Ketamine induces an altered state of consciousness, changing someone’s perception and normal way of thinking. Yet, there is debate about whether it qualifies as a psychedelic or not. In this article, we’ll explore whether ketamine meets the definition of a psychedelic substance and how its psychedelic effects may be integral for healing.
Ketamine is a Non-Classical Psychedelic
Psychedelics are defined as drugs that produce changes in someone’s perception, mood, and cognitive processes. Although ketamine can certainly induce these changes, some people argue it isn’t a true psychedelic.
Classical psychedelics, including compounds like LSD, psilocybin, and DMT, interact with a protein in the brain called 5-HT2A. This protein receptor normally responds to the chemical messenger serotonin and plays an important role in mood and cognition. The interaction is thought to be responsible for well-characterized psychedelic effects, including:
-
- Visual distortions: Seeing geometric patterns over your normal field of vision, colours seem brighter, and objects may appear as if they’re moving
- Heightened senses: Sounds can have more impact, and physical touch can be more intense
- Intensified emotions: Experience powerful emotions that may shift from one extreme to the other
Unlike classical psychedelics, ketamine’s main psychoactive effect is dissociation (see below). People often still experience changes in their senses and emotions, but the changes have different qualities. Distortions tend to be more physical, for instance, you may feel closer or further from your environment. Emotions are more detached, and people often describe the effects as “floaty.”
Compared to classical psychedelics, ketamine also acts differently on the brain. Rather than interacting with 5-HT2A receptors, ketamine interacts with NMDA receptors, which normally respond to the neurotransmitter glutamate and play a role in learning and memory.
Because of these differences, ketamine is mostly referred to as a non-classical psychedelic. However, in the context of mental health treatment, ketamine’s healing effects overlap with classical psychedelics, and so it is often categorized as a psychedelic treatment.
Revealing the Subconscious
The word psychedelic comes from the Greek words psyche, meaning mind or soul, and deloun, meaning to make visible. Psychiatrist Humphrey Osmond coined this term after providing patients and research participants with LSD and mescaline. He noticed these substances could help people access deep-rooted emotions and memories, leading him to use them in mental health and substance use treatment.
Ketamine may therefore be classified as a psychedelic, in line with this original definition. Many people report having mind-revealing experiences on ketamine, especially at higher doses. There have been several instances of people remembering things buried deep in their subconscious while on the drug.
“The psychedelic experience exposed my hidden tumor. I had protected and empowered it with neglect. I began to excise the mass inside of me,” describes a physician who re-experienced a childhood trauma during ketamine therapy in a blogpost.
Even with Spravato, which is generally considered to be a “less psychedelic” version of ketamine, patients still report an uncovering of repressed memories. A thread on Reddit titled Why Does Spravato Dig Up Memories You Didn’t Know You Had, highlights this phenomenon.
This “mind-revealing” ability of ketamine and other psychedelics is a core part of their healing effects. When people go through traumatic events, the brain doesn’t always properly process these experiences. This leaves an imprint on the nervous system that can manifest as unhealthy thoughts and behaviours. Yet, by surfacing repressed material, ketamine and other psychedelics can make people aware of the causes of their patterns and shift their influence on the body and mind.
At Emerge, we create a calm, therapeutic environment to support these patients undergoing ketamine treatment. While we don’t offer psychotherapy, our team can recommend additional support to help you process any challenging psychological material that arises during experiences.
Ketamine as a Dissociative
While ketamine can bring us closer to parts of ourselves, it’s also a dissociative. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation defines that “this class of drug causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment.” This effect is unique compared to classical psychedelics, which can often make people feel more connected to their senses and surroundings. Other dissociative drugs include phencyclidine (PCP), nitrous oxide, often known as laughing gas, and dextromethorphan (DXM).
Ketamine dissociation can feel different depending on the dose. Lower doses, like those we use at our clinic, tend to elicit more subtle effects, such as mild changes in perception and a sense of lightness in the body. Higher doses, on the otherhand, can initiate full out-of-body states.
This dissociative quality is also key to ketamine’s therapeutic effects. Many patients who come to our clinic struggle with negative thoughts that seem deeply ingrained and hard to shift. They describe that the ketamine experience gives them space away from these thoughts, like a “mental relief.” It also helps them recognize that they aren’t defined by these thoughts.
In line with these patient experiences, multiple studies show that ketamine decreases rumination, which is the persistent occurrence of repeating negative thoughts. A 2020 study from the University Hospitals, Geneva, found that patients with treatment-resistant depression had a significant reduction in rumination from one day to one week after a single ketamine injection.
Several trials have also shown that ketamine can effectively treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which is characterized by strong intrusive thoughts.
Neuroplasticity
Ketamine not only helps people distance themselves from negative habits but may also support changes in brain processes that sustain them. Research suggests that ketamine increases neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganise itself and form new neural connections. This heightened plasticity may make it easier for people to adopt new ways of thinking and behaving. In addition, it may help overcome neurological damage to areas impacted by chronic stress.
Classical psychedelics also increase neuroplasticity, and it’s thought that this is a key mechanism in their mental health benefits. Both substances have been found to increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule involved in the growth of new nerve cells.
However, some experts have claimed that neuroplasticity is a broad term and doesn’t fully explain the biological benefits of psychedelics. Moreover, many of the studies that have found psychedelics increase neuroplasticity have occurred in animals and not humans.
Nonetheless, many patients report being able to more easily make healthy and sustainable lifestyle changes after treatment. At Emerge, we support our patients to make these positive shifts.
Psychedelic Treatment at Emerge
Psychedelic substances help reveal subconscious material, promote neuroplasticity, and shift negative patterns. It’s these qualities that make them so powerful in mental health treatment, and ketamine possesses this capacity for meaningful change. However, because of its different neurological and experiential effects, it doesn’t fit the same categorization as classical psychedelic substances.
At Emerge Ketamine Clinic. we provide a calm, supportive environment to guide you through the ketamine experience safely. If you want to learn more, get in touch with our team today or schedule a consultation.