Ketamine Therapy for Anxiety

What the Evidence Says About Ketamine for Anxiety

The evidence for ketamine in anxiety disorders is real but early. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in refractory anxiety spectrum disorders (Whittaker et al., Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology) found that four of six randomized acute-treatment trials — spanning social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and OCD — reported significant benefit from ketamine compared with placebo.

Reviewers consistently describe the evidence as "limited yet growing": trials are small, follow-up periods are short, and the durability of anti-anxiety effects is not established. Many clinics treat anxiety alongside depression rather than as a standalone indication, and anxiety is one of the most commonly listed conditions among clinics in this directory.

FDA status: No form of ketamine is FDA-approved for anxiety disorders. Generic (racemic) ketamine is FDA-approved as an anesthetic; its use for this condition is off-label, prescribed at a clinician's discretion.

Sources:

• Whittaker et al., Systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs of ketamine in refractory anxiety spectrum disorders (Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2021)

Related Reading

• Am I a Candidate for Ketamine Therapy?
• Ketamine Side Effects: Is Ketamine Therapy Safe?