When you have tried medication, therapy, or more than one treatment without sufficient relief, starting over can feel exhausting. You may wonder whether another option will be any different.
At Claritiv Health, IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy is our cornerstone interventional treatment. It may be an option for eligible adults with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, or bipolar depression when clinically appropriate.
We do not move someone into ketamine treatment simply because they ask for it. Every patient begins with a thorough psychiatric evaluation so we can understand what you are experiencing, what you have already tried, and whether ketamine may be a reasonable next step.
Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes another concern needs to be addressed first. Sometimes ketamine is not the right treatment.
Our priority is giving you an honest clinical assessment.
Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic in medical settings for more than 50 years. Its use for depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar depression, and other mental health conditions is off-label, meaning these uses are not included in its FDA-approved labeling.
Ketamine interacts with the brain differently than traditional antidepressants. Research has examined its effects on glutamate signaling and processes associated with neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections.
For some people, changes in depressive symptoms may emerge sooner than they have with conventional antidepressant treatment. Individual responses vary, and no result or timeline can be promised.
Research at a glance:
These figures come from a specific research population and protocol. They do not represent Claritiv Health’s patient outcomes or guarantee that an individual will respond.
At Claritiv Health, ketamine is administered intravenously in a private setting with continuous medical monitoring throughout your infusion.
Ketamine is not right for everyone. Careful evaluation helps us determine whether it may be a reasonable and safe option for you.
During your psychiatric evaluation, we review:
Based on that evaluation, we may describe you as:
Being told that you are not ready now does not necessarily mean ketamine will never be an option. We may recommend medication optimization, changes related to substance use, working with a therapist, or another step before reconsidering treatment.
We would rather address those concerns first than move forward before treatment is clinically appropriate.
Every part of your treatment is designed around medical safety, privacy, and comfort.
When IV ketamine is clinically appropriate, the standard induction series includes six infusions over two to three weeks.
Before each appointment:
Tell our clinical team about medications, substance use, or changes in your health that could affect treatment.
The infusion lasts approximately 40 to 60 minutes. You remain awake and able to communicate throughout treatment.
You will receive care in a private suite with soft or dimmed lighting and calming ambient music. Eye masks and noise-canceling headphones may also be available.
Some people feel deeply relaxed or notice temporary changes in perception, sensation, thoughts, or their sense of time. Experiences vary, and there is no single way an infusion is supposed to feel.
Our clinical team continuously monitors you throughout treatment. Monitoring includes:
After the infusion ends, you will rest in the clinic for approximately 20 to 30 minutes as the immediate effects subside. Your complete first treatment visit may take approximately 90 minutes to two hours. The length of later visits may vary.
You will need a designated driver to take you home. For 24 hours after treatment, do not:
Rest for the remainder of the day and follow the instructions provided by our clinical team.
We use follow-up conversations, symptom monitoring, progress tracking, and treatment-plan adjustments to understand how you are responding and what should come next.
Treatment-resistant depression is depression that has not improved sufficiently after previous treatment attempts. IV ketamine has been studied most extensively for this condition and may offer a different pathway when conventional approaches have not provided enough relief.
Research has found that some study participants experienced changes in depressive symptoms within hours or days. That does not mean everyone responds quickly—or responds at all.
PTSD can affect sleep, concentration, relationships, emotional connection, and your sense of safety. Symptoms may include distressing memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or feeling disconnected from daily life.
Small randomized clinical trials have studied IV ketamine for chronic PTSD, with further research still needed. We place particular emphasis on private, respectful care for veterans, first responders, and other adults living with the effects of trauma.
IV ketamine may also be considered for eligible adults with anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, or bipolar depression. Evidence differs across these conditions, and offering ketamine does not mean it will be appropriate for every person with one of these diagnoses.
Your psychiatric evaluation helps us determine whether IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy, Medication Management, Talk Therapy, or another care pathway may make more sense for you.
Honorably discharged veterans with valid military identification receive 20% off ketamine therapy services.
Claritiv Health provides self-pay care. IV ketamine infusions for mental health conditions are not typically covered by insurance.
We can provide a superbill that you may submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. HSA/FSA funds are often eligible, and flexible patient-financing options are available. Reimbursement, account eligibility, and financing terms depend on your individual plan.
Every infusion includes continuous medical oversight. We monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, comfort, and overall response during treatment.
Ketamine can cause temporary changes in blood pressure, perception, or awareness. Your evaluation helps us identify medications, health conditions, or substance use that may affect treatment safety and candidacy.
We begin with a psychiatric evaluation and consider your symptoms, health history, medications, previous treatment experiences, substance use, and goals.
We will give you an honest assessment of whether you appear to be an excellent candidate, a 50/50 candidate, or not yet ready for treatment.
Some clinical studies have measured changes in depressive symptoms within hours or by the day after an infusion. Some patients may notice a change early in treatment, while others respond later or not at all.
No particular response, result, or timeline can be promised.
Experiences vary. You may feel deeply relaxed or notice temporary changes in perception, sensation, thoughts, or your sense of time.
You remain awake and able to communicate, and our clinical team monitors you throughout the infusion.
No. Ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Its use for depression, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, bipolar depression, and other mental health conditions is off-label.
Off-label prescribing means an approved medication is used for a purpose not included in its FDA-approved labeling.
Alcohol, marijuana, or other substance use may affect treatment safety and candidacy. We discuss substance use honestly and without judgment during your evaluation.
In some cases, we may recommend changes before beginning treatment.
We assess your response and discuss whether maintenance care may be appropriate. Maintenance infusions may be scheduled every two to eight weeks according to your symptoms, response, needs, and clinical plan.
Not every patient follows the same maintenance schedule.
You do not need to convince us that ketamine is right for you. You only need to tell us what you have been experiencing and what you have already tried.
We will give you an honest assessment of whether IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy may be an appropriate next step.
The information on this website is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic. Its use for mental health conditions is off-label. The care that may be appropriate for you can only be determined through an individual clinical evaluation. Individual responses vary, and no particular outcome or treatment timeline is guaranteed.
Understanding Current Use of Ketamine for Emerging Areas of Therapeutic Interest — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024.
Antidepressant Efficacy of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial — American Journal of Psychiatry, 2013.
Single, Repeated, and Maintenance Ketamine Infusions for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial — American Journal of Psychiatry, 2019.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Repeated Ketamine Administration for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder — American Journal of Psychiatry, 2021.
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