What's The Best Mindset For Ketamine Treatments?
Ketamine treatments can be rapidly effective in a significant number of patients suffering from depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. However, there are some patients who seem to do better than others. In addition to an appropriate environment, preparation, and integration afterwards, the right mindset going into a ketamine treatment is crucial.
These are the three MENTAL factors that support patients’ improvement from the ketamine treatments:
1. Deep desire to change
One patient came to Reset Ketamine based upon the suggestion of her partner and was highly influenced to give it a try. Deep down she may not have really wanted the treatments, but at the same time she wanted to appease the partner. Naturally, her personal desire to change was minimal and she didn’t follow through on the preparation, nor the homework between sessions. After the 6 initial treatments, she had zero improvement.
Conversely, another patient was absolutely sick and tired of his depression and just lying in bed for days. He was extremely motivated to get back his life and was willing to do whatever it takes. Accordingly, he followed all the preparation guidelines and made appointments with his therapist regularly after the ketamine sessions to integrate what he learned.
This patient had a remarkable response to the ketamine infusions and needed only a few boosters after the initial treatments. Afterwards, he was able to make healthy significant changes, including starting a new job, ending a negative relationship, and changing his habits for the better.
Some people don’t like the status quo, yet are not in enough discomfort or pain to make a change. If one is not fully satisfied, nor dissatisfied, but just “kinda bleh” about their situation, they may not have enough WANT or DESIRE to make the changes.
When you consider the off-label ketamine trials that have been performed, the patients who enrolled were active participants in the study. They likely had to jump over regulatory hurdles, fill out lots of paperwork, and maneuver through the red tape to be in a randomized, blinded trial.
In the real world application, this means that patients who have a profound desire for change in their lives and are willing to overcome the obstacles to receive the ketamine infusions may get better more rapidly.
2. The belief that one can change and heal
Have you ever had a cut on your hand? When you had this cut, did it eventually heal? Initially, you may have had to cleanse it, put a bandage, and apply antibiotic ointment on it to assist the healing process, but it did heal. There may even be a scar leftover from the wound, depending upon its size.
I believe this also applies to mental health. I assert that humans naturally have the ability and potential to heal. Of course, sometimes we need the support and assistance of our fellow human beings, medications, and time, but it can absolutely happen. Do you believe in this concept?
Some people believe that they will never change no matter what. They believe that they cannot heal and that nothing will ever get better.
One Stanford psychologist, Carol Dweck, PhD, discusses a fixed versus a growth mindset. These two mindsets reflect personal beliefs that people carry in their lives. The people with the first mindset believe that their intelligence is static and those with the second mindset believe their intelligence can be developed.
So is intelligence something that can be improved? Or is it fixed based upon genetic and environment factors? What about depression and anxiety, is it fixed or malleable?
There are certainly biological differences in humans and diseases that can mimic psychiatric disorders (e.g. hypothyroidism and depression, strokes, NMDA receptor encephalitis). Certainly some people may be genetically and/or epigenetically prone to have depression or anxiety, but twin studies have shown that depression is not 100% correlated to DNA.
This means that two people can have the same exact DNA and similar upbringings, yet one twin may have depression whereas the other does not.
Depression and anxiety is very likely multifactorial (environment, adverse childhood events, relationships, community, etc.) But I’ve noticed that the people who improve rapidly after ketamine treatments carry the belief that they can improve, while those patients who believe there is no way they can change are likely to be stuck that way.
3. Openness
Since the 1980s, scientists have come to a consensus on 5 fundamental personality traits, known as the “Big Five.” They are: Openness, Conscientious, Extroversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. You can use the mnemonic O.C.E.A.N. to remember them and take a free online test here. Having higher levels of openness seems to play a key role in ketamine treatments.
Note, that this trait of openness is not necessarily about the approach to personal relationships, but rather about an intellectual and experiential openness or receptivity to new things. People with higher openness are creative, adventurous, artistic, less dogmatic and have a willingness to change their beliefs. They are more flexible, curious, and don’t have a strong need to conform to societal expectations. At the same time, others may consider these people to be flaky, wishy-washy, capricious, and less grounded.
Ketamine is known to be a psychedelic (mind-altering) drug and is a cutting-edge treatment. Although it’s considered to be the “the biggest breakthrough in depression research in 50 years,” it also has a reputation of recreational abuse and association with veterinary usage. Read about the history of ketamine here.
For someone to consider ketamine infusions as an alternative, this implies having an open mind and a willingness to try something novel. It even implies that this person can change their beliefs more easily and consider new perspectives in their lives. Furthermore, having this openness trait may allow for more neuroplasticity, in conjunction with ketamine, which could increase BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in a synergistic way.
Learn more about What Does A Ketamine Infusion Feel Like?
Conclusion
There are some people who seem to respond more positively & rapildy than others from ketamine infusion treatments. Many factors play a role in ketamine treatment, but certain types of mindsets, beliefs, and traits seem to lend themselves to a more pronounced effect. Patients who know themselves will be better able to assess if ketamine is something to consider, in conjunction with a consultation with a ketamine specialist. Finally, note that the initial ketamine treatments themselves may help you create the optimal mindset (energy for motivation, change in beliefs, and more openness) leading to a positive upward spiral.