The pandemic has had a magnifying effect on conversations around mental health and anxiety. Simultaneously, whispers of ketamine and other psychedelic therapies have been growing louder.

With its ability to rapidly affect neuroplasticity, ketamine could allow its users to “rewire” their negative thought response brought on by stress, anxiety, or depression. Paired with psychotherapy, the results of guided ketamine usage can outweigh the results of more commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, providing a pleasant experience with little to no negative after-effects. However, stigma surrounds the use of psychedelic medicine, and treatment can be costly.

Enter Mindbloom, a startup trying to create greater access to ketamine therapy as a treatment for mental-health-related conditions. It offered us an intimate inside look at one of its sessions, demystifying the process of this new form of therapy and providing this first-person account of what it's like to undergo ketamine treatment.
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Bustle Docs reports on relevant topics that are defining today’s society and culture. This series features stories that deserve attention, action, and change, and aims to normalize the human experience while informing others. Bustle Docs pulls back the curtain on a world that may be otherwise unfamiliar or misunderstood.