Although ketamine therapy has been utilized in medical settings for years, its application as a treatment for mental health disorders has only recently entered the mainstream spotlight. Administered under strict medical supervision, patients receive low doses of this dissociative anesthetic via IV infusion or intranasal spray. According to the esteemed Columbia University?s Irving Medical Center, this method targets specific neurotransmitters in the brain, resulting in rapid antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects that can be life-changing for many.

While ketamine has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential, it is crucial to note that it isn’t suitable for everyone and carries risks of addiction. Misuse of ketamine, particularly when not administered under a healthcare provider?s supervision, can lead to serious consequences, as some well-known personalities have unfortunately discovered through their experiences.

Discover the insights and experiences shared by various celebrities regarding their journeys with ketamine therapy and how it has impacted their lives.

Chrissy Teigen has publicly embraced her journey with ketamine therapy. On her thirty-eighth birthday in 2023, she revealed that during a therapy session, she experienced a profound vision of her late son, Jack, which she described as a healing moment. This experience highlighted the emotional depth and potential therapeutic benefits of such treatments.

?I had a very nice birthday, went to see my buddies @flamingo_estate, had a fantastic lunch with friends, then did ketamine therapy and saw space and time and baby Jack and some bizarre penguins and cried and cried and cried,? she shared on Instagram. ?Then I laid with my babies, had some hot pot, then hung with my best friend.?

Halsey has been open about her use of ketamine therapy as a means to cope with PTSD and postpartum depression. After experiencing significant life changes, including giving birth, going through a breakup, and facing health challenges, she recognized the urgent need to care for her mental well-being. Although she was in remission from lupus and had overcome several health issues, Halsey still felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue and sadness. This prompted her to seek out ketamine therapy as a way to process the trauma she had endured.

?It changed my life,? Halsey shared on the She MD podcast. ?For me, it allowed me to process really tough thoughts and emotions in a way where I felt really safe? Many people have different experiences. They cry, they laugh, they relive past trauma. For me, I started going back to before I was sick, addressing old trauma during my first session, and it was almost like my mind was communicating with me, saying, ?You don?t need to do this, you?re over that.? I was like, ?Oh, okay.? Then I started addressing the newer stuff.?

While Halsey acknowledged that ketamine therapy may not be suitable for everyone, she expressed that the process provided her with closure regarding traumatic experiences and left her feeling a sense of peace.

Before his untimely passing, Matthew Perry had experimented with ketamine therapy, but he also cautioned that it contributed to his struggles. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, he recounted his experiences with this treatment, noting that while he found it enjoyable, it ultimately wasn?t beneficial for him.

?Ketamine felt like a huge exhale. They?d bring me into a room, sit me down, put headphones on me to listen to music, blindfold me, and insert an IV? And I often thought I was dying during that hour. ?Oh,? I thought, ?this is what happens when you die.? But I would consistently connect with this experience because it was something different, and anything different is good,? he wrote.

Matthew eventually realized that the therapy felt like ?being hit in the head with a giant soft shovel? and that the hangover from the experience was ?difficult and outweighed the shovel.? Despite the negative effects, he continued to use the drug outside of a medical setting. After purchasing the drug illegally and using it for several months, he tragically passed away in October 2023.

Pete Davidson has openly discussed his past struggles with ketamine addiction, admitting that there was a phase in his life where he used the drug daily for four years. During this period, he described having vivid and surreal experiences, resembling a bizarre blend of The Wiggles and Schindler?s List ? even attending Aretha Franklin?s 2018 funeral while under its influence. Although he initially regarded his ketamine use as ?magical,? he ultimately recognized it was time to pursue a sober lifestyle.

?You can?t do drugs in your 30s,? he remarked during a standup routine, adding that ?it?s not cute anymore? and ?you?re just a drug addict? if you continue to use substances at that age.

Amber Rose credits ketamine therapy with saving her life. After battling depression and suicidal thoughts for over three years, she found the courage to turn her life around. Through research and therapy, she realized that the pandemic had severely impacted her mental health, compounded by a public breakup and hormonal imbalances following the birth of her son in 2019. Ultimately, she found that ketamine therapy helped her conquer her mental health struggles.

?I had to microdose on ketamine. That?s the one thing that saved my life,? she expressed on The Jason Lee Podcast. ?Ketamine has helped me a lot? I get mine from a doctor, which I recommend everyone else do the same if they want to try it for PTSD or depression or anxiety. Over time, it helps regulate the chemicals in your body so you feel less depressed and less suicidal.?

After surviving a near-fatal overdose in 2015, Lamar Odom sought treatment to address his addiction struggles. Along with entering rehab, Lamar turned to ketamine therapy, which he claims had a significant positive impact on his recovery journey.

?I went to rehab and did other things, but ketamine came into my life at the right time,? Lamar shared on Good Morning America in 2021. ?I?m feeling great. I?m alive. I?m sober. I?m happy.?

Sharon Osbourne faced a challenging period following her departure from The Talk in 2021, which led her to explore alternative treatments for her mental health. Reflecting on the public backlash and accusations she faced, Sharon developed feelings of anxiety and depression. It was her friend and former co-host, Sara Gilbert, who encouraged her to seek out a doctor providing ketamine therapies.

?I definitely went through a rough patch at first. I found it embarrassing. The humiliation of people believing I might be a racist was overwhelming. They threatened my family and made threats against our lives. We had to have 24-hour security,? she shared with the Daily Mail.

She continued, ?I went through three months of therapy. I had ketamine therapy, and I let it all out. All the tears and everything I felt, you know. All of that, it?s gone.?

Elon Musk has candidly discussed his use of ketamine as a means to manage depressive episodes. He revealed that he has a prescription for the drug from ?an actual, real doctor? and takes ?a small amount once every other week or something like that.?

?There are times when I have kind of a?negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I suppose, or depression that?s not linked to any negative events, and ketamine helps to pull me out of that negative mindset,? Elon explained in an interview with CNN, emphasizing the importance of responsible use.

He added, ?If you use too much ketamine, you can?t really get work done. I have a lot of work, I usually put in 16-hour days?so I don?t really have a situation where I can be mentally impaired for an extended period.?