Understanding Ketamine Treatments with Dr. Banimahd

Understanding Ketamine Treatments with Dr. Banimahd

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol and other drugs, yet still consider medicines like ketamine or psychedelics in their recovery? This conversation between Coach Blu Robinson and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Faried "Dr. B" Banimahd gives you a grounded, no-nonsense look at ketamine treatment for depression, trauma and addiction. Dr.

B draws on decades in emergency and addiction medicine to explain what ketamine actually is, how it works in the brain, and why it’s classed as a dissociative anaesthetic rather than a classic hallucinogen. He traces its history from operating theatres and rave culture to today’s surge in ketamine clinics, pointing out that only a specific nasal-spray form is FDA-approved, and only for treatment‑resistant depression and suicidal thinking under psychiatric supervision.

You’ll hear blunt warnings about chasing quick fixes: as Dr. B puts it, "I can't offer you a meth rush, but I can offer you meaning." He stresses that any ketamine treatment should sit on top of solid foundations: talk therapy first, careful psychiatric assessment, and ongoing work after the sessions end. This isn’t a “take two and you’re done” situation.

The discussion also touches on who might need extra caution, including people with a history of substance use, bipolar disorder or psychosis, and uses Matthew Perry’s death as a stark example of the risks of unsupervised access and polypharmacy. From there, they move into wider questions about psychedelics, ego, personality disorders, and how altered states might open brief windows for deep therapeutic change—if handled by skilled professionals.

If you’ve been curious about ketamine or other “alternative” treatments and want straight talk rather than hype or horror stories, this conversation offers a thoughtful starting point. What matters more to you: a fast feeling, or building long-term meaning?