What Is Ketamine Therapy and Is It Safe?
By Teresa Alasio, MD | Intentional Self Aesthetics, New Canaan, CT
Ketamine therapy is a physician-administered treatment that uses low doses of ketamine, an FDA-approved anesthetic medication, to address treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain conditions. It represents one of the most significant advances in mental health treatment in decades, offering relief to patients who have not responded to traditional antidepressants or other therapies.
At Intentional Self Aesthetics, ketamine infusion therapy is offered under my direct medical supervision. Every patient undergoes a thorough medical and psychiatric evaluation before treatment to ensure they are an appropriate candidate. Ketamine is not appropriate for everyone, and that evaluation is an essential part of the process.
How it works: Ketamine acts on NMDA receptors in the brain, promoting neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections. This mechanism is different from traditional antidepressants and is believed to be why ketamine can produce rapid improvement, sometimes within hours to days of the first infusion, in patients who have struggled for years without relief.
Is it safe? When administered by a physician in a controlled clinical setting with appropriate patient selection, ketamine infusion therapy has a well-established safety profile. Side effects during infusion can include dissociative sensations, mild perceptual changes, nausea, and elevated blood pressure, all of which are monitored and managed throughout treatment. These effects resolve quickly after the infusion ends.
The key word is supervision. Ketamine therapy should always be administered and overseen by a qualified physician. I am present throughout every infusion, and your safety is the first priority at every step.
If you are curious about whether ketamine therapy might be appropriate for you or someone you care about, I welcome that conversation. A consultation is the right place to start.
Ready to learn whether ketamine therapy is right for you? Request a consultation with Dr. Alasio.
Teresa Alasio, MD is a board-certified physician in Pathology, Cytopathology, and Aesthetics and the founder of Intentional Self Aesthetics at 23 Vitti Street, New Canaan, CT.
