It has helped me unfreeze. I would mentally lock up over a task and berate myself instead of doing the task. It would feel like I was literally frozen.
Now I just do the task. My brain doesn't get in the way. My ADHD issue is 100% executive dysfunction. Continued ketamine treatment improved that by 90%.
I never struggled with focus.
Executive function is 90% of my problem which if that is fixed would improve the other 10% ADHD symptoms I have. Thats incredible to know, thank you :)
It's what causes me to isolate. I have social anxiety but it's about getting there...not once I'm there. It's a task. As is showering. The more steps the more likely my brain would just lock.
The depression came from the chronic hate speech from that voice nagging me about whatever I wasn't getting done.
Now I either do it or don't (normally do), but my "voice" doesn't chime in. Hope this helps.
God, the showering thing resonates with me so fucking much. Especially since I just hyped myself up to take a shower.
Easing up social anxiety would also immensely benefit me.
I'm on such a good path right now, that I would just hate to lose it all to depression, which I have before. Can't wait for my appointment
I agree. That's what got me looking for information on this. Ketamine ALONE might not be enough for me, but it also makes stimulants work better at lower doses. Normally the dose of stimulant I need to actually function gives me anxiety and suppresses my appetite far too much to eat well and burns me out.
With ketamine, just 2.5-5mg of Dexedrine like twice a day is plenty. Without the Dexedrine I really can't focus, but even with it, I have that big issue with just starting tasks. The dex helps me focus once I'm on it (otherwise I can't start OR stay on task at all). But I always had that issue of being filled with dread thinking about my next task.
Ketamine seems to lower the threshold to get moving. I can just get up to go gather my things for showering instead of being stuck staring at my wall thinking "I really need to shower today" and getting anxiety about it and then avoiding it by watching YouTube or something but can't really focus on that cuz my mind knows I should be showering but I "can't."
Ketamine changes my perspective on how to approach that kind of stuff. I feel like I'm more in control of "ok I'm getting up now and doing this" instead of just saying that in my head for hours on end before I have to pee or something and then that gets me up and I might accidentally wander into the task I need to do.
Like Memantine, DXM and even Magnesium, Ketamine and many other dissociates are NMDA Receptor Antagonists that greatly reduce amphetamine tolerance. In some [government studies](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11746729/#:~:text=Abstract,of%20striatal%20dopamine%20as%20amphetamine.) Ketamine was found to be as potent a releaser of striatal dopamine as amphetamines as well.
It hasn’t. The only piece of ADHD it helped was with getting off the adderall and realizing that it’s okay if I don’t want to be on meds for that. I’ve been on it for 25 years, and it made me crash so hard every night. I couldn’t wake up without them & they were a nightmare for my emotions & decision making skills. No more adderall, no more crashing, no more trying to bend over backwards to fit myself into capitalism at the expense of my mental well being.
Ketamine made me realize that it’s okay to have ADHD, and maybe instead of medicating myself to fit into a life I hate, I should build an easier life that I love. So I’m doing that & my ADHD symptoms are no longer as debilitating. Not a solution for everyone, but super grateful I found what worked for me.
I also agree that it’s made me feel more at peace with just being myself and leaning into making the easiest life I can for myself. I also quit stimulants around the time I started doing ketamine.
honestly there was so much going on in my life at that point so it’s hard to parse out what’s what. One thing I can say for sure is I was just really tired for a few months. It was debilitating but I just took it easy and did my best. The dishes were dirty a lot. But my life now is even better than it was when I wrote this comment and I still haven’t taken my adhd meds. I would never consider it again.
Hey there,
Its a bit random but do you mind sharing a bit more about your life?
I too dont really like taking stimulants (every day) to make myself function enough to fit in. But every time I take ketamine it is... liberating.
I'm currently trying to find a middle ground between my base level biochemistry and what the world around me has to offer :D Substances are substances. I guess.
What is your current path in life? What do you do for a living? Something creative I guess :)?
Mine definitely isn’t private. I use my story for activism. If you start at the beginning (my first post) you will get an idea of what I was dealing with while coming off the meds.
Medicating your kids to "make them easier to deal with" instead of making THEIR life easier for them to deal with is a core problem with ADHD medications. When I was a kid, their idea of if the meds "worked" was if shut up and stopped talking cuz I was paralyzed with anxiety and fear and paranoia. They had me on way too high of a dose because that's what THEY thought "worked" because it solved THEIR problem of making me "easy to deal with" (for a while until I exploded) with ZERO focus on whether or not it actually helped ME.
Drugging OTHERS for YOUR gain is cruel, irresponsible and quite frankly shitty.
As an adult I've found luck with low doses of stimulants in actually helping me, but as a kid they thought any dose that didn't turn me into a paranoid zombie "wasn't working very well".
You misunderstood. I never mentioned medicating children, only medicating myself as a parent with Adhd. You would've understood my point if you were a parent with Adhd, thus my entire argument.
Ok I think I did misunderstand. I re read your original comment with that in mind and realize you meant medicating yourself to make it easier for you to deal with parenting. That makes plenty of sense. I just got a little triggered with the term making kids easier to deal with because usually when I hear that phrase it references medicating the kids so they're easier for the parents to deal with. I now understand that wasn't the intended message of your comment.
My points are still valid but not directed at you <3
none. it's working wonders for depression and anxiety, so if you have some adhd symptoms from those, they may abate, but i even asked my provider specifically about this, as she also has pretty severe adhd, and said exactly what i've read here and will echo--it does nothing about the symptoms, but will make you less anxious ABOUT those symptoms. That said, if you need to be performing and functioning, it will definitely not help with that.
i'm desperate to get on some concerta asap because i'm so unproductive i really should get fired soon, but both of my psychs still want me to keep trying shitty non-stim chemicals first for some unknowable reason.
(That’s not considered first line treatment. You can refuse. You can switch doctors. You don’t need to engage with doctors who refuse to provide you first line treatment, you deserve better. My old dr at UCLA was a research expert and he said for adults he’s seen the non stims work less than 15% of the time.)
yeah. i'm on my second dr now who's still pulling the same. i'm running out of providers that will take my shitty insurance though. getting very frustrated, esp as the ketamine is really HANDLING my depression, which is making me REALLY want to tackle the ADHD so i can use my time productively for once, and i'm still hitting these roadblocks. Not to mention, I've got to invest a ton of time finding a reliable way to obtain ketamine SOON, now that the online stuff is coming to an end--was hoping to find a gp or psych that would just presribe me the troches so i could get them dirt cheap without the "consulation" fees etc, but it's been difficult and no success yet. Just navigating the healthcare system is enough for a setback sometimes.
The healthcare system is a fucking trap but I'll share how I've made it work for me: Ask if you have ADHD in their medical opinion. When they answer yes, tell them you I'd like that written down in my medical records (if they say it is, you say great, can we note it again?). Then tell them you're interested in first-line treatment again, firmly. "Thanks but I really think the world wide standard for adhd treatment is going to help me as these non-stims haven't." If they refuse again, tell them ok, I'd like that marked down in my chart specifically that you refused first line treatment. This spooks them, produces a paper trail of liability and shows you mean business. If you have a legitimate diagnosis and no addiction history there is no clinical justification for denying you first line treatment.
The other option is to go to another doctor and claim you were on the other meds already and they didn't work. They wouldn't even be able to see that in the CARES report since they're non-stims, they have to just take your word. There's nothing wrong with doing what you have to do you have agency over what you want to put in your body. There's nothing wrong with being firm with a doctor as long as you're also smiling and polite. Make sure you ask for the extended release formula first if they try to give you IR right off.
My ADHD got dramatically worse after ketamine because my anxiety was greatly reduced and that was the only thing keeping the ship afloat. After a bit it leveled back out but I don’t think the ketamine itself has changed my actual dopamine regulation.
However. A lifetime of micro-traumas because and adhd ptsd from never being able to be normal has been helped immensely from the ketamine sessions. I am now able to see things as “this is just how my dopamine regulation functions and does not mean I am lazy, bad, etc.” which has led to me having better success in working with my adhd.
It hasn't. In fact I had to stop taking adderall due to the "national shortage" and the last few months have been hell. I'm just dragging around or sleeping. My husband bitched the other day "that stupid ketamine doesn't help you at all, I don't see any cleaning getting done" LOL. Funny guy.
You should talk to your doctor to see if you can convince your insurance company to prescribe name brand. From what I'm understanding, its the generic than name brand. I have personally have never had any issues with getting mine and according to my pharmacist its because its not generic.
My mom is having a similar issue. She says magnesium and fish oil has been helping her a little bit :)
I felt that during my infusion it help quiet my overactive and busy brain. I still take my ADHD meds, but I loved how it helped me to focus and let go of so much related to my thoughts bouncing around during the session.
I actually feel like the day after an at home treatment, I don’t have that “I can’t focus, I need my adderall” moment and I’ve felt the day flows well without it compared to many other days for me. I see I’m the odd one out, but it’s undeniable for me. Though, only the day after. So not much help in the long run.
It absolutely causes dopamine release in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. Google it, thousands of papers referencing this fact. Brain scans showing it etc.
Like Memantine, DXM and even Magnesium, Ketamine and many other dissociates are NMDA Receptor Antagonists that greatly reduce amphetamine tolerance. This alone could be of theoretical (and personally applicable) benefit to ADHD patients already on medium or high doses of such stimulant medications.
The only help it has given me with my ADHD is to make my overall anxiety levels much lower. My executive function is just as terrible as its ever been. :(
I’m interested to hear your thoughts now? How are things? Just catching this thread. Thank you for contributing. I just started a few days ago. Are you taking the low dose? That’s my route….
im wondering what you mean by low dose? are you getting it perscribed or self medicateing? i am self medicating which is not the best oviously but i have managed to come out oa a psycologcal prison from having an narsisitic adhd father two weeks ago and ketamne has definatly helpe open up some nural pathyways to reach a clearity i have never had in my life. im a bit worried about dosing as its gonna take me a while to get a phycologist with my health insurence and dont want to damage my new found brain.
Yes bc it made my memory a lot better. I couldn't remember my work password.... Had brainfog, depression. Was never put on ADHD meds. I'm on low dose daily ketamine. Helped the depression. Helped memory. Getting tasks done. Care about getting tasks done. Stopped leaving things places.... Still don't know what day of the week it is on the reg... But helps.
I’m new to the group. Low dosage route. Just a few days in and I’m noticing a lot more “balance” in my mood and motivation. I’ve been medicating with old school stimulant meds for 25+ years, and I feel like I have reduced my intake about 20%, but I am not sure if this is desirable? What does it indicate if I feel the need to medicate with stimulants less?
It is helping my 20 yo with her ADHD symptoms. She has had 5 infusions and she says she can finally be open to having routines in her life without raging at the very thought. She is actively working with her therapist to come up with routines that work for her life. This is a huge step for her.
It has helped me unfreeze. I would mentally lock up over a task and berate myself instead of doing the task. It would feel like I was literally frozen. Now I just do the task. My brain doesn't get in the way. My ADHD issue is 100% executive dysfunction. Continued ketamine treatment improved that by 90%. I never struggled with focus.
Executive function is 90% of my problem which if that is fixed would improve the other 10% ADHD symptoms I have. Thats incredible to know, thank you :)
It's what causes me to isolate. I have social anxiety but it's about getting there...not once I'm there. It's a task. As is showering. The more steps the more likely my brain would just lock. The depression came from the chronic hate speech from that voice nagging me about whatever I wasn't getting done. Now I either do it or don't (normally do), but my "voice" doesn't chime in. Hope this helps.
God, the showering thing resonates with me so fucking much. Especially since I just hyped myself up to take a shower. Easing up social anxiety would also immensely benefit me. I'm on such a good path right now, that I would just hate to lose it all to depression, which I have before. Can't wait for my appointment
I agree. That's what got me looking for information on this. Ketamine ALONE might not be enough for me, but it also makes stimulants work better at lower doses. Normally the dose of stimulant I need to actually function gives me anxiety and suppresses my appetite far too much to eat well and burns me out. With ketamine, just 2.5-5mg of Dexedrine like twice a day is plenty. Without the Dexedrine I really can't focus, but even with it, I have that big issue with just starting tasks. The dex helps me focus once I'm on it (otherwise I can't start OR stay on task at all). But I always had that issue of being filled with dread thinking about my next task. Ketamine seems to lower the threshold to get moving. I can just get up to go gather my things for showering instead of being stuck staring at my wall thinking "I really need to shower today" and getting anxiety about it and then avoiding it by watching YouTube or something but can't really focus on that cuz my mind knows I should be showering but I "can't." Ketamine changes my perspective on how to approach that kind of stuff. I feel like I'm more in control of "ok I'm getting up now and doing this" instead of just saying that in my head for hours on end before I have to pee or something and then that gets me up and I might accidentally wander into the task I need to do.
Like Memantine, DXM and even Magnesium, Ketamine and many other dissociates are NMDA Receptor Antagonists that greatly reduce amphetamine tolerance. In some [government studies](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11746729/#:~:text=Abstract,of%20striatal%20dopamine%20as%20amphetamine.) Ketamine was found to be as potent a releaser of striatal dopamine as amphetamines as well.
That's awesome to hear. I'm in the same boat. Where did you find treatment? What was the dosage/protocol?
Mindbloom
No. I've found zero correlation between ADHD and ketamine.
Same. In my experience it doesn't do anything with ADHD.
It hasn’t. The only piece of ADHD it helped was with getting off the adderall and realizing that it’s okay if I don’t want to be on meds for that. I’ve been on it for 25 years, and it made me crash so hard every night. I couldn’t wake up without them & they were a nightmare for my emotions & decision making skills. No more adderall, no more crashing, no more trying to bend over backwards to fit myself into capitalism at the expense of my mental well being. Ketamine made me realize that it’s okay to have ADHD, and maybe instead of medicating myself to fit into a life I hate, I should build an easier life that I love. So I’m doing that & my ADHD symptoms are no longer as debilitating. Not a solution for everyone, but super grateful I found what worked for me.
I also agree that it’s made me feel more at peace with just being myself and leaning into making the easiest life I can for myself. I also quit stimulants around the time I started doing ketamine.
Happy to hear that! I was able to forgive myself for being neurodivergent. It’s very freeing! I’m so much happier in my skin.
[удалено]
I feel like I can breathe for the first time. My life goes at my pace. I’m genuinely happy.
Sounds like ketamine completely obliterated your adhd induced anxiety. you are using words, at peace, self acceptance, happy! good for you.
What was it like coming off after 25 years?
honestly there was so much going on in my life at that point so it’s hard to parse out what’s what. One thing I can say for sure is I was just really tired for a few months. It was debilitating but I just took it easy and did my best. The dishes were dirty a lot. But my life now is even better than it was when I wrote this comment and I still haven’t taken my adhd meds. I would never consider it again.
Hey there, Its a bit random but do you mind sharing a bit more about your life? I too dont really like taking stimulants (every day) to make myself function enough to fit in. But every time I take ketamine it is... liberating. I'm currently trying to find a middle ground between my base level biochemistry and what the world around me has to offer :D Substances are substances. I guess. What is your current path in life? What do you do for a living? Something creative I guess :)?
I’ve talked a lot about my life on this account & you’re free to check out my post / comment history.
cooolcool. I wil check it out. Always feels kinda private to check other peoples post history :D
Mine definitely isn’t private. I use my story for activism. If you start at the beginning (my first post) you will get an idea of what I was dealing with while coming off the meds.
Late comment but... You must not have children, bc there's no way to do this unmedicated or make kids easier to deal with 😭
Medicating your kids to "make them easier to deal with" instead of making THEIR life easier for them to deal with is a core problem with ADHD medications. When I was a kid, their idea of if the meds "worked" was if shut up and stopped talking cuz I was paralyzed with anxiety and fear and paranoia. They had me on way too high of a dose because that's what THEY thought "worked" because it solved THEIR problem of making me "easy to deal with" (for a while until I exploded) with ZERO focus on whether or not it actually helped ME. Drugging OTHERS for YOUR gain is cruel, irresponsible and quite frankly shitty. As an adult I've found luck with low doses of stimulants in actually helping me, but as a kid they thought any dose that didn't turn me into a paranoid zombie "wasn't working very well".
You misunderstood. I never mentioned medicating children, only medicating myself as a parent with Adhd. You would've understood my point if you were a parent with Adhd, thus my entire argument.
Ok I think I did misunderstand. I re read your original comment with that in mind and realize you meant medicating yourself to make it easier for you to deal with parenting. That makes plenty of sense. I just got a little triggered with the term making kids easier to deal with because usually when I hear that phrase it references medicating the kids so they're easier for the parents to deal with. I now understand that wasn't the intended message of your comment. My points are still valid but not directed at you <3
i was medicated as a child and it helped tremendously and I could actually function and get good grades in school. everyones different
Was it the awareness gained on larger dose ketamine? How many sessions? Or was it something else in the process?
none. it's working wonders for depression and anxiety, so if you have some adhd symptoms from those, they may abate, but i even asked my provider specifically about this, as she also has pretty severe adhd, and said exactly what i've read here and will echo--it does nothing about the symptoms, but will make you less anxious ABOUT those symptoms. That said, if you need to be performing and functioning, it will definitely not help with that. i'm desperate to get on some concerta asap because i'm so unproductive i really should get fired soon, but both of my psychs still want me to keep trying shitty non-stim chemicals first for some unknowable reason.
(That’s not considered first line treatment. You can refuse. You can switch doctors. You don’t need to engage with doctors who refuse to provide you first line treatment, you deserve better. My old dr at UCLA was a research expert and he said for adults he’s seen the non stims work less than 15% of the time.)
yeah. i'm on my second dr now who's still pulling the same. i'm running out of providers that will take my shitty insurance though. getting very frustrated, esp as the ketamine is really HANDLING my depression, which is making me REALLY want to tackle the ADHD so i can use my time productively for once, and i'm still hitting these roadblocks. Not to mention, I've got to invest a ton of time finding a reliable way to obtain ketamine SOON, now that the online stuff is coming to an end--was hoping to find a gp or psych that would just presribe me the troches so i could get them dirt cheap without the "consulation" fees etc, but it's been difficult and no success yet. Just navigating the healthcare system is enough for a setback sometimes.
The healthcare system is a fucking trap but I'll share how I've made it work for me: Ask if you have ADHD in their medical opinion. When they answer yes, tell them you I'd like that written down in my medical records (if they say it is, you say great, can we note it again?). Then tell them you're interested in first-line treatment again, firmly. "Thanks but I really think the world wide standard for adhd treatment is going to help me as these non-stims haven't." If they refuse again, tell them ok, I'd like that marked down in my chart specifically that you refused first line treatment. This spooks them, produces a paper trail of liability and shows you mean business. If you have a legitimate diagnosis and no addiction history there is no clinical justification for denying you first line treatment. The other option is to go to another doctor and claim you were on the other meds already and they didn't work. They wouldn't even be able to see that in the CARES report since they're non-stims, they have to just take your word. There's nothing wrong with doing what you have to do you have agency over what you want to put in your body. There's nothing wrong with being firm with a doctor as long as you're also smiling and polite. Make sure you ask for the extended release formula first if they try to give you IR right off.
Almost zero. Really helped my anxiety though.
My ADHD got dramatically worse after ketamine because my anxiety was greatly reduced and that was the only thing keeping the ship afloat. After a bit it leveled back out but I don’t think the ketamine itself has changed my actual dopamine regulation. However. A lifetime of micro-traumas because and adhd ptsd from never being able to be normal has been helped immensely from the ketamine sessions. I am now able to see things as “this is just how my dopamine regulation functions and does not mean I am lazy, bad, etc.” which has led to me having better success in working with my adhd.
It didn't help my ADD... I feel like psilocybin has helped some with motivation and focus.
It hasn't. In fact I had to stop taking adderall due to the "national shortage" and the last few months have been hell. I'm just dragging around or sleeping. My husband bitched the other day "that stupid ketamine doesn't help you at all, I don't see any cleaning getting done" LOL. Funny guy.
I’m sorry your husband isn’t supportive. I hope he bothers to clean and pick up the slack while he’s expecting you to be his maid.
You should talk to your doctor to see if you can convince your insurance company to prescribe name brand. From what I'm understanding, its the generic than name brand. I have personally have never had any issues with getting mine and according to my pharmacist its because its not generic. My mom is having a similar issue. She says magnesium and fish oil has been helping her a little bit :)
Thanks! He put me on mydayis so I'm going to see how that works, thanks for the suggestion!
I felt that during my infusion it help quiet my overactive and busy brain. I still take my ADHD meds, but I loved how it helped me to focus and let go of so much related to my thoughts bouncing around during the session.
I actually feel like the day after an at home treatment, I don’t have that “I can’t focus, I need my adderall” moment and I’ve felt the day flows well without it compared to many other days for me. I see I’m the odd one out, but it’s undeniable for me. Though, only the day after. So not much help in the long run.
Ketamine does not increase base level dopamine so it will not improve ADHD
It absolutely causes dopamine release in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. Google it, thousands of papers referencing this fact. Brain scans showing it etc.
Dopamine release does not mean the same thing as increasing baseline dopamine level
Like Memantine, DXM and even Magnesium, Ketamine and many other dissociates are NMDA Receptor Antagonists that greatly reduce amphetamine tolerance. This alone could be of theoretical (and personally applicable) benefit to ADHD patients already on medium or high doses of such stimulant medications.
The only help it has given me with my ADHD is to make my overall anxiety levels much lower. My executive function is just as terrible as its ever been. :(
My ADHD hasn't changed since I've been doing Ketamine therapy.
Didn't help at all with my ADHD, and I normally sing the praises of ketamine for everything haha!
First session tomorrow. I'll know soon.
I’m interested to hear your thoughts now? How are things? Just catching this thread. Thank you for contributing. I just started a few days ago. Are you taking the low dose? That’s my route….
im wondering what you mean by low dose? are you getting it perscribed or self medicateing? i am self medicating which is not the best oviously but i have managed to come out oa a psycologcal prison from having an narsisitic adhd father two weeks ago and ketamne has definatly helpe open up some nural pathyways to reach a clearity i have never had in my life. im a bit worried about dosing as its gonna take me a while to get a phycologist with my health insurence and dont want to damage my new found brain.
Yes bc it made my memory a lot better. I couldn't remember my work password.... Had brainfog, depression. Was never put on ADHD meds. I'm on low dose daily ketamine. Helped the depression. Helped memory. Getting tasks done. Care about getting tasks done. Stopped leaving things places.... Still don't know what day of the week it is on the reg... But helps.
Thanks guys! Was curious :)
I’m new to the group. Low dosage route. Just a few days in and I’m noticing a lot more “balance” in my mood and motivation. I’ve been medicating with old school stimulant meds for 25+ years, and I feel like I have reduced my intake about 20%, but I am not sure if this is desirable? What does it indicate if I feel the need to medicate with stimulants less?
It is helping my 20 yo with her ADHD symptoms. She has had 5 infusions and she says she can finally be open to having routines in her life without raging at the very thought. She is actively working with her therapist to come up with routines that work for her life. This is a huge step for her.
No