A Guide to Intention Setting for Ketamine Treatment

There is ongoing research into how our mental state affects different treatments. The placebo effect is still being debated and explored, and how you feel about a procedure or medication can change how it works for you. If you have a ketamine treatment on the horizon, you can prepare your mind now by setting intentions.

At Ketalink Ketamine Center in Levittown, New York, our providers specialize in ketamine-based therapy for a variety of ailments, including treatment-depression therapy, OCD, PTSD, and more.

Setting intentions for ketamine treatment

While ketamine has shown promise in relieving treatment-resistant depression and other mental health issues, it should be approached like any other medication whose mechanisms aren’t yet fully understood. This means focusing on what you want from the treatment, known as intention setting.

Intention setting centers around focusing on the specific issues you have and your goals for overcoming them. Before your infusion, you need to think deeply about what you want from the experience. Here are some constructive intentions to consider during treatment for mood disorders, anxiety orders, or depression:

• What are the sources of shame in my life, and how can I limit or accept them?
• Why do I struggle to contain or express my emotions, and what are healthy outlets?
• Am I an active participant in my life, and do I seek out beauty and joy?
• Do I feel guilty about harmless things I enjoy, and if so, why?
• Are my coping methods healthy and actually working or can they be improved?
• Is my mental illness rooted in grief or trauma, and if so, do I have proper support?

How you feel during a ketamine infusion depends largely on your environment, current mental state, and intentions for that session. Even if you’re not in a good mood when you enter the clinic, setting intentions can help you leave it in a much better headspace. 

How can intentions improve your experience

If you’re receiving ketamine for mental health, you’re likely already familiar with how intrusive negative thoughts can be.

Previous medications might have failed to work, leaving you prone to feelings of doubt or despair. Even if ketamine has provided positive results in the past, you might become concerned that these results won’t last. If you allow yourself to spiral into this sort of thinking, you might be sabotaging yourself.

Instead, you should approach every treatment with a clear mind and defined goals. If you want to feel more relaxed, focus on feeling relief and letting go as the infusion takes hold. Do not resist the effects of the medication, and don’t latch on to thoughts and feelings that aren’t comforting, confident, or productive.

Following your infusion, our team may ask questions about your experience, the intentions you set beforehand, and how you feel about them now. Your responses will be used to improve future sessions, gradually improving how you engage with the treatment.

To learn more and discuss whether ketamine therapy is right for you, call Ketalink Ketamine Center at 516-703-4937 or book an appointment online today.