported by a growing body of evidence from reputable institutions. The lack of formal FDA approval for this indication in the United States is more a reflection of economic and regulatory factors rather than a lack of efficacy.
Ketamine is an anesthetic, meaning that its benefits for mental health and chronic pain require precision use in a controlled environment that supports the patient’s ability to integrate their experience. Simply making a patient feel good without first addressing necessary behavioral changes can lead to advancing symptoms rather than healing.
Consequently, proper ketamine therapy will not always provide an immediate sense of relief, but instead will typically cause a patient to feel different—sometimes in a way that feels unsettling or unfamiliar. This difference is neither inherently good nor bad but rather a signal that the brain is actively undergoing change. Patients must have the maturity to accept results that may not match their expectations and recognize that healing is a process rather than a single moment of relief.
While ketamine can be transformative for many, like all medical treatments, there are some individuals for whom it may worsen symptoms or provide no significant benefits at all. Patients with certain neurological or psychological conditions may not respond positively, which is why careful screening is necessary.
Although we cannot predict your exact response to ketamine, decades of research and countless patient testimonials have shown that Ketamine Infusion Therapy is a promising treatment worth trying. Additionally, our knowledgeable and compassionate team will review your full medical and mental health history to identify factors that may affect your body’s ability to respond positively.
We are here to help answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding this breakthrough, innovative treatment. Our goal is not just to provide ketamine infusions, but to ensure they are administered in a way that supports long-term healing and sustainable behavioral transformation.