What a supervised ketamine session is like
A supervised session starts with a medical check, including blood pressure. The medicine is taken in the clinic under supervision, and you are monitored for at least two hours as effects such as dissociation and raised blood pressure pass. You need someone to drive you home, and your clinician reviews progress over time.
A calm, step-by-step look at a supervised esketamine or ketamine session: assessment, monitoring, how it can feel, going home and follow-up. No doses.
From the first assessment to getting home safely.
Key takeaways
- You are assessed first, and your blood pressure is checked before each esketamine dose.
- Monitoring lasts at least two hours after esketamine.
- Feeling detached or dreamlike is common and usually passes within a couple of hours.
- Plan for someone else to drive you home.
How it can feel
Many people feel detached from their body or surroundings, notice changes in sound, light or time, or feel dizzy or nauseous. These are expected effects, and staff are there to help. If something feels frightening, telling the person supporting you is the right step; many clinics agree a simple signal in advance.
Music and the room
Some clinics play calm music during sessions, and some welcome your own preferences. Ask in advance what the clinic usually does. Beiing's music guides cover how to prepare listening for a calm, supervised setting.
Questions to ask before you start
Bring these to a psychiatrist or clinic, not to a seller.
- Is this esketamine (SPRAVATO), IV ketamine, or a compounded product?
- Who assesses me, and who is present during the session?
- How is blood pressure monitored, and what happens if it rises?
- What is the plan if it helps, and what if it does not?
- How does this fit with my other medicines and therapy?
Frequently asked questions
Will I be unconscious?
No. The amounts used for depression are far lower than in anesthesia, and you stay awake.
Can I drive afterwards?
No. Esketamine's label advises not driving until the next day after a restful sleep, so plan for someone to take you home.
Related on Beiing
- Preparing music before a session - Calm, practical preparation.
- Safety and risks - What clinicians watch for.
- Ketamine for mental health - The hub for every page in this guide.
Sources
- SPRAVATO (esketamine) nasal spray, prescribing information - Janssen Pharmaceuticals, via DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
- SPRAVATO approved in the U.S. as the first and only monotherapy for adults with treatment-resistant depression (21 January 2025) - Johnson & Johnson (manufacturer press release)
- Ketamine comparable to ECT for many patients with refractory depression (ELEKT-D trial, New England Journal of Medicine, 2023) - Psychiatric News (American Psychiatric Association)
Written by Beiing Editorial Team · Editorially reviewed by Beiing Editorial & Research Review · Published · Last reviewed . Editorial and research review by Beiing writers and researchers. This is not medical or clinical review, and no clinician signs off on our content.
Educational content only - not medical advice. In a crisis, call or text 988 (US) or your local emergency number. See crisis resources.