Is Ketamine Over-Hyped?
Ketamine works for depression and pain, but evidence beyond that is weak.
As so often happens with my adult ADHD patients, Mike zoomed into our online session 14 minutes late, buzzing with excitement. “Why didn’t you tell me that ketamine works for ADHD? I’m gonna try it!” He had just watched several videos on websites for ketamine infusion clinics, touting the powerful benefits of ketamine for ADHD, complete with patient testimonials.
I responded that, at this point in time, although a wealth of information supports the benefits of ketamine for depression, there is no published research demonstrating the benefits of ketamine for ADHD. Not a single random controlled study. No open trials. Not even a case report.
It’s possible that some people with ADHD have already been successfully treated with ketamine. It may turn out to be the case that ketamine will be powerfully helpful for lots of people with ADHD. But right now, nobody has shown that to be the case. After hearing this, Mike opted to make a slight adjustment in his current medications, and hold off on the ketamine.
So what do we know about ketamine for treating mental health conditions? And why would anyone be upselling the benefits of an unproven remedy?
