Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Substance Use Disorders

Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist that modulates the brain’s glutamate system. Research suggests it may support addiction recovery in several ways:

Enhances Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to form new connections can be strengthened by ketamine, creating a period when new habits and coping skills are more likely to “stick.”

Reduces Cravings

Studies report reduced cravings and self-administration for alcohol, opioids, and cocaine in some patients when ketamine is combined with therapy.

Rapid Mood and Hopelessness Relief

Ketamine often produces a fast reduction in depressive symptoms and hopelessness, which commonly drive relapse. Depression and substance use disorders frequently occur together, and if treatment-resistant depression is the more pressing problem, SPRAVATO® (esketamine) — the FDA-approved, insurance-billable nasal spray form of the same molecule — may be the better place to start. Note that neither ketamine nor esketamine is FDA-approved to treat substance use disorder itself.

Supports Deeper Psychological Work

The altered state during treatment can support deeper psychological work when paired with skilled therapy (Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, or KAP).

For these reasons, clinical protocols typically use ketamine together with structured psychotherapy—such as motivational enhancement or relapse-prevention therapy—rather than by itself.

Ketamine-assisted treatment for substance use disorders may be considered for adults who:

• Have alcohol, opioid, or substance use disorder and have not had adequate response to standard treatments (counseling, support groups, first-line medications).
• Are engaged in ongoing addiction treatment and motivated to work on recovery and behavior change.
• Do not have medical or psychiatric conditions that would make ketamine unsafe (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, certain heart conditions, active psychosis).

A thorough medical and psychiatric evaluation is required before starting. At CarePoint Infusion, we typically coordinate with your addiction medicine or psychiatry provider so ketamine is integrated with your existing care—medication-assisted treatment, therapy, and community support—when appropriate.

Ketamine is not a replacement for comprehensive addiction treatment, medication-assisted therapy (e.g., naltrexone, buprenorphine, methadone), or counseling and peer support. It may enhance these approaches by improving mood, reducing cravings, and supporting engagement in therapy.

• Treatment is always supervised by medical staff experienced with ketamine infusion.
• Patients are screened for history of dissociative misuse, cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, pregnancy, or unstable psychiatric illness.
• Unsupervised at-home ketamine use is not recommended for people with substance use disorders due to risks of misuse and overdose.

Because this is an off-label, evolving area of care, we emphasize shared decision-making, clear discussion of benefits and unknowns, and close collaboration with your broader treatment team.