10 Things I've Learned From My Ketamine Patients
Since our opening in 2018, I have had the honor and pleasure of being witness to the growth, healing, and transformation of so many patients. With each patient, I am not only continuing to learn how to be a better doctor and ketamine specialist, but am also learning more important eternal truths. As you see, after each infusion, my patients have an opportunity to share with me and my staff any insights they had received during their ketamine infusion, and below are 10 insights and lessons my patients have shared.
My patients have learned profound insights that have changed the courses of their lives.
Lesson 1: We are all connected in the tapestry of life. We’re supposed to help each other.
The idea that we are separate is actually artificial, we are all connected. When we forget this truth of being all connected, that is when we are able to hurt or be hurt by others. We talk about this more in our blog post on the story of the waterfall.
Lesson 2: Trust is the opposite of fear.
Trust and truth are the antidote to fear. More often than not, fear comes from coming to the truth when we have deluded ourselves. Also consider, then next time you feel fear, replace that feeling with trust in your ability to handle the situation or trust that there is some goodness or growth that will come from this. Don’t you think that your fear will be replaced with a sense of assurance instead?
Lesson 3: You have more than one part inside of you and you’re observing all of them
You are a multifaceted individual, and some of these parts can sometimes contradict each other. We can seem like a different person around different people or different environments. We may even have a vast number of passions or dreams that we want to pursue. My patients have shared that during their experience, they have learned they are vast and unique.
Lesson 4: The ego loves issues.
When we recognize that the ego is separate from us, we can see that the “issues” we face or have are actually not our own but our ego’s. When we don’t identify with our ego, we can see that there really aren't any issues.
Lesson 5: Your heart is your compass, so you’re never lost.
My patients, time after time, seem to share that when they follow their heart or gut, it is clear where they need to go or what they need to do. The problem has been disconnected from their heart. The heart truly knows what’s best!
Lesson 6: There is extraordinary power in stillness.
For some of our patients, they feel they are going and going. It’s as if there is an internal motor that just goes and goes. During their infusion, they have experienced a peaceful stillness that is both grounding and empowering. They have shared with me that when they are still, they find the strength to be themselves or find what they clearly need to do!
Lesson 7: Have compassion & empathy. Be kind.
In relation to my patients’ realizations that ”we are all connected,” there is an even deeper truth that has been discovered. And this truth then leads to a deep profound knowing that we need to have compassion for those around us. Plus this compassion and kindness is not exclusive to others but also towards ourselves. Read our blog post on the importance of self-compassion during ketamine infusions.
Lesson 8: Worry is a misuse of your imagination.
When you have a deeply profound and even spiritual experience, coming back to reality and the worries that you carry in your daily life may seem so silly. Once a patient sees or better yet experiences the big picture of life, they realize the little every day worries are a waste of imagination, time and energy.
Lesson 9: We are all a piece of divine magic.
I choose to believe we are divine spiritual beings, and sometimes my patients share in this belief. Sometimes they don’t. What’s interesting are those who don’t and then have an experience during the ketamine that changes their mind on this matter. The change or shift in seeing they are part of this divine magic gives them a new perspective.
Lesson 10: We have the power to create our own story.
Often we get caught up in the narrative of being victim to circumstance or that we have no power or control. What is so amazing is to see a patient have a deeply profound ketamine experience and realize that they get to be the author of their life. Going from disempowered to empowered to creating a supportive story of their past experiences.
In the grand scheme of things, we are all interconnected.
Our Lives Aren’t All That Different
All of the truths above don’t just relate to a specific group of people or demographic. They relate to all of us. We are all human beings united in this vast ocean of the universe and we’re all ultimately headed towards the same path. We hope that you gained as much insight in this blog post as much as we do when we converse with our patients everyday. We want you to know that you are not alone and that if you feel lost, just reassure yourself that everything is truly going to be okay in the end.
As a ketamine doctor, I’ve had the pleasure to witness the transformation and life-changing realizations of my patients. Read this blog post to learn more about these realizations and who knows? You might even discover a thing or two.