Each psychedelic feels different, and ketamine is generally associated with visual sensations. The feeling or vibe is highly malleable and affected by all manner of things — especially music during an infusion.
All psychedelics have a ‘Vibe’
Each psychedelic has its own ‘vibe’ or ‘feeling’ associated with it. People often say that Ayahuasca feels very jungley or nature-goddessy, that PCP is very geometric, and that LSD often has little people.
Ketamine has its own vibe. People often describe it as a very visual slideshow or as a journey. Many people describe sensations of colors or auras. Often, there are elements of space or spaciousness or a void. Some people feel a very comforting “I’m out among the stars” feeling, or like they’re one with the universe.
Music Affects The Experience
Music can have a great effect on the feeling of a ketamine infusion, and we’ll often recommend changing the song or playlist during an infusion to change the experience.
Preference in music is highly individual. Some people like having a more melancholy playlist as it helps them walk through more difficult emotional experiences, or they just prefer that kind of music. Many people want to have a very light and joyful playlist to move the experience in that direction. Whatever kind of music you enjoy listening to or would prefer to bring to your appointments, we suggest that the music be comfortable to you.
We highly encourage people to try out their playlists at home before using it for their ketamine infusion. This will allow you to weed out any songs you don’t like, and will allow you to ensure that the playlist is long enough for the infusion, and will allow you the opportunity to check that there are no dramatic shifts in tone to the songs.
Will I fall asleep?
The experience of ketamine is generally calming and relaxing, but not sedating. One of our most common questions is “Will I be asleep for this?”
Even though people generally think of anesthesia as being asleep, people typically do not fall asleep during an infusion. This might be, in part, because the infusion itself is so interesting.
Does the Vibe Matter?
The experience during a ketamine infusion tends to be different from one treatment to the next. Sometime the differences are subtle and sometimes they are significant. This is the case even for the same person receiving the same dose. All manner of things clearly affect the experience, from your thoughts and mood going in to the infusion to the quality of your sleep. Even things like the kind of foods you eat the day beforehand may shape your experience during an infusion.
We see consistent and good treatment results across our patients regardless of the quality and strength of psychedelic vibes or feelings they experience. We certainly would prefer for you to have a pleasant experience, and we work to help make it as comfortable as possible — but ketamine appears to work well in any case. Ketamine has mechanisms of action at the cellular level, and physically affects neurons to improve their electrochemical performance. While the vibe may play a role (and we certainly work to help with this and with other inter-related components of improving mental health), the effective dosing of medication appears to be the most critical component of ketamine infusion treatments.
We address a similar topic, including factors that can affect your ketamine journey, in the post: What Does Ketamine Feel Like?
About Us
Wells Medicine is a Houston-based practice designed to provide meaningful care for mental health. Providing targeted interventional treatments for Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD and other conditions, with Ketamine Treatments, Stellate Ganglion Blocks, TMS, and Nitrous-Oxide Treatments. Focused on comprehensive care and integration with Psychiatry, Psychology, and Support Services. We are evidence-based, patient-focused and mission-driven.
The content here is for informational purposes and should not be relied upon for medical decisions. For the details of your specific medical conditions and treatments consult your doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals.
