Which psychedelic is legal?
Ketamine. (Sounds like Keh-tuh-meen)
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic. (Its dissociative quality is what makes it “psychedelic”.) It is the most commonly prescribed anesthetic in the world, used on infants and the elderly alike. Ketamine’s outstanding reputation comes from the fact that it has an unmatched safety profile. It preserves breathing and heart function, unlike other anesthetics, and also has pain relieving properties. These qualities, as well as its dissociative nature, are the reasons ketamine has been used in mental health settings since it was synthesized in 1962. It has such a long, positive anecdotal history in mental health, and now many double-blinded placebo controlled studies proving its effectiveness as a fast acting antidepressant and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medication) that the National Institute of Mental Health and American Psychiatric Association now accept it as a psychiatric intervention.
What does dissociative mean?
In the context of ketamine, dissociative means that the amount of sensory data from your body into your brain is dampened. Your brain is literally disconnected from a portion of the information it uses to create your typical mindset. This temporary alteration of brain function is a fast way out of mental ruts and allows for increased creativity and perspective.
I hate the way cannabis makes me feel. Could this be like that?
Not in the least. Many strains of cannabis can turn on the stress response of your nervous system and make you feel anxious and terrible. Ketamine, on the other hand, is an anesthetic, so it will simply feel relaxing.
Will I be anesthetized?
No. You will be taking an “analytic” or “psycholitic” dose of ketamine, which is a small fraction of a surgical anesthetic dose.. You will be able to sit up and engage in conversation if you want. The subjective experience at this dosing level is relaxing and can induce a state of empathy with yourself and others. It might feel very mildly trancelike and your sensory perceptions might be mildly distorted.
What are the side effects:
For people who are easily nauseated, ketamine can induce some nausea at the end of the experience. This is possible, but not probable. Nausea symptoms are mitigated or eliminated by the administration of an anti-nausea medication by the physician. The other major side effect of ketamine is the psychedelic experience. At the “analytic” or “psycholitic” dose you will be taking, psychedelic side effects might include difficulty walking without a steadying hand, a mild trancelike state and mild distortions of sensory perceptions.
Is this really safe?
Yes, ketamine has a stellar safety profile. It preserves respiratory and heart function, even at very high, surgical anesthetic doses that are 10X higher than the dose you will be taking. In addition, you will be screened by the physician for contraindications before participation.
What are the contraindications?
Primary contraindications include pregnancy, active psychosis, and acutely high blood pressure. The physician will screen you for these and any other contraindications before you can participate.
How long will the psychedelic experience last?
Somewhere between one and two hours, depending on your metabolism.
What is a psychedelic experience like?
The dose you will be taking is called an “analytic” or “psycholitic” dose. At this low dose, you can sit up and engage in a conversation if you want. It’s a comfortable, relaxing dose that can induce a state of empathy with yourself and others. It might feel very mildly trancelike. Sensory perceptions are only very mildly distorted.
How will a psychedelic help my vision boarding?
Due to its anesthetic properties, ketamine will induce a dampening of the sensory signals of your body into your brain and a softening of your muscles. Since the state of the body and the experience of your mind are two sides of the same coin, this will release some of the rigidity you carry around in your mindset. “Bodyset” is mindset, we like to say.
Paradoxically, ketamine will also, “excite” your brain, making it “talk” to itself more flexibly than it usually does. This altered brainstate will allow you to have a perspective you do not normally have about your life, your prospects and your future possibilities. The psychedelic mindset is an expanded (vs contracted or rigid) mindset, and an expanded mindset is required for high level creative thinking and broadened perspective. Interestingly, difficulty breaking out of rigid patterns of thinking is generally the result of undiagnosed symptoms of anxiety and depression. A self assessment followed by psychological and physical assessments before the workshop will determine if this is the case for you.
Do I have to be there Friday?
Yes. A physician consult and the preparation session for the psychedelic experience occur on Friday. Without those, we cannot safely and legally guide you through the psychedelic portion of the retreat on Saturday.
How far is the location from the Tampa airport?
A twenty minute drive.
Need to know more about ketamine to feel good about this?