By Dr. Paul Schneider, DO | Board-Certified Psychiatrist
What if the most promising advance in addiction treatment comes from a medication that’s been used safely in hospitals for over 50 years?
Ketamine therapy is emerging as a powerful tool for treating substance use disorders, especially when traditional approaches haven’t worked or when depression and trauma fuel your addiction. At Vigeo Wellness in Fort Worth and Weatherford, we’re at the forefront of this innovative treatment, combining our extensive ketamine expertise with Dr. Schneider’s addiction medicine specialization to offer something truly unique in the DFW area.
If you’ve tried traditional rehab without lasting success, if you’re battling both addiction and severe depression, or if you’re curious about cutting-edge approaches that go beyond standard medication-assisted treatment, this guide will explain how ketamine therapy works for addiction and whether it might be the breakthrough you’ve been searching for.
📞 Fort Worth: 817-634-5521 | Weatherford: 817-672-9407
What Makes Ketamine Different from Traditional Addiction Treatment
Traditional addiction medications like Suboxone and Vivitrol work by targeting opioid receptors in your brain. They’re highly effective for what they do—reducing cravings, preventing withdrawal, and blocking the effects of opioids. But they don’t address everything that drives addiction.
Ketamine works through an entirely different mechanism. Instead of targeting opioid receptors, ketamine affects glutamate, your brain’s primary learning and memory neurotransmitter. This unique approach creates several powerful effects that complement traditional treatment and may help when other approaches haven’t been enough.
Think of traditional MAT as addressing the physical grip of addiction—the cravings, the withdrawal, the neurochemical dependence. Ketamine addresses something deeper: the brain patterns, the trauma, the depression, and the psychological imprisonment that keeps people trapped in cycles of use even when they desperately want to stop.
The Science Behind Ketamine for Addiction
Ketamine promotes rapid neuroplasticity, which is your brain’s ability to form new neural connections and “rewire” itself. In addiction, certain neural pathways become deeply entrenched—automatic associations between stress and substance use, between certain people or places and cravings, between emotional pain and the need to escape through drugs or alcohol.
These pathways feel like highways in your brain, well-worn and impossible to exit. Ketamine opens up new routes, making it easier to establish healthier patterns of thinking and behavior. It creates what researchers call a “window of plasticity”—a temporary state where your brain is more receptive to change, where therapy becomes more effective, and where insights come more easily.
At the same time, ketamine rapidly treats depression and anxiety that often fuel substance use. Many people drink or use drugs to self-medicate unbearable emotional pain. When ketamine lifts that depression—often within hours rather than weeks—it removes one of the primary drivers of continued substance use.
How Ketamine Helps Break the Addiction Cycle
Ketamine therapy for addiction works through multiple mechanisms that address different aspects of substance use disorders.
Rapid Reduction of Cravings
Many patients experience significant decreases in cravings within hours of their first ketamine treatment. This isn’t universal—everyone responds differently—but the rapid craving relief can provide crucial support during the vulnerable early stages of recovery when cravings feel most overwhelming.
The craving reduction happens through ketamine’s effects on glutamate signaling and its ability to rapidly restore balance to brain circuits disrupted by chronic substance use. For some people, this immediate relief provides the breathing room they need to engage fully in therapy and recovery work.
Treatment of Co-Occurring Depression and Anxiety
Up to 70% of people with substance use disorders also struggle with depression, anxiety, or PTSD. These aren’t just side effects of addiction—they’re often the root cause of why people started using substances in the first place.
Ketamine treats both conditions simultaneously. A single ketamine session can reduce substance cravings while dramatically improving depression symptoms. This dual effect is particularly valuable because it addresses the underlying pain that drives continued use, not just the symptoms of dependence.
Traditional antidepressants take 4-6 weeks to work and don’t work for everyone. Ketamine often produces noticeable improvements within hours to days, and it works through a different mechanism that helps people who haven’t responded to conventional treatments. For someone struggling with both addiction and severe depression, this rapid dual action can be life-changing.
Disruption of Maladaptive Memories
Research suggests ketamine may help disrupt the reconsolidation of drug-related memories—the automatic associations between certain triggers and substance use. When you encounter a trigger (a place, a person, a feeling), your brain automatically retrieves memories of past substance use and the relief or pleasure it provided. These memories fuel cravings and make triggers feel impossible to resist.
Ketamine appears to weaken these associations, making triggers less powerful and reducing the automatic urge to use. The memories don’t disappear, but they lose some of their emotional charge and their grip on your behavior.
Enhanced Therapy Effectiveness
Perhaps most importantly, ketamine creates a unique mental state where therapy becomes more effective. During and shortly after ketamine treatment, many people experience increased openness to new perspectives, reduced defensiveness and rigid thinking, enhanced emotional processing, greater insight into patterns and motivations, and stronger connection to therapeutic work.
This is why ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, where therapy sessions are integrated with ketamine treatments, often produces particularly strong results. The ketamine opens doors that therapy can then walk through, creating breakthroughs that might take months or years to achieve otherwise.
What the Research Shows About Ketamine for Addiction
Ketamine therapy for addiction isn’t just theoretical—it’s backed by growing clinical evidence across multiple substance use disorders.
Alcohol use disorder: Multiple studies show that ketamine can prolong abstinence from alcohol for up to two years when combined with therapy. Research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry found that ketamine plus relapse prevention therapy significantly reduced relapse rates compared to therapy alone. Participants who received ketamine maintained abstinence longer and reported decreased cravings and improved mood.
Opioid addiction: Clinical trials demonstrate that ketamine reduces opioid cravings and improves abstinence rates when added to comprehensive treatment including MAT. The medication appears to work through different pathways than Suboxone or Vivitrol, providing additional support rather than replacing these proven treatments.
Cocaine addiction: Studies show that ketamine decreases cocaine cravings and use, particularly when combined with motivational enhancement therapy. The rapid neuroplasticity effects help people break ingrained patterns of cocaine-seeking behavior.
Cannabis use disorder: Emerging research suggests ketamine reduces cannabis consumption and increases confidence in maintaining abstinence. While this research is newer, early results are promising for people struggling to quit cannabis despite negative consequences.
The research is particularly compelling when ketamine is paired with comprehensive addiction treatment and psychotherapy. Ketamine alone isn’t a magic bullet, but as part of a holistic treatment approach, it can dramatically enhance outcomes.
Ketamine Treatment Options at Vigeo Wellness
At Vigeo Wellness, we offer two approaches to ketamine therapy for addiction, both backed by our team’s extensive experience and medical expertise.
Standard Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Our standard approach involves IV ketamine infusions administered in private, comfortable treatment rooms with continuous medical monitoring by our board-certified anesthesia providers. Each session lasts approximately 60 minutes in a spa-like environment designed to promote healing and introspection.
During the infusion, you’ll recline in a comfortable chair in a private room. We’ll start an IV and administer ketamine slowly over 40-60 minutes while monitoring your vital signs continuously. You’ll remain conscious but may feel deeply relaxed, experience altered perceptions, or have introspective insights. Some people describe it as a dreamlike state, while others experience it as deeply meditative.
After the infusion, you’ll rest in our clinic for 15-30 minutes as the acute effects wear off, then someone will drive you home. Most people feel somewhat tired for the rest of the day but can resume normal activities the next day.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)
Our most comprehensive option combines ketamine infusions with specialized therapy sessions led by Cameron Schober, LPC-S, LMFT-S. This intensive approach integrates the neurobiological effects of ketamine with targeted therapeutic work to process trauma, gain insights, develop coping strategies, and create lasting change.
KAP sessions typically involve preparation work with your therapist before the ketamine infusion, the ketamine infusion itself with your therapist present to guide and support the experience, and integration therapy afterward to process insights and translate them into concrete changes in your life and recovery.
Research shows that combining ketamine with therapy produces better outcomes than ketamine alone. The therapy helps you make sense of the ketamine experience, identify patterns and insights that emerge, and apply what you learn to your daily life and recovery challenges.
Your Ketamine Treatment Journey for Addiction
If you’re considering ketamine therapy for addiction at Vigeo Wellness, here’s what to expect throughout the process.
Initial Consultation with Dr. Schneider
Your journey begins with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation where Dr. Schneider will assess your addiction history, evaluate co-occurring mental health conditions, review your previous treatment attempts, discuss your treatment goals, and determine whether ketamine therapy is appropriate for your situation.
Not everyone is a good candidate for ketamine therapy. We’ll carefully evaluate factors like your current substance use, mental health stability, medical history, and whether you have adequate support systems. Ketamine therapy works best as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, not as a standalone intervention.
Treatment Phase: Initial Series
If ketamine is right for you, treatment typically begins with six infusions over 2-3 weeks. This initial series allows the medication to produce cumulative effects on neuroplasticity and helps establish new neural patterns. Some people notice improvements after the first session, while others need several treatments before experiencing significant benefits.
The frequency matters—weekly or twice-weekly sessions maintain the neuroplastic effects while your brain is actively forming new connections. Spacing sessions too far apart can reduce effectiveness, while too-frequent sessions may not allow adequate time for integration.
Integration and Therapy
Between and after infusions, you’ll work with therapists to process insights, develop coping strategies, address underlying trauma or mental health issues, practice new behaviors and thought patterns, and solidify the changes ketamine helps initiate.
This integration work is crucial. Ketamine opens windows of opportunity, but you need to do the work of walking through those windows. Therapy helps you translate the ketamine experience into lasting change in your daily life and recovery.
Maintenance and Booster Treatments
After the initial series, many people benefit from periodic booster treatments to maintain results. The frequency varies—some people need monthly boosters, others every few months, and some maintain their gains without regular treatments.
Dr. Schneider will work with you to determine the right maintenance schedule based on your symptoms, cravings, mood stability, and overall recovery progress. Ketamine treatment for addiction is flexible and individualized, adjusting to your changing needs over time.
Ongoing Psychiatric Support
Throughout your ketamine therapy, Dr. Schneider continues providing comprehensive psychiatric care including management of any addiction medications like Suboxone or Vivitrol, treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions, adjustment of psychiatric medications as needed, and coordination with your overall recovery program including therapy and support groups.
At Vigeo Wellness, ketamine is never isolated from the rest of your care. It’s integrated into a holistic treatment approach that addresses all aspects of your addiction and mental health.
Is Ketamine Therapy Safe for People with Addiction?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and it deserves a direct, honest answer.
Yes, ketamine therapy administered in a controlled clinical setting by medical professionals is safe for people with addiction. Research shows that therapeutic ketamine administered for addiction treatment does not lead to ketamine use disorder when it’s given in a medical setting, doses are controlled and supervised, treatment is part of a comprehensive recovery program, and patients are monitored for any problematic patterns.
The ketamine you might have heard about in recreational settings is very different from medical ketamine therapy. In recreational use, people take large doses repeatedly without medical supervision, often combined with other substances, seeking dissociative or hallucinogenic effects. In medical ketamine therapy, you receive carefully calculated doses under continuous medical monitoring in a controlled environment as part of comprehensive addiction treatment.
At Vigeo Wellness, we closely monitor all patients and screen for any signs of concerning use patterns. Our medical team has over 10 years of experience with ketamine safety protocols. We know how to administer ketamine safely, how to identify potential problems early, and how to ensure treatment remains therapeutic rather than becoming problematic.
Important considerations: We don’t provide ketamine therapy to people actively using substances without concurrent addiction treatment. We require engagement with therapy and recovery support. We screen for mental health conditions that might make ketamine inappropriate. We maintain careful boundaries and monitoring throughout treatment.
If you have concerns about using ketamine given your history of addiction, that’s understandable and worth discussing. We’ll have an open conversation during your consultation about risks, benefits, and how we ensure safety throughout treatment.
Who Benefits Most from Ketamine Therapy for Addiction
Ketamine therapy isn’t right for everyone with addiction, but it can be particularly helpful in specific situations.
You might benefit from ketamine therapy if you have tried traditional treatment without lasting success, struggle with severe depression or anxiety alongside addiction, have trauma or PTSD that fuels your substance use, experience persistent cravings despite being on MAT like Suboxone or Vivitrol, feel “stuck” in recovery and unable to move forward, have insight into your patterns but can’t seem to break them, or are looking for an additional tool to enhance your existing treatment.
Ketamine works particularly well when combined with other evidence-based treatments. It’s not typically a first-line treatment for addiction—MAT medications like Suboxone or Vivitrol, combined with therapy, remain the gold standard. But ketamine can be a powerful addition when standard treatments aren’t enough or when co-occurring conditions require more aggressive intervention.
Ketamine may not be appropriate if you have certain medical conditions like uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease, have active psychosis or unstable bipolar disorder, are not engaged in any other addiction treatment or therapy, are actively using substances without plans for comprehensive treatment, or are looking for a “quick fix” without doing the work of recovery.
Dr. Schneider will carefully evaluate whether ketamine is right for your specific situation and help you understand how it fits into your overall treatment plan.
Combining Ketamine with MAT and Other Treatments
One of ketamine’s greatest strengths is how well it complements other evidence-based addiction treatments.
Ketamine Plus Suboxone
For opioid addiction, combining ketamine therapy with Suboxone can address multiple aspects of the condition simultaneously. Suboxone handles the physical dependence through stabilization on buprenorphine, craving reduction, and withdrawal prevention. Ketamine addresses the psychological aspects including treatment of co-occurring depression, reduction of psychological cravings, processing of trauma, and enhanced therapy effectiveness.
This combination allows you to stabilize physically with Suboxone while ketamine helps you work through the deeper psychological and emotional issues that drive addiction. Many people find this dual approach more effective than either treatment alone.
Ketamine Plus Vivitrol
For people on Vivitrol for alcohol or opioid use disorder, adding ketamine therapy can provide additional support for cravings not fully controlled by Vivitrol, treatment of depression and anxiety, trauma processing and healing, and enhanced ability to engage in therapy and develop coping skills.
The medications work through completely different mechanisms, so they complement rather than interfere with each other.
Ketamine Plus Therapy and Support Groups
Ketamine therapy is most effective when combined with regular counseling or therapy, participation in support groups like AA or NA, psychiatric medication management when appropriate, lifestyle changes including sleep, nutrition, and exercise, and strong social support systems.
Ketamine opens windows, but you need the full structure of recovery support to walk through those windows and build lasting change.
What to Expect During Ketamine Treatment
Understanding what ketamine treatment actually feels like can reduce anxiety and help you prepare for the experience.
The Physical Experience
During the infusion, most people feel deeply relaxed and somewhat disconnected from their body. Some describe it as floating or feeling very light. Your thoughts may wander freely, and you might lose track of time. Visual perceptions may shift—colors might seem brighter, patterns might appear, or the room might feel different.
These effects are temporary and wear off within 30-60 minutes after the infusion ends. You remain conscious and can communicate with the medical team throughout the session if needed.
The Psychological Experience
Many people report introspective insights during ketamine treatment—sudden clarity about patterns in their life, new perspectives on old problems, or a sense of seeing themselves and their addiction from a different angle. Some people have emotional releases, processing grief or trauma in ways that feel profound and healing.
Not everyone has dramatic experiences. Some people simply feel relaxed and peaceful, while others have deeply meaningful insights. Both are okay—ketamine works on brain chemistry whether or not you have a powerful subjective experience.
After the Session
You’ll need someone to drive you home, and you should plan to take it easy for the rest of the day. Most people feel somewhat tired but also often report feeling lighter, clearer, or more hopeful than they have in a long time. Cravings may be reduced. Mood may be noticeably improved.
These effects typically strengthen over the first 24-48 hours after treatment and continue building with repeated sessions. The neuroplasticity effects continue working for days after each infusion as your brain forms new connections.
Why Choose Vigeo Wellness for Ketamine Therapy
Vigeo Wellness offers something unique in the Fort Worth area—true expertise in both addiction medicine and ketamine therapy, integrated into comprehensive psychiatric care.
Board-certified anesthesia providers with extensive ketamine experience. Our founder Megan Holland, DNP, CRNA, and our team of anesthesia providers have over 10 years of experience administering ketamine in medical settings. This depth of expertise ensures you receive the safest, most effective ketamine treatment available with proper dosing, monitoring, and medical oversight.
Board-certified addiction psychiatrist. Dr. Paul Schneider brings almost 15 years of experience in addiction medicine and psychiatry. He understands how to integrate ketamine into comprehensive addiction treatment, how to manage complex cases, and how to treat the co-occurring conditions that often accompany substance use disorders.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with licensed therapist. Cameron Schober, LPC-S, LMFT-S, specializes in integrating ketamine with evidence-based therapeutic approaches. This combination of medication and therapy produces better outcomes than either intervention alone.
Comprehensive psychiatric care, not just ketamine. At Vigeo Wellness, you’re not just getting ketamine infusions. You’re receiving full psychiatric care that may include MAT medications like Suboxone or Vivitrol, treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions, coordination with therapy and counseling services, and long-term support for maintaining recovery.
A spa-like healing environment. Our clinic is designed to feel safe, comfortable, and therapeutic. Private treatment rooms, calming atmosphere, and compassionate staff create an environment where healing can happen.
Take Your Next Step Toward Recovery
If you’ve been struggling with addiction and traditional treatments haven’t been enough, if you’re battling both substance use and severe depression, or if you’re simply curious about innovative approaches that might help when other methods have fallen short, ketamine therapy might be worth exploring.
Here’s how to get started:
Call us at Fort Worth: 817-634-5521 or Weatherford: 817-672-9407 to schedule a comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Schneider. During your consultation, we’ll discuss your addiction and mental health history, evaluate whether ketamine is appropriate for you, explain exactly what treatment would look like, answer all your questions, and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Even if ketamine isn’t right for you, we’ll help you find the treatment approach that is. Our goal is your recovery, whatever form that takes.
📞 Fort Worth: 817-634-5521 | Weatherford: 817-672-9407
📍 Fort Worth: 906 W Cannon St, Suite 100, Fort Worth, TX 76104
📍 Weatherford: 1800 Lone Oak Rd, Suite 10, Weatherford, TX 76086
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Additional Resources
National Support (24/7): SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357), Crisis Text Line: Text “HELLO” to 741741
Learn More About Ketamine Research: National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://nida.nih.gov
Related Articles from Vigeo Wellness
Addiction Treatment Options at Vigeo Wellness: Your Complete Guide – Overview of all addiction treatments including ketamine therapy.
Suboxone Treatment in Fort Worth & Weatherford – Learn how MAT can be enhanced with ketamine therapy.
Vivitrol for Alcohol and Opioid Addiction – Discover how monthly injections combine with other treatments.
Treating Co-Occurring Disorders – Why addressing mental health alongside addiction is crucial.
About the Author
Dr. Paul Schneider, DO | Board-Certified Psychiatrist | Addiction Medicine Specialist
Dr. Schneider is a board-certified psychiatrist who has practiced in the DFW area for almost 15 years. His subspecialties of interest include emergency psychiatry, addiction medicine, and the treatment of suicidality. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, and completed his psychiatric training at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.
About Vigeo Wellness
Vigeo Wellness is a leading provider of integrative mental health care in Fort Worth and Weatherford, Texas. Founded by Megan Holland, DNP, CRNA in 2022, Vigeo Wellness specializes in evidence-based and innovative treatments for mood disorders, substance use disorders, and treatment-resistant mental health conditions.
Our unique expertise in ketamine therapy, combined with comprehensive addiction medicine and psychiatric care, allows us to offer truly integrated treatment that addresses both addiction and the mental health conditions that fuel it.
References
- Jones, G., Morgan, C.J.A., Curran, H.V. (2018). Ketamine for the treatment of addiction: Evidence and potential mechanisms. Neuropharmacology, 142, 72-82. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29339294/
- Grabski, M., et al. (2022). Adjunctive Ketamine With Relapse Prevention-Based Psychological Therapy in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 179(2), 152-162.
- Dakwar, E., et al. (2018). Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 277.
- Verrico, A., et al. (2025). Role of ketamine in the treatment of substance use disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 161, 209519.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding ketamine therapy or addiction treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.