Derek — You did a great job describing your first experience. I had a lot of the same thoughts going into ketamine session, I also found it scary 😨 anticipating what might happen, but not knowing what that might be. Blood pressure was also was elevated which is not ideal. And it’s difficult when you’re surrendering to the unknown to remain calm.
I appreciate you sharing the photos of the clinic. It looks like a lovely, warm setting with something that resembled a bed to make it feel homey. Pillows, blankets and comfort is what I wanted when I was in sessions along with someone holding my hands at some points. Not all my trips were particularly pleasant.
Sometimes I meet people and I mention that I’ve done ketamine for PTSD. And I’m surprised how many people’s eyes light up. They’re like — “Cool! I want to do ketamine!” Doesn’t matter if they’re relatively young or old. Or “Cool! I did that in high school!” And I’m like, “No. That’s not exactly what I’m talking about and it’s not always cool. I mean some of the experiences can be cool. And it can be very difficult because I’m working with trauma.” It’s not all rainbows and unicorns. I would never have chosen to do this recreationally. But, at the same time, I don’t judge those who do.
Yeah! Experiencing outer space, the void and a sense of being home are all thematics I can relate. Being in the void can be both comforting and terrifying at same time as there is no longer a grounding or a tether. Reminds me of Elton John’s Space Oddity “Ground Control to Major Tom….
In my case, my first experience involved being bombarded by the faces of Apple Watches (it felt a little eerie and nightmarish as they resembled something out of 2001 Space Odyssey where you can’t see the person behind the helmet). Eventually the Apple Watches faded and disintegrated into cosmic dust and I was on my way.
There were other experiences where I had a sense of coming home as their a sense of knowing or familiarity with a place even if I’ve never been there before.
And it strikes me as the ‘coming home’ can be experienced during the session, but also as we ‘return home’ after the trip. That can be experienced as a little disconcerting or a let down because these altered states are not sustainable. That sense of wonder about the world, in my experience, can carry over, but the sense of connectedness and bliss do not stay with us — at least not to the same degree. “After the bliss” — the laundry. That’s why I try to make sure to do the literal laundry before I go to clinic. And the other metaphorical ‘laundry’ can still be there waiting for attention.
Thanks, Anna! I agree. So many people associate ketamine with a party drug and don’t recognize its vast healing potential—when approached respectfully and mindfully.
And I love what you wrote about “after the bliss, the laundry!” Have you read Kornfield’s book?
Yes, is Ketamine like marijuana in that it’s psychedelic? I’ve only had one experience with MJ, 1/2 of a small gummy strip and I felt very strange and scared. I never tried it again, because I was afraid it might take me somewhere too scary and not back again.
Derek — You did a great job describing your first experience. I had a lot of the same thoughts going into ketamine session, I also found it scary 😨 anticipating what might happen, but not knowing what that might be. Blood pressure was also was elevated which is not ideal. And it’s difficult when you’re surrendering to the unknown to remain calm.
I appreciate you sharing the photos of the clinic. It looks like a lovely, warm setting with something that resembled a bed to make it feel homey. Pillows, blankets and comfort is what I wanted when I was in sessions along with someone holding my hands at some points. Not all my trips were particularly pleasant.
Sometimes I meet people and I mention that I’ve done ketamine for PTSD. And I’m surprised how many people’s eyes light up. They’re like — “Cool! I want to do ketamine!” Doesn’t matter if they’re relatively young or old. Or “Cool! I did that in high school!” And I’m like, “No. That’s not exactly what I’m talking about and it’s not always cool. I mean some of the experiences can be cool. And it can be very difficult because I’m working with trauma.” It’s not all rainbows and unicorns. I would never have chosen to do this recreationally. But, at the same time, I don’t judge those who do.
Yeah! Experiencing outer space, the void and a sense of being home are all thematics I can relate. Being in the void can be both comforting and terrifying at same time as there is no longer a grounding or a tether. Reminds me of Elton John’s Space Oddity “Ground Control to Major Tom….
In my case, my first experience involved being bombarded by the faces of Apple Watches (it felt a little eerie and nightmarish as they resembled something out of 2001 Space Odyssey where you can’t see the person behind the helmet). Eventually the Apple Watches faded and disintegrated into cosmic dust and I was on my way.
There were other experiences where I had a sense of coming home as their a sense of knowing or familiarity with a place even if I’ve never been there before.
And it strikes me as the ‘coming home’ can be experienced during the session, but also as we ‘return home’ after the trip. That can be experienced as a little disconcerting or a let down because these altered states are not sustainable. That sense of wonder about the world, in my experience, can carry over, but the sense of connectedness and bliss do not stay with us — at least not to the same degree. “After the bliss” — the laundry. That’s why I try to make sure to do the literal laundry before I go to clinic. And the other metaphorical ‘laundry’ can still be there waiting for attention.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Anna! I agree. So many people associate ketamine with a party drug and don’t recognize its vast healing potential—when approached respectfully and mindfully.
And I love what you wrote about “after the bliss, the laundry!” Have you read Kornfield’s book?
Yes, is Ketamine like marijuana in that it’s psychedelic? I’ve only had one experience with MJ, 1/2 of a small gummy strip and I felt very strange and scared. I never tried it again, because I was afraid it might take me somewhere too scary and not back again.