Learn the Language of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Used at Clinics
Once A Soldier is a big fan of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). More and more research facilities like Stanford University and Johns Hopkins continue to explore the ways this disassociative drug can help us all on the way to better mental health. While we believe that there is a great future for KAP, we also believe that other hallucinogens have a place in the future of mental health care. For many of the veteran families we care for, the cost of KAP is just too high – no pun intended. Until then, we are backing KAP for our families and at-risk veterans. Before you go down this rabbit hole, it is useful to get some detailed information about the terms used at ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinics.
Definition of ketamine: a general anesthetic that is administered intravenously and intramuscularly in the form of its hydrochloride C13H16ClNO·HCl and that is used illicitly usually by being inhaled in powdered form, especially for the dreamlike or hallucinogenic state it produces.
Definition of microdosing: the action or practice of taking or administering very small amounts of a drug in order to test or benefit from its physiological action while minimizing undesirable side effects. For example, if you were to microdose ketamine, you would be administered approximately 1% or less than what you would normally be given to knock you out for a hip replacement or other major surgery.
Definition of psychadelic drugs: relating to or denoting drugs (especially LSD) that produce hallucinations and apparent expansion of consciousness.
Definition of psilocybins: a hallucinogenic crystalline solid, C12H17N2O4P, obtained from the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana.
Definition of hallucinogenics: a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their own thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into two categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Both types of hallucinogens can cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Additionally, dissociative drugs can cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment.
Definition of IV therapy: IV or intravenous therapy refers to a therapy that delivers fluid into veins in the body. IV therapy works by using an injection with a syringe or via infusion, often referred to as a drip. IV therapy is the fastest way to deliver medications, blood products and more into the bloodstream to help with various health conditions, dehydration and blood transfusions.
Definition of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs):
CRNAs are medical professionals who provide anesthesia, treatments that keep people from feeling pain during surgery or other medical procedures. They are also known as nurse anesthesiologists or .
Nurse anesthetists and physician anesthetists (anesthesiologists) use the same methods to give anesthesia but take different educational paths. Studies have shown that treatments provided by nurse and physician anesthetists have the same levels of safety, care quality, and outcome.
The education of a nurse anesthetist takes a minimum of 7 years and requires:
●A bachelor’s degree in nursing (4 years) or other 4-year undergraduate degree plus nursing school
●The National Council Licensure Exam (nursing exam) and state licensure as a registered nurse
●At least 1 year of nursing experience in an intensive care unit (ICU)
●A master’s degree or doctorate from nurse anesthesia program (2 to 4 years)
●The National Certification Examination
By the time they graduate from a nurse anesthesia program, CRNAs have an average of over 9,000 hours of experience. Throughout their career, they keep up their certification with continuing education courses, professional activities such as teaching or research, and performance assessments.
Definition of NMDA: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (also known as the NMDA receptor or NMDAR), is a glutamate receptor and ion channel found in neurons. The anaesthetic and analgesic effects of the drugs ketamine and nitrous oxide are partially due to their effects on NMDA receptor activity.
Definition of glutamate: the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in your brain and central nervous system. It’s needed to keep your brain functioning properly. Glutamate plays a major role in shaping learning and memory.
Definition of BDNF: (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) The BDNF gene provides instructions for making a protein found in the brain and spinal cord called brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This protein promotes the survival of nerve cells (neurons) by playing a role in the growth, maturation (differentiation), and maintenance of these cells.
Definition of tripping: the term given to describe the events that occur inside your mind while you are under the influence of a psychadelic drug.
Definition of LSD: (D-lysergic acid diethylamide) is one of the most powerful mind-altering chemicals. It is a clear or white odorless material made from lysergic acid, which is found in a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. of
Definition of Peyote (mescaline): is a small, spineless cactus with mescaline as its main ingredient. Peyote can also be synthetic.
Definition of DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine): is a powerful chemical found naturally in some Amazonian plants. Ayahuasca is a tea made from such plants, and when taken in this form it is also known as hoasca, aya, and yagé. People can also make DMT in a lab. Synthetic DMT usually takes the form of a white crystalline powder that is smoked.
