This guide is designed for people exploring ketamine therapy for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mood-related symptoms, not chronic pain. It will help those with mood-related symptoms do a simple candidacy self-check and understand what happens next, including how to schedule an intake. For chronic pain referrals, talk to your doctor and offer them to our referral criteria blog or provider page for more on next steps.
If you are “ketamine curious,” this article offers a grounded way to answer one question: is this worth exploring for me?
Ketamine Therapy, In Plain Terms
Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic medication. Some clinicians use ketamine off-label for mood disorders, and esketamine (Spravato) is FDA-approved for specific depression indications under a strict safety program with required monitoring.
Because this treatment can cause dissociation, sedation, blood pressure changes, and respiratory risks, responsible care starts with screening and ends with monitored observation.
Quick Self-Check: Reasons People Explore Ketamine Treatment
You may be a reasonable candidate to explore an intake if:
- You have a diagnosis like major depression, PTSD, or significant anxiety symptoms that are persistent and impairing
- You have tried standard treatments and you are not getting enough relief
- You are functioning, but at a high cost (low motivation, low joy, poor sleep, constant “white knuckle” coping)
- You want a medically supervised option with real screening and follow-through
Clinical consensus statements and guideline discussions commonly place ketamine as an option when standard treatments have not been sufficient, with clear reminders about limitations in evidence and the importance of patient selection and monitoring.
Comprehensive Considerations
Candidacy is not just about symptoms. It is also about safety, stability, and support.
A strong candidate is usually someone who can say yes to most of these:
- My symptoms are significant and ongoing
- I have tried appropriate treatment steps, or I can clearly explain why I could not
- I can commit time for monitored visits and recovery time afterward
- I have safe transportation home after treatment
- I have a plan for follow-up care (therapy, psychiatry, primary care)
Best Conditions for Treatment
The guidance below is not a promise, but a description of practical, observable patterns in good candidates for ketamine therapy.
Treatment-Resistant Depression
When major depression hasn’t improved enough after several appropriate treatments, some people explore ketamine as a next-step option. In clinical guidance, IV ketamine is generally discussed as a later-line treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression.
Depression With High Symptom Burden
This can include severe anhedonia, impaired function, or long episodes where “basic life” feels unmanageable, even when you are doing the right things.
PTSD And Anxiety With Prominent Dysregulation
Many people have mixed pictures: depression plus anxiety, trauma symptoms plus sleep disruption. Your intake is where we clarify what you are actually treating and what outcome would matter most.
Who Should Pause and Get Extra Guidance First
Some situations require added caution, a different setting, or a different plan first.
Potential “Not Right Now” Flags
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure or significant unstable medical conditions
- Current psychosis or unstable mania
- Active, untreated substance use disorder
- Pregnancy
- Inability to safely complete monitored visits and have a ride home
These are the kinds of risks that show up repeatedly in clinical guidance and labeling discussions around monitored administration and safety.²⁴
If any of these apply, it does not automatically mean “never.” It often means “slow down and do the intake carefully.”
A Note About At-Home And Compounded Products
If you are seeing “at-home ketamine” ads, it is important to know this:
The FDA has warned about compounded ketamine products marketed for psychiatric disorders, highlighting safety risks and the lack of onsite monitoring.
If you explore this treatment, do it in a setting that treats monitoring and screening as part of the care, not as an optional add-on.
What An Intake Is, And What It Is Not
An intake is not a sales call. It is a clinical fit check.
What We Typically Cover
- Your diagnosis history and symptom pattern
- What you have tried, what helped, and what did not
- Medication history and any side effects or sensitivities
- Medical history and safety risks
- What success would look like, in your life
- Whether you are a fit for our setting and protocols
If ketamine therapy is not an appropriate fit, you should be told directly, with next steps discussed. That is part of responsible care.
What To Ask Yourself Before You Schedule
If you can answer these, your intake will be more productive:
- What symptoms are you trying to change most
- How long have they been present
- What treatments have you tried, and for how long
- What would “better” look like in 30 days
- Who is on your care team right now
- What safety concerns do you have
How To Self-Refer At Vitalitas
If this feels like a reasonable next step, the self-referral process is simple:
- Reach out to the clinic to schedule an intake
- Complete the intake paperwork and screening questions
- Attend the intake visit
- If appropriate, we outline a plan and answer your questions about timing, monitoring, and what to expect
If you are ready, contact us to schedule an intake appointment.
