How Ketamine Works in the Brain

From horse tranquilizer to mental health treatment — what's the real story about ketamine? Nick Pell breaks it down on Skeptical Sunday!

Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by writer and researcher Nick Pell!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1241

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

• Ketamine therapy shows promise for treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and chronic pain, but it's serious medicine requiring proper medical supervision, not a recreational escape or wellness trend.
• Clinical ketamine treatment involves IV administration with precise dosing, vital monitoring, and trained medical attendants — drastically different from recreational use that can cause severe bladder damage and other complications.
• The rise of telehealth ketamine clinics and mail-order treatments represents a concerning trend — proper vetting requires full psych evaluations, bloodwork, and screening by legitimate medical professionals, not vague promises.
• Recreational ketamine use carries significant addiction potential and health risks, particularly bladder damage from chronic high doses — clinical settings minimize these dangers through controlled administration.
• If you're considering ketamine therapy, start with a therapist and real medical doctor. Look for evidence-based treatment with proper intake procedures, not spa-like "optimization centers" making grandiose claims.
• Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know!

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