Original Caire Research Study
Unveiling the Future of Psychedelic Therapy: A Study on Ketamine, Philosophy, and Mindfulness Integration
As psychedelic-assisted therapies gain traction for their groundbreaking impact on mental health, the need for refined methodologies becomes increasingly clear. At Caire, our commitment to pioneering holistic approaches led us to explore how ketamine therapy, when combined with philosophical reflection and mindfulness-based integration, can produce sustained improvements in depression, anxiety, and existential well-being.
Our latest study, Enhancing and Sustaining Therapeutic Outcomes: Ketamine Therapy with Philosophical and Mindfulness-Based Integration for Depression and Anxiety, dives deep into this integrative framework. Unlike standard ketamine protocols that often rely on repeated dosing for temporary relief, our approach focuses on deepening the patient's understanding of their experiences. By integrating insights from non-ordinary states of consciousness into daily life, we aim to achieve lasting psychological transformation.
Below, you'll find the abstract of our study, highlighting key findings, methodologies, and the implications for future mental health treatment.
Abstract
Background: This retrospective pilot study examines whether ketamine therapy, combined with structured philosophical and mindfulness-based integration, can produce durable reductions in depression and anxiety. Although ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects are well-documented, their durability remains short-lived. We hypothesized that higher mystical experience scores would correlate with better clinical outcomes.
Methods: Seven participants with moderate to severe depression and anxiety underwent a six-session series of ketamine injections over six weeks. Ketamine dosing (mean total 1 mg/kg) was adjusted to optimize mystical experience as assessed by the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ). Integration therapy was conducted after each ketamine session and emphasized existential inquiry, mindfulness practices, and philosophical exploration. Patients were also given reading and mindfulness assignments to be completed on their own between sessions.
Results: From baseline to week 14, depression scores (MADRS) decreased significantly (mean change −20.1 ± 7.2, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 16.4–23.8), and anxiety (GAD-7) scores also showed significant reductions (−9.3 ± 3.5, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 7.2–11.4). Mystical Experience (MEQ) scores positively correlated with reductions in MADRS (r = 0.76, p = 0.02) and GAD-7 (r = 0.68, p = 0.04). Meaning (MAPS) scores improved from baseline to week 14. The treatment effects were durable, with most improvements maintained at 14 weeks.
Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that ketamine therapy paired with philosophical and mindfulness-based integration may enhance the durability of antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. The strong correlation between mystical experience and clinical improvement points to the importance of subjective psychedelic experiences in optimizing therapeutic outcomes. These findings highlight the potential for this novel intervention to address limitations in current treatment paradigms for TRD and anxiety. Larger controlled trials are needed to validate and extend these findings.
