It’s no shock that people fear for their job security as the end of the year approaches. Massive layoffs have hit the tech industry and more than 120,000 people in the sector have been laid off so far this year. A job loss can be devastating and lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. But a company at the forefront of psychedelic-assisted therapy hopes to minimize the negative mental health impact of a layoff with a free month of ketamine therapy.
You heard that right – Field Trip Health, a company that offers virtually, in-person and hybrid enhanced psychedelic therapy, announced today in an exclusive with Fortune that they will offer their services for free to people who have been terminated by a host of companies, including Twitter, Meta, Stripe and others. Field Trip CEO Ronan Levy says Fortune his decision to offer this service stemmed from the reality that “everyone is suffering right now”.
“This promotion is available to anyone facing headwinds right now, anyone going through a transition,” he says.
Ketamine-assisted therapy is relatively new. The Federal Drug and Food Administration (FDA) originally approved the drug in 1970 for use as a general anesthetic. In 2000, researchers published a study that showed that lower doses of ketamine could treat symptoms of depression in a shorter amount of time compared to participants who took a placebo. John Krystal, a leading researcher in this field from the Yale School of Medicine, called the psychedelic a “game changer.”
Although it is legal for doctors to prescribe ketamine for psychiatric conditions, it is not FDA approved for this use. The only exception is esketamine, a ketamine-based nasal spray, which was approved by the FDA in 2019 for treatment-resistant depression, or for those whose symptoms have not been helped by other modalities.
While the use of psychedelics has exploded in the startup space, with some founders claiming it has helped them deal with trauma and make them better leaders, ketamine has generally only been studied on people suffering from depression who did not benefit from other medications. Major depression, experienced by more than 20 million American adults each year, is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world.
For those eligible, Field Trip will provide one month of its services, including a ketamine-assisted therapy treatment and an integration session with a clinician, i.e. an individual session focused on the integration of therapy with the effects of ketamine treatment. The ketamine dose can be taken orally at home or injected if done at one of the company’s 12 in-person clinics. If taken at home, the company recommends having the supervision of a friend or family member.
“Ketamine-assisted therapies can be powerfully transformative for people facing some of the most common challenges of everyday life,” says Levy.
Ketamine may increase the production of glutamate, one of the brain’s neurotransmitters, which helps establish new pathways in the brain associated with mood, according to Yale Medicine. Ketamine-assisted therapy is most effective when combined with other therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy or talk therapy.
Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, increased blood pressure, and confused thinking, as well as a feeling of dissociation from the body or a feeling of space. Ketamine is also a well-known party drug due to its hallucinogenic properties and can be abused, leading to tolerance and dependence according to the US Addiction Centers.
To see if you are eligible, make an appointment with one of Field Trip’s clinicians using the code freeandwell22. You will be asked about your medical history and told if you can continue the program. Ketamine-assisted therapy is not for everyone, including people who have uncontrolled high blood pressure or who are pregnant.
Places with clinicians in the program are limited, and it’s difficult to predict the demand Field Trip might see with this offering, says Levy, who did not disclose how many places are available.
“We will respond to requests based on interest,” he said.
Our new weekly newsletter Impact Report will examine how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today’s leaders, and how they can better meet these challenges. Subscribe here.
#Laidoff #workers #free #month #ketamineassisted #therapy #services #improve #mental #health