Ketamine as a Treatment for OCD: New Research & Key Insights
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) creates a persistent cycle of anxiety and compulsions that can disrupt a person’s daily life. Therapy and medication have helped many find obsessive-compulsive disorder relief. But some people suffering from OCD continue to struggle as they leverage traditional treatment options.
In cases of treatment-resistant OCD, ketamine therapy is gaining attention as an alternative source of relief from OCD symptoms—one that takes effect quickly.
Understand OCD and Its Treatment Challenges
OCD is defined by persistent, intrusive thoughts that produce intense bouts of anxiety. In an effort to relieve this distress, individuals engage in repetitive behaviors.
A person with OCD may have an obsession about germs and contamination. This can lead to intrusive thoughts like: What if I touched something dirty and become ill? That anxiety can lead to a compulsion like excessive handwashing to feel clean.
Traditionally, treatment for OCD has included cognitive-behavioral therapy—specifically exposure and response prevention (ERP). ERP exposes individuals to their obsessions in a gradual, structured manner, teaching the brain that the feared outcome is unlikely.
Alongside ERP, there’s also selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). A type of antidepressant, SSRIs increase serotonin levels in the brain, making it easier for one to regulate their mood and anxiety. This balance can help make obsessive thoughts and compulsions feel less intense.
While effective in many scenarios, these traditional forms of OCD treatment don’t always provide a lasting impact for everyone. Confronting deep fears through ERP can be very distressing and may make it difficult for people to fully commit to the therapy. SSRIs, meanwhile, can leave individuals with only partial or minimal relief, as they don’t directly address OCD’s compulsive thought patterns. The side effects of SSRIs may also be difficult for some to tolerate.
In light of all this, researchers have explored new OCD treatment alternatives to help treatment-resistant individuals find relief from symptoms, with a clear path forward. One of the most promising of these alternatives is ketamine for OCD.
How Ketamine Works for OCD
Ketamine targets OCD at its source: the glutamatergic system. By increasing glutamate levels, ketamine therapy disrupts the rigid neural pathways that cause obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Correcting glutamate imbalances makes intrusive thoughts feel less overwhelming. With less distress, people can find it easier to resist their compulsions and engage in daily activities.
Because ketamine promotes neuroplasticity, it makes the brain more adaptable to new ways of thinking. People once resistant to ERP may find it easier to absorb and apply therapeutic techniques, bridging the gap in their journey to find relief.
What also makes ketamine for OCD unique is the speed at which it takes effect. It can take weeks or months before SSRIs show results, if they do in fact work. Ketamine infusions can offer noticeable relief within hours or days after an infusion.
Key Takeaways from a New Study on Ketamine for OCD
In a recent study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, a research team set out to evaluate ketamine therapy for OCD.
From the community, they recruited individuals diagnosed with severe OCD that had not found relief with previous treatments. Specifically, these individuals tried at least two antidepressants and one form of psychotherapy without sufficient improvement.
Within the study, participants received a total of three injections at least one week apart and in a randomized order. The injections were either a low-dose ketamine injection (0.5 mg/kg), a high-dose ketamine injection (1.0 mg/kg), or an active control (fentanyl).
The low-dose ketamine injection led to significant symptom relief for 60% of participants. While the response rate was notably less for the high-dose ketamine injection (18%), both ketamine doses reduced OCD symptoms more than fentanyl (10%).
Participants showed symptom relief in as little as one to two hours after ketamine treatments. This reduction in OCD symptoms lasted for at least 24 hours.
Both of the ketamine doses did result in temporary increases to blood pressure and heart rate. Both of these readings returned to normal levels after about an hour. The ketamine treatments also led to expected dissociative symptoms across participants. More pronounced in high-dose ketamine cases, these dissociative symptoms began shortly after the injection and reached their highest point after 15 to 30 minutes.
What This Means for OCD Patients
The results from this study position ketamine therapy as an avenue of hope for those struggling with treatment-resistant OCD. Ketamine can help disrupt obsessive thought patterns and support mental flexibility, delivering fast symptom relief.
From the research, it appears that lower doses of ketamine may be more effective in providing relief from OCD symptoms than higher doses. Ketamine’s dissociative effects can help individuals temporarily detach from their intrusive thoughts; but, the subtle, sustained neurological shifts from lower ketamine doses seem to help OCD patients see the most long-term benefits. This comes in the form of the brain’s ability to develop new, healthier thought patterns that don’t induce excessive dissociation.
Ketamine therapy is viewed as an emerging treatment for OCD, with additional research needed to study its impact and how it fits into overall treatment plans. These early findings, however, suggest that ketamine could be a valuable tool in cases where individuals suffering from OCD have exhausted conventional options.
A New Path Forward for OCD Treatment
OCD treatment alternatives like ketamine therapy are changing the outlook for many patients. While not a cure, ketamine can help those stuck in a cycle of OCD reduce intrusive thoughts, ease compulsive behaviors, and improve their mental well-being—with results appearing quickly.
If you or someone you know is struggling with OCD and traditional treatments haven’t worked, reach out to our clinic to explore new possibilities.