Qualitative analysis of a patient's experience of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for substance use disorder: Empirical synergies with twelve-step programs
Dan Petrovitch, Jacob Spinks, H.J. Yoo, Lindsay Kerr, Joshua Willms, Mary Katherine Jurek, Rachel Wanzor-Box, Andrew K. Littlefield, Ben McCauley
Psychiatry Research Case Reports March 24, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycr.2025.100259 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Qualitative Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 28-year-old female treated for alcohol and opioid use disorder |
| Interventions | Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy 12-step-based treatment |
| Topics | Ketamine Addiction Esketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Substance use Empirical research |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | The patient's ketamine-induced experiences overlapped with the 12 steps, particularly in recognizing the seriousness of her substance use disorder, committing to change, developing spirituality, and repairing interpersonal relationships. |
Abstract
Ketamine has demonstrated early promise for treating substance use disorder (SUD). Despite the emerging evidence for ketamine-based approaches for SUD, little has been published on the integration of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) with existing pharmacologic, psychosocial, and peer-support approaches to treatment and recovery, including 12-step programs. Here, we present the case of a 28-year-old female treated for alcohol and opioid use disorder. We executed an inter-clinic, collaborative treatment plan that involved a psychedelic, ketamine-based regimen in combination with extant psychosocial and 12-step-based treatments for SUD. Qualitative analysis of the patient's lived experience suggested that ketamine played an important role in her self-reported experience of recovery, as she attributed psychological and spiritual changes to ketamine treatments. Specifically, this report highlights the extent to which the patient's ketamine-induced experiences overlapped with the 12 steps—specifically with respect to recognizing the seriousness of her SUD, committing to change, developing spirituality, and repairing interpersonal relationships, among other points of interface that could be useful for clinicians treating 12-step-involved SUD patients with ketamine. This article analyzed the correspondence between a patient's lived experience of a ketamine-based treatment regimen for addiction and the 12 steps. It suggests notable points of overlap between her ketamine experiences and the 12 steps, which could be useful to clinicians treating 12-step involved patients with ketamine.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in adolescents with multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Adolescents aged 14–19 with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses including... | 2023 | Case series | n = 4 |
| Case report: Adult with bipolar disorder and autism treated with ketamine assisted psychotherapy. A 29-year-old man with bipolar disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and type 2 diabetes | 2024 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Reconnecting through dissociation: a 5-month follow-up case study on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa. Female patient in her late twenties with anorexia nervosa and comorbid depression | 2025 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment of Co-occurring Borderline Personality Disorder and Depression: A Case Study. A patient with co-occurring borderline personality disorder and depression | 2025 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Antisocial Personality Disorder: A Case Report. 43-year-old man with antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism, and depression | 2025 | Case report | n = 1 |