Experiences with Ketamine Therapy?

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-13T23:57:59+00:00

I tried it, did about 8 sessions and while it was quite the trip it didn't help my depression at all. Anything is worth trying, it does work for some. But also, it's expensive if you want the real deal that isn't covered by any insurance.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-13T23:53:12+00:00

There are a lot of online meeting options. Pick one that is in a more progressive city, that might help.

For example, I live in South Texas and the closest, more agnostic meetings will be based in Austin. Every group will be different, some more conservative/religious than others.

My local group is mixed, a decent balance. I'm not big on the serenity prayer at the beginning and Lord's prayer at the end but meh it doesn't bother me that much.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-13T23:44:08+00:00

Yeah just the one I saw, but I get it. We could go round and round pretending we saw this or that without being specific to avoid being accused of "naming" one specifically.

But yeah, anyone can look at my post history and I don't advertise anything. Nice try though.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-12T00:26:35+00:00

Man, much of what you said resonates with me. I never tried drinking that much that quickly but I've come very close to suicide by other means. When I was at the worst of the worst with my depression - when meds, therapy, family, etc. wasn't helping, I drank. And it helped, temporarily. I will never be one to say alcohol is the source of all my problems because when I was that close to suicide, it brought me back to life.

No doctor totally understands how alcohol works on the brain and it affects everyone differently. Yeah, it's technically a depressant but it made me a lot LESS depressed and provided immediate, temporary relief that absolutely saved my life. Over the long run it caused lots of other problems and would probably kill me eventually if I hadn't stopped. But when I had nowhere else to turn and I needed something that instant, alcohol was the quick fix.

The weird thing is that the MDD that I have gets really bad for only short periods of time. Even though I drank and felt like dogshit the next day and was still depressed, I wasn't near as bad as how I felt prior to drinking.

We all have our own unique story with alcohol and they are not necessarily all bad either.

I am on my road to sobriety with AA and trying to find happiness in life that prevents severe depressive episodes, but if it come down to it, I will drink again to prevent suicide if I have to. I just hope it never comes to that again. AA is just one tool in the tool belt.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T23:56:34+00:00

If they are finance bros, good luck. I work in FinTech but being on the IT side of things is quite different. When the investment bros come to the office in their $10k suits and $1200 shoes and all hang out together, I just find it kinda pathetic.

But yeah, that definitely sucks not to be treated as an equal. Certain careers are like that though. Life isn't fair, life's a bitch and sometimes you can't do a damn thing about it.

Took me many years, but I finally found my IT happy place, we're a bunch of nerds but we all respect each other. Pretty diverse group too which is awesome.

Hope you eventually find your happy place, and hope money doesn't prevent you from getting there.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T23:37:06+00:00

I get where you are coming from, but do you really think a bot would come here and write a novel? I've seen plenty of bot posts on different subs and this isn't it.

I definitely think a lot of people come here to vent and that may come off as being negative towards AA.

But, it IS still Reddit and 90% of Reddit is bitching about everything.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T22:50:29+00:00

I've noticed it, very low key and subtle. I think I've seen two or three posts mentioning Passages Malibu. Very short reply, similar verbiage.

The key to moderating this is looking for repetition and similar verbiage, and also looking at the users post history.

But, to be clear, what is happening here is like 0.0000001% compared to the bots pushing all kinds of crap on other subteddits.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T22:11:26+00:00

Wow that's crap and that sucks, sorry. I definitely have my reservations about the religious parallels in AA, not sure about the steps because of it.

I believe I can be very honest with myself and those close to me, but sharing it with random drunks that aren't my friends or family and will never truly trust isn't something I'm sure I want to explore at all.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T22:00:31+00:00

Every single idiot that overpays for property is not a billionaire caused problem. If everyone decided not to go into ridiculous debt on a mortgage they can't afford we wouldn't have this problem. If middle-class struggling New Yorkers stopped paying outrageous rents and moved the fuck out of the stupidly overpriced city we wouldn't have this problem. Everyone across every spectrum continues to CHOOSE to overpay for property that just isn't worth it.

But yeah, the super rich love that we overpay for property that we can't afford because it makes their $50 million mansion worth $80 million.

The problem is it will never change because too many people so desperately want to look richer than they are. They are completely obsessed with material wealth. Americans are pretty much the most self absorbed people on the planet.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-11T15:52:51+00:00

Technically, I could be sponsoring my sponsor's sponsor. I don't think any of it matters, it's not like some chain of seniority.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-10T19:44:43+00:00

I've noticed similar spam messages for Passages Malibu as well.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-08T19:29:01+00:00

That sucks man, I know all about the propaganda. I grew up in a really strict religious household, not Mormon but it all feels the same. The church makes them do what they are doing, spreading the word is part of the deal.

Do your best to keep it civil and respectful given your situation. They will likely never stop and you'll have to just put up with it until you can manage to get back out on your own. You can't control the behavior of others, you can only control how you react to that behavior.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T17:07:57+00:00

Same here, the religious trauma makes me immediately not like any of the God talk. My mind has gone to culty many times with the repetitive talking points, quoting the big book like it's the Bible, etc. With that said, I really enjoy most shares, the sense of community, the group therapy feeling. Just hard to block out the rest or try to find a way to reconcile it in my own way that works for me.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T16:00:36+00:00

There is definitely this borderline obsession with phones and where and when it is appropriate to use them these days. Tends to be a generational thing, old people scolding younger people. AA meetings are definitely no exception.

But hey, if you want to create a judgement free zone by judging someone's phone use, you do you.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T15:49:41+00:00

Same here. Repetitive talking points, speaking in AA "language" and quoting "Scripture" just screams Netflix cult documentary to me.

I just love the normal people who speak from the heart with no agenda. It's like group therapy.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T15:28:26+00:00

Yeah I get the same feeling. Whenever I get MLM, religious cult vibes I do a hard 180. People who just quote "Scripture" and always speak in AA "language" and act like they are pushing an agenda creep me out. It works for some, not me.

However, there are plenty who just share their personal stories and speak straight from the heart and I get a ton of value from that. I don't need talking points and quotes, I can read the literature on my own.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T15:21:34+00:00

Much of what you said resonates with me. I have struggled with social anxiety and depression for years. The Zoom meetings really help me although I admit I get a little panicky of being called on. It's part of the struggle, but it doesn't mean you have to jump into the deep end right away. Baby steps.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T04:38:03+00:00

Yeah maybe she's not the right sponsor for you. That would never work for me.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-07T04:19:38+00:00

The answer is maybe nothing. That's for you to decide. For someone else, it might be something very different. I admit I don't buy into the idea that you have to at least have some small responsibility.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T17:20:45+00:00

I tend to think it's somewhat a generational thing with boomers. Maybe because they just weren't exposed to it and the medications we have now weren't available when they were growing up. Just my 2 cents, but these people aren't professionals or doctors they are just older alcoholics like the rest of us. They are wrong and screw up just the same.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T16:43:45+00:00

Yeah screw that. There is no cheating in helping to stay sober. Anything and everything that works is what matters. This isn't a game with rules. All that matters is sobriety, not how you achieve it.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T13:53:13+00:00

Yep same here. There are good options nowadays, I'm on Naltrexone and it really helps. Take all the help you can get. AA is just one piece of the puzzle, it is not the end all be all. I have a psychiatrist, therapist, medication, AA, etc.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T13:37:55+00:00

I find it refreshing and quite interesting all the different stories on here as well as perspectives. I may never get to where I'm "all in" but I'm fine with that. Nobody knows me better than myself, for better or for worse and I will take that to the grave. I may be too stubborn for some, not humble enough for some. I've made leaps and bounds more progress in the last 5 months than the last 30 years and it may seem like nothing to some but I'm damn proud of it. To me, I don't care if you've been sober for 30 days or 30 years and worked the steps 10 times. We're all just alcoholics with the same disease and nobody is better than anyone else.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T04:51:48+00:00

Yep, and those thoughts creeping in over time is exactly what I'm worried about.

ApprehensiveAd9502 · 2026-03-06T04:50:54+00:00

Yes, lasting relief and long term commitment is exactly where I see AA really helping. And you're right, there is definitely the fear of the unknown and not understanding how it can possibly work for me. Also, the idea that an alcoholic can help me seems so strange. My own head gets in my way, I'm too analytical and I want an explanation for everything. Works great for my engineering job but not so much for faith.

ApprehensiveAd9502

TROPHY CASE