Ketamine Therapy Gains Traction as Option for Teen Depression, but Risks and Costs Remain High
WASHINGTON – Facing a surge in youth mental health crises, some families are turning to off-label ketamine therapy despite limited insurance coverage, safety concerns, and a growing black market for the drug. The treatment,traditionally used as an anesthetic,has shown promise in alleviating severe depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder,but experts caution it’s not a cure-all and carries potential risks,especially for adolescents.
lucy, a teenager struggling with debilitating depression and OCD, began ketamine therapy in April 2023, alongside talk therapy and antidepressants, with her mother, Jacintha. While Lucy has experienced some betterment, her mother acknowledges the therapy hasn’t been a “cannonball” solution. “It’s still prevalent today, sometimes depending on my stress and my mood. But I think the biggest reason why my OCD got more manageable is as my depression was more manageable,” Lucy said.
Ketamine’s effectiveness stems from its rapid impact on brain receptors, offering relief for individuals resistant to traditional treatments. Though,the therapy is not without its drawbacks. Insurance rarely covers the treatment, leaving patients to shoulder costs of hundreds of dollars per session.
Concerns are mounting over the increasing accessibility of ketamine outside of regulated clinical settings. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, most ketamine distributed in the United States is done so illegally. Dr. John Krystal, a Yale psychiatrist, warns that improper administration of the drug is a significant risk. “Adolescents are at greater risk for addiction problems, and so the concerns that I raise about people having access to ketamine at home are even heightened for adolescents,” Krystal said.
Jacintha expressed initial worries about potentially introducing a euphoric experience that Lucy might seek elsewhere. “Am I inadvertently introducing her to a euphoric feeling that she may want to continue pursuing in other ways?” she questioned. “If she no longer has access to ketamine, but she still wants to go back to the feeling that ketamine gave her, will that lead her into other types of drug abuse?”
Lucy has as undergone four maintenance sessions, spaced six months apart, in conjunction with ongoing therapy and medication. Despite the potential benefits, Jacintha emphasizes the desperation that led them to consider the treatment. “When you have a child that is in such acute mental anguish, and you see them drowning every day, you cling to hope, that’s all you have,” she said.