Mindbloom Review – Does Ketamine Therapy Help With Anxiety and Depression?

Traditional treatment for anxiety includes psychotherapy or medication – but these don’t work for everyone. What then? If you have been labeled “treatment-resistant” or you’re feeling hopeless about your anxiety, there’s still hope. Mindbloom has developed a groundbreaking integrated approach to providing ketamine therapy as the solution that may safely ease your anxiety. 

Cutting to the chase

Mindbloom psychedelic therapy gives you the space to experience ketamine in the comfort of your home with appropriate medical supervision from an integrated care team. Ketamine is administered to help minimize ruminating cycles of thought in the brain and explore hidden parts of your conscience with intention.  Mindbloom’s multi-touch care model has a well-established track record in prescribing a medication that is now increasingly embraced by the mental health community.  

Throughout this article, we’ll highlight how ketamine therapy can benefit you, Mindbloom’s approach to providing treatment, and how they compare to industry competitors. 

Quick look: Mindbloom pros and cons 

Overview of Mindbloom’s guided psychedelic experiences to overcome anxiety

Mindbloom guides every step of your personalized ketamine therapy journey while allowing you to stay in the comfort of your home.

Determine eligibility

All therapy services are offered through a secure online platform, starting with the online assessment. After taking the assessment, you’ll meet with a clinician (a licensed medical expert in psychiatry and ketamine therapy) that will prescribe your first dose if eligibility criteria are met. 

If you aren’t a good fit for treatment, you’ll receive a full refund of the initial consultation. 

Guidance

Following the consult, you will select a Mindbloom Guide, who’ll be your direct POC throughout your program and treatment. All guides are experts in supporting ketamine therapy, and they’ll be with you every step of the way. They are trained to help you prepare for safe and effective healing, facilitating sessions, and treatment administration. 

You’ll meet with your dedicated guide multiple times and have direct access via texting to discuss questions, set intentions, and schedule the six treatment sessions included in your program. You can message your guide as often as you need.

Treatment and program

You’ll receive your Bloombox in the mail with everything you need for your at-home treatment. Ketamine therapy at Mindbloom is administered as a tablet that lodges under your tongue and dissolves. Its effects last approximately 45-90 minutes, during which, you’ll simply relax on your couch or bed. While your first dose of ketamine may be conservative, you may still experience a mild dissociative effect. 

You’ll have to have a Peer Treatment Monitor in the room for every session, someone who’s safe and supportive to monitor your status throughout the experience. They’ll also be a direct line of contact to your Guide during treatment.

After your first session, you’ll use the Mindbloom app to schedule the remaining sessions (6 total), and your guide and clinician will coordinate their efforts to ensure you get the best ongoing care.

Continuous care and benefits

You will keep a journal of your experiences to begin to synthesize and integrate new patterns of thought. Ultimately, the coordinated approach between the clinician, guide, and patient can lead to long-lasting positive changes in your mental state. 

You’ll also have unlimited access to Mindbloom’s Integration Cycles, which is a support group designed to help you get the most out of your therapy.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is the only legal psychedelic medication a licensed psychiatric clinician can prescribe in the US. Negative thoughts are interrupted by the improved synaptic connections that ketamine treatment stimulates. It helps you achieve clarity by allowing you to break through ruminating and maladaptive thought patterns and focus on newer, healthier ways of thinking, thereby giving you the power to heal unhealthy neural pathways. 

Is ketamine therapy safe?

Scientific evidence credits ketamine for its safety and efficacy in treating anxiety and depression with less than 5% of trial participants recording negative side effects. The safety of such repeated ketamine infusions has not been fully investigated in large clinical and well-powered studies, but smaller studies have shown few adverse effects, 1 study concluded that only 14% of participants reported dissociative effects, while the only other side effects reported were very mild headaches or dizziness.

Some might wonder, “but what about at-home therapy?” Valid question. A study was done with over 1,200 Mindbloom patients with the same at-home Ketamine-assisted therapy and remote monitoring and support that Mindbloom provides. 89% of participants reported improvements in their depression or anxiety, with fewer than 5% reporting side effects from treatment. 

Ketamine’s use in a variety of medical and therapeutic indications, with relatively positive safety outcomes, supports its safety profile in many age groups. 85% of Mindbloom clients with anxiety report an improvement in their anxiety symptoms after only 2 sessions (1+ points on GAD-7), and 74-75% of clients with moderate to severe depression or anxiety report significant improvement (5+ points on PHQ-9 or GAD-7) after four sessions.

Like any medication, Ketamine has a number of associated side effects and can potentially lead to dependence on the medication. Ketamine can be used safely as long as it is directed by an appropriate clinician in the right environment, which Mindbloom now offers. 

What distinguishes ketamine from traditional “psychedelics?”

Traditional psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, act on serotonin receptors in the brain. They override certain cell structures, leading to variable experiences in intensity. Ketamine, however, binds to NMDA receptors, which are activated by a separate neurotransmitter called glutamate. So, ketamine relaxes the brain’s inhibitors, often creating a gentler experience. These differences make online ketamine therapy suitable in the mental health community. 

Who is eligible for Mindbloom’s ketamine therapy? 

Ketamine therapy is promising for many patients with anxiety, including those resistant to traditional anti-anxiety medications or therapy. Your eligibility is determined by your provided medical history, self-reported assessment, and initial consultation. It’s extremely important throughout all of this that you are 100% honest with your answers so that you can receive the best treatment possible. 

Patients approved for ketamine therapy benefit from fewer adverse effects than conventional antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which may become intolerable over time. 

If you are wondering if you are a candidate for ketamine therapy from Mindbloom, take their brief assessment. 

Can you combine ketamine therapy with other anti-anxiety medications?

Most medicines won’t impact ketamine’s effectiveness, so it is generally acceptable to take anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications in conjunction with ketamine therapy. If you are taking any medications, you should inform your Mindbloom clinician to discuss the most appropriate course of treatment for you. 

What makes Mindbloom unique?

Ketamine treatments are shown to be more effective when combined with intention-setting and integration exercises. Mindbloom is a leading provider pairing ketamine with an immersive in-app experience and clinician support, all in the comfort of your own home. 

Mindbloom clinicians provide consultations to evaluate each client for safety and eligibility for ketamine treatments. If approved, they will be your medical support leg, prescribing the medication and adjusting dosage throughout the duration.  Mindbloom then goes a step further by incorporating guides that give you one-on-one support when it’s most critical. Your guide is available to text or message any time you need. So, you’re never facing mental health challenges alone. 

Additionally, your guide will have exclusive virtual meetings immediately before and after your first session to help you prepare and process your initial journey. After your second and sixth treatments, you’ll meet one-on-one with your guide again to check your progress. 

Throughout your journey, you will keep a journal to help you process your experiences and emotions. Your guide will work with you to discover the keys to integrating your newfound insights into meaningful actions to change your daily life. 

Industry experts also lead the medical oversight for Mindbloom. The Mindbloom board of medical advisors and partner clinicians work collectively to ensure all care focuses on doing what is best for the patients. So, you know you are always getting the most up-to-date, science-backed, patient-centered care. 

Consider how this model of care may be a good fit for you. Look at Mindbloom’s transparent recap of what to expect with your first treatment. 

Best online ketamine therapy providers for anxiety 

We’ve reviewed some of the best online ketamine therapy brands. Let’s look at leading competitors: Mindbloom vs Field Trip Health vs Nue Life vs Better U. Which service offers the best ketamine therapy for anxiety? Here are the facts.