"The unlikely transformation of a psychedelic drug into a mental health treatment."
New Scientist, March 11, 2024
Text: Rubi Deevoy
Driven by impressive clinical trials, some companies are offering this type of therapy as a health benefit for their employees - but what are the risks of this growing popularity?
Last year, with great impact in the press, Prince Harry wrote innocently in his memoirs, Spare, about having resorted to ketamine therapy to help him get over the death of his mother. He's not the only one to mention this substance, which used to be seen as a tranquilizer for horses or as a recreational drug. It's now hard to count the number of celebrities who publicly admit to using ketamine psychotherapy to improve their mental health.
In the US, several clinics specializing in intravenous infusions of this drug in a therapeutic environment have opened up across the country, a trend that has already reached the UK. Some innovative companies, concerned about the mental health of their employees, are already offering this type of therapy through their health insurance. One has even experimented with the idea of setting up a specialized clinic at its headquarters. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies continue to develop other ketamine-based products, including creams. This drug has become the most commonly used for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy treatments.
On the face of it, this is good news, given the growing scientific evidence that ketamine works in the treatment of depression, post-traumatic stress and addiction. However, its use in the field of mental health is still new and caution should be exercised. The illegal use of this drug, perhaps due to its recent therapeutic popularity, is also on the rise.
This means it's time to take a serious look at the role ketamine can play in solving mental health problems, analyze how it works and prevent the risks that come with its newfound popularity.
