Ketamine Therapy: A Risky Path to Mental Wellness?

Pop star Frankie Bridge has spoken out about her decades-long struggles with depression and anxiety, revealing her positive experiences with ketamine therapy. She describes the treatment, administered in small, controlled doses, as an 'out of body experience' that allows her mind to process difficult emotions.

Ketamine is legally licensed in the UK as an anaesthetic and painkiller. However, its recreational misuse carries risks of serious, permanent damage to the bladder, liver disease, and memory loss. Deaths from ketamine misuse have significantly increased in recent years.

Despite these risks, ketamine therapy for mental health conditions is gaining traction in the UK. Private clinics and some NHS self-pay schemes offer this treatment for depression and other psychiatric issues, though it comes at a considerable expense, with treatments costing around £600 each.

Experts are divided on ketamine's therapeutic value. Some, like Dr. Rajalingam Yadhunanthanan, report high success rates with treatment-resistant depression. Others, such as Professor Joanna Moncrieff, question the evidence, citing potential placebo effects and lasting side effects like ketamine cystitis.

While ketamine is not officially licensed for depression, its chemical relative, esketamine (Spravato), was controversially approved for psychiatric use in 2019 but is not cost-effective for the NHS. Concerns about the safety and effectiveness of both substances persist, alongside ongoing debates about their role in mental healthcare.