u/Mundane-Cranberry-30

I've been in treatment for about six months and it's been a game changer. I know that the "trips" aren't necessarily the point. And of course there is a lot of debate on this subject. But I do believe that there's a correlation in the benefits. That the insights, perception change, trip whatever happens in there mixed with what the medicine also does chemically to work on depression creates a symbiotic relationship.

I do once a week treatment currently and curious if you gain a tolerance and this fades. I don't experience the dissociation as much as I used to, but the trip is definitely still there as well as the epiphanies. Then I'm free of depression and a noticeable decrease in anxiety during the week. What is your experience with this in the long term, months, 1 year, over etc?

Going through this subreddit I see tons of accounts, more often than not, that are receiving compounded ketamine nasal solutions that are way outside of the antidepressant guidelines intended to treat depression and anxiety. Ex. 300mg 3 times a week, 200mg daily, etc.

​Some of those are pain patients which are more understandable. However, the denial is palpable. I’m in recovery from addiction. From all the worst substances, and currently I have a healthy relationship with ketamine.

​I use Spravato in maintenance phase 1 time a week. It's done wonders. It connects me to life, a similar experience to other classic psychedelics I've tried medicinally. I’m less depressed, I get insights in session that integrate into daily life afterwards. And while I do look forward to my sessions, I feel no cravings or compulsion to use it afterwards. The reason I look forward to it is the profound insights and the benefits it does for my mental health.

​I would say I definitely have a healthy relationship with this substance as of now. I may lose my insurance soon and was considering at-home compounded nasal sprays, but that’s where my concern comes into play. Because that's when people on here seem to abuse it.

To those of you with addiction history or not but may now and using it outside the protocols, daily, 3-4 times a week, over 150mg which is the high end max: Is this how it started? Is there anyone with an addiction history that hasn’t exceeded this and continued to have a healthy relationship and use it ethically prescribed within protocol? I know addiction, and it all feels like medicine in the beginning. It’s a fine line. Then it becomes escapism. Not medicine. I see denial here a lot.

So I have a friend that does IM ketamine at the same clinic as me. I have been on Spravato for a few months and it's been a really amazing tool.

My insurance covers both and I'm curious about giving the IM a try. Basically out of curiosity. However I don't want tolerance to develop if I decide to go back to spravato and it not have the same impact.

My sessions vs his sound completely different. Funny enough he's curious about the spravato. Although I know they say the sessions themselves aren't the main point I've found it's equally as important.

My sessions feel like deep meditation, I'm not totally dissociated except perhaps the first time I tried 84mg. So I'm able to work on my intentions, meditate, feel a deep sense of peace and introspection.

He seems jealous of this as his experiences seem to be completely dissociating, and while he says he's gone deep and had somewhat of an ego death, it's mostly described as a world-bending loss of sense of self and probably more confusing. Sometimes scary which in its own right can be therapeutic I suppose as facing demons or fears. Maybe I'm missing that part.

I'm having less of a glow anti depressant effect after my sessions but during deeply impactful integration wise. Anyone have experience with both. Going from one to the other and then back to the other as result?

I don't want to lose the spiritual side of this therapy but perhaps want more antidepressant effect. If I go back to spravato after IM will it be less intense/ ruined? Thanks!