Opportunity to learn about ketamine as an alternative treatment for depression. Please help if you can!

L

lindsey3

Greenlighter
Joined
Nov 30, 2021
Messages
3
Hi all! I hope this finds you well.

I have a survey study created by my research group and I and we really need some responses. This study is highly informative about an alternative treatment to depression and your results will help us understand how and if this treatment can further be undergone in the future. Should only take about 10 minutes. Here is the link and thank you in advance!!!

https://sjsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_40zT09ddO0xOBcq
 
Hi Lindsay welcome to Bluelight! Thank you for posting your study here. I'm going to move this over to our dedicated Drug Studies forum and the moderators over there will help you out. All the best!
 
Hey @lindsey3.

Please look at DS forum guidelines and redo your op.

I hope you get some participation.

Generally feedback is given in your thread especially if an opportunity is not given on completion.

After taking the questionnaire and watching the the presentation and taking the follow up.. edit: I was not convinced
 
Last edited:
Hi I took the study, frankly I feel like the video attached is propaganda. Between minimizing addiction from ketamine (no, it doesn't cause withdrawal, but it is psychologically addictive), using a Carl Hart quote as the "professional opinion" (he is distinctly pro-drug, I would have felt that the video was much more unbiased using some more boring psychiatrist), and the over-simplified mechanism of action proposed (there is quite some controversy on how ketamine works ie via NMDA antagonism or AMPA agonism from hydroxynorketamine. Over simplifying it will just lead to a repeat of the embarrassment that was the serotonin hypotheisis of depression),I felt like I watched a commercial.

I am certainly a proponent of ketamine use, both medicinally and recreationally, but I really don't like feeling like I am being manipulated, which the video integral to the study made me feel.

I came away from the study wondering if you provide paid ketamine infusions quite frankly.
 
What about 15% of people getting recommended ketamine for depression by their psychiatrist?

Slow onset of IV ketamine.. yeah love that tendency.

It’s got to be an influence study… love the music.
 
Kinda low to involve Mr. Heart.. but then again I don’t think he will let it tarnish his Ivy.
 
Skorpio said:
Unfamiliar with that phrase but it's so good. Much softer and less alarmist than propaganda while still carrying similar connotations.
Click to expand...
I’m thinking they are looking into what if any influence nonsense presented in that way will have on people’s opinions.

Please share your results @lindsey3
 
neversickanymore said:
Kinda low to involve Mr. Heart.. but then again I don’t think he will let it tarnish his Ivy.
Click to expand...
Carl Hart is great, I really support his mission. I just feel his book drug use for adults views drug use through rosy colored glasses, and undersells some of the harms of drugs. I am worried that this will hurt the cause of legitimizing drugs (with all of their ugly bits) in the long run.

He is certainly a much more accomplished scientist than I am and may well ever be. I am very glad that he is out of the closet about drugs. I feel his book may be a tool to reach the general population, so that it paints with broader strokes than I prefer, or I may simply be more conservative regarding drugs than him based on personal experiences. I do not mean to demean his accomplishments.

I would like to see a depression expert or a ketamine expert quoted rather than him, because he is more widely known as a proponent for rational drug use, and I feel like the use of his quote is low hanging fruit.
 
@Skorpio i have not looked at his book yet. We will have to look into and see if the quote is even legit and used properly. It may just be a case of throwing a well known name to see what effect it had on influencing opinion.
 
neversickanymore said:
@Skorpio i have not looked at his book yet. We will have to look into and see if the quote is even legit and used properly. It may just be a case of throwing a well known name to see what effect it had on influencing opinion.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure it's from his book, he's a pretty prolific author, that is just my main primary knowledge of him. If I recall correctly it doesn't really focus much on ketamine, he mainly covers stims, rcs (mainly cathinones and 2cb), and opioids along with policy and freedom arguments.

I bet it's the second reason regardless.
 
neversickanymore said:
www.health.harvard.edu

Ketamine for major depression: New tool, new questions - Harvard Health

...
www.health.harvard.edu www.health.harvard.edu
Click to expand...
I don't want to seem like I don't believe ketamine is a good antidepressant. I like it recreationally, but have had experiences that provide true medicinal benefit. Furthermore I know people who strictly use it for depression. Finally one of my good friends studies it at the circuit level with roles in a few mental pathologies.

All of my criticisms are in spite of this.

Also I feel like I'm sucking the air out of the thread and will probably draw back, I think I've said enough for now.
 
Skorpio said:
I came away from the study wondering if you provide paid ketamine infusions quite frankly.
Click to expand...
I was half expecting a part at the end that displayed this: "Depressed? Tried all other forms of treatment without success? Call 1-800-INSERT_CLINIC_NAME_HERE".

But then in fairness: I read this entire thread before going through that survey so it stands to reason I was influenced before I even started and was obviously on the lookout for shit that didn't add up. Hey. At least I'm honest! :ROFLMAO:

The construction is a bit off though isn't it? Same questions before the video and same after? It's the kind of thing any ad. agency would do let's be honest i.e. in order to gauge the effectiveness of their most recent campaign (in this case the quality and effect of the video).

At least this crowd were forthright in their information in noting that depression can be staved off for weeks but with multiple and ongoing infusions.

I'll tell you this much: our very own BL thread on this very topic is far more detailed and better researched than this shit.
 
Last edited:
True enough.. I may have been a little harsh initially. A more professional presentation to the material would go a long way. Clean and crisp it up as it looses credibility presented this way.
 
As the largest owner-operator of ketamine infusion clinics west of the rocky mountains, i think the video was on to something 👌

In my case however you experienced some subject attrition -- i dropped out when i got to around 2:55 in the video when the narrator was tripping over the word "continued" ("...and con-con...and, con-con-continued for weeks..."). I'm just joking around (although that is actually where i exited the survey).
 
neversickanymore said:
What about 15% of people getting recommended ketamine for depression by their psychiatrist?

Slow onset of IV ketamine.. yeah love that tendency.

It’s got to be an influence study… love the music.
Click to expand...
Having done a BPsych and Masters in Forensic Psych, the study looks more like a first or second year BPsych study. I highly doubt they are being paid or influenced by anyone, moreso it appears that they are learning and displaying their new skills of producing a research questionnaire.
 
n3ophy7e said:
Having done a BPsych and Masters in Forensic Psych, the study looks more like a first or second year BPsych study. I highly doubt they are being paid or influenced by anyone, moreso it appears that they are learning and displaying their new skills of producing a research questionnaire.
Click to expand...
Why the same questions before and after the presentation? Wouldn’t it be to see how the presentation effected or influenced the participants.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top