Toward Synergies of Ketamine and Psychotherapy
David S. Mathai, Victoria Mora, Albert Garcia‐romeu
Frontiers in Psychology March 25, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868103 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Dissociative Psychotherapist Psychological intervention Relevance law |
| Citations | 51 |
| Key findings | Ketamine shows substantial potential as a treatment when used in conjunction with psychological interventions, and a model for combining esketamine with ACT is proposed. |
Abstract
Ketamine is a dissociative drug that has been used medically since the 1970s primarily as an anesthetic agent but also for various psychiatric applications. Anecdotal reports and clinical research suggest substantial potential for ketamine as a treatment in conjunction with psychological interventions. Here, we review historical and modern approaches to the use of ketamine with psychotherapy, discuss the clinical relevance of ketamine’s acute psychoactive effects, propose a unique model for using esketamine (one isomeric form of ketamine) with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and suggest considerations for moving medication-assisted psychotherapy forward as a field.