Harnessing Ketamine to Reduce Cravings and Relapse in Substance Dependence

Session Description: Ketamine, long used in anesthesiology, is being actively studied for potential psychiatric and behavioral health applications. This session examines the emerging evidence for ketamine and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) as an adjunctive approach for some substance use disorders, with attention to proposed mechanisms (including NMDA receptor activity and neuroplasticity-related effects) and the current limits of the evidence base.

Participants will review practical clinical considerations relevant to real-world implementation, including patient selection and safety screening, monitoring and management of acute dissociative effects, integration with existing medications for addiction treatment, and post-session integration practices that support behavior change goals. The session will compare common routes of administration discussed in the literature and clinical settings (e.g., IV, IM, sublingual) and how differing delivery approaches may influence workflow, monitoring needs, and risk management.

Through real-world clinical examples and applied discussion, attendees will leave with a clearer framework for evaluating when ketamine-based approaches may be appropriate to consider, how to communicate benefits/risks transparently (including off-label considerations), and how to align KAP with ethical practice, documentation, and coordinated care planning in substance use treatment settings.