I apologize for the late reply, I hope you end up seeing this. The Mindbloom program isn't as powerful as getting an IV or intramuscular injection (IM). I believe this is because you aren't hospitalized for the treatment. I've received my Ketamine pills, along with a face mask, a blood pressure monitor, and a journal to record my thoughts so that I can speak to a clinician the following day, and learn to integrate what I came across into a therapeutic way. The pills are definitely the least effective method, but the only method that can be done in an outpatient setting. You let the pill dissolve between your cheek and gum for 7 minutes, then you spit out the saliva and rinse your mouth. After that, you lie down with the face mask, and have a sitter nearby that can monitor you.

From my understanding, the experience is very close to DXM (dextromethorphan) from cough syrup, like Robitussin DM. It's a disassociative anesthetic, so my understanding is that you will have feelings and thoughts arise, but be able to examine them "from a distance", as far as being disconnected from them and able to be more objective. I'm really excited to try it, I've had anxiety since 1999, have been given so many different drugs, and have been through biofeedback, cognitive therapy, as well as more new age treatments like meditation. If this doesn't work for me, my next step is probably microdosing psilocybin, but that carries a little bit of legal risk right now (where I'm located).

Thank you, this is really interesting. Why do you think one would want a face mask?

Ketamine was the only drug I tried (administered during a surgery in my teens) that made a huge impression on me. Everything else I tried later was frankly a disappointment.

I believe the face mask is just to keep stray light from leaking through your eyelids, possibly affecting your ability to solely focus on your experience.