Ketamine for Alcoholism and Marijuana Addiction

There is research suggesting ketamine may help across a range of substance use disorders, but the safety profile and treatment requirements for cocaine, methamphetamine, opioid, and benzodiazepine use disorders are very different — and frequently require in-person, supervised care or evidence-based medication-assisted treatment (like buprenorphine for opioids). At-home telehealth ketamine is not the right setting for those, so Dr. Mahjoubi does not treat them here. Please see the SAMHSA helpline link above for the right resource.

You should not be intoxicated when you take a dose. But you don't have to be fully sober before your consult — Dr. Mahjoubi will discuss with you whether your drinking pattern is safe to taper at home or whether you need a medical detox first. If you have ever had withdrawal seizures, severe shaking, hallucinations, or sweating when you've gone without alcohol, you need medical detox before starting ketamine — alcohol withdrawal can be fatal.

Yes — and you should. The strongest evidence is for ketamine combined with behavioral support, not ketamine alone. Many of our patients keep their sponsor, their group, and their therapist. Ketamine quiets the craving so the work you're doing in those rooms can land.

At prescribed therapeutic doses, ketamine has a low addiction risk and does not produce physical withdrawal. NutraBrain's protocol is specifically designed to avoid tolerance and dependence. Patients with a history of ketamine misuse will be screened during the consult — that's a contraindication for this program.

Cannabis withdrawal is uncomfortable but not medically dangerous. Many patients find that ketamine eases the irritability and sleep disruption that drive relapse during the first 1–2 weeks. Dr. Mahjoubi will discuss your specific pattern and what to expect during the consult.

Maybe. It depends on your medical history, your withdrawal risk profile, and whether you have access to in-person medical support if needed. Dr. Mahjoubi may require clearance from your primary care physician or a medically supervised taper before starting ketamine. Be honest about your intake during the consult — under-reporting puts you at risk.

Same framework — daily high-THC use rewires the same reward circuitry as alcohol, and many of our cannabis-use-disorder patients are heavy concentrate users. Dr. Mahjoubi tailors the protocol to your specific picture during the consult.

Those are FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder with their own evidence base. Naltrexone reduces the reinforcing effect of alcohol; Antabuse creates a physical aversion; Campral works on glutamate stability. Ketamine works on a different mechanism (NMDA + neuroplasticity + craving consolidation). Some patients use ketamine in combination with one of these — Dr. Mahjoubi will discuss what's appropriate during your consult.

NutraBrain is cash-pay. The $69/mo membership + ketamine cost is typically less than the cumulative out-of-pocket cost of a rehab program, intensive outpatient (IOP), or repeat medical encounters tied to drinking or cannabis use. We provide a superbill you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

If you are in immediate medical or mental health crisis, call 911. For confidential 24/7 addiction support and referrals, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). For mental health crisis, call or text 988.