Elon Musk and ketamine became a public topic after a March 2024 interview. During the interview, Musk spoke with former CNN host Don Lemon. He shared why he had used prescription ketamine for his mental health. Elon Musk said ketamine helped him leave a “negative chemical mind state.” He explained that these feelings could happen without a clear cause. He also said a doctor prescribed the treatment for him. At the time, he used a small amount about once every two weeks. However, he sometimes went several weeks without taking it. This was not the first time Musk had discussed ketamine treatment. In August 2023, he shared that he had a prescription. He said it helped when his brain chemistry became very negative.

Elon Musk has also shared concerns about common antidepressants called SSRIs. In his view, these drugs can make some people feel numb. He believes ketamine may be a better choice for certain patients. Moreover, Musk said treatment helped him keep up with his demanding work. His comments brought more attention to Elon Musk and ketamine for mental health.

Why Elon Musk Supports Ketamine for Mental Health

Elon Musk has said he shared his story to help other people. During the Don Lemon interview, he said ketamine improved his negative mental state. He also urged people with depression to speak with a doctor first.

Musk has also shared concerns about common drugs for depression, called SSRIs. These drugs change how serotonin works in the brain. In his view, ketamine may be a better choice for some people.

Most importantly, Musk described ketamine as a medical treatment, not a quick fix. The topic of Elon Musk and ketamine has reached a wide audience. His support may reduce stigma and help people explore doctor-led mental health care.

Elon Musk’s Latest Comments on Ketamine

In May 2025, Elon Musk spoke again about his past ketamine use. He said prescription ketamine helped him leave what he called “dark mental holes.” This statement matched his earlier comments about difficult and negative mental states.

Musk also said he was not taking ketamine at that time. However, he still spoke in a positive way about his past treatment. He described ketamine as a tool that helped during hard emotional periods.

As a result, the topic of Elon Musk and ketamine stayed in the public eye. His comments brought more attention to ketamine as a doctor-led treatment option. They may also help more people learn about care for depression.

Ketamine Therapy Near Me

If you or a loved one struggle with depression, anxious thoughts, or other mental health issues, ketamine could offer a new treatment strategy. Our compassionate specialists are trained in Emotion-Focused Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy to help you improve your mental health. To explore your options, please contact us at one of our two locations in Salt Lake City, UT, and West Jordan, UT. Public discussions about Elon Musk and ketamine have helped more people learn about this treatment. However, each person needs a plan based on their health and personal goals.

What is Ketamine

Elon Musk’s comments about ketamine have raised new questions about the treatment. Many people now want to know how ketamine is used in medical care. Interestingly, ketamine has a long history as a medicinal drug, beginning in the 1960s. Since the ’60s, doctors use ketamine as an anesthetic in surgical centers, veterinary clinics, and emergency rooms. Eventually, doctors discovered that surgery patients suffering from depression reported feeling a reduction in depressive symptoms after receiving ketamine as an anesthetic.

Ketamine is also known as a dissociative drug, possibly explaining its effectiveness in treating mental health. Using ketamine allows patients to dissociate from harmful thought patterns.

Unfortunately, many people may not realize the healthcare potential of ketamine-based therapy. This lack of information may be due to various reasons, including difficulty of access in some regions. Furthermore, there may be a stigma around ketamine because it is commonly used as a recreational drug since the 1990s.

What Causes Mental Health Disorders

Mental health problems are among the most challenging to treat effectively because these conditions have many potential causes. In addition, these causes are complex and diverse.

Yet, despite what might be portrayed in popular media, the reality may not be as clear-cut as saying that depression results from a lack of certain “feel-good chemicals.” Instead, mood regulation processes may not work correctly in the brain.

Plus, depression and other mental illnesses can have numerous different causes, such as a genetic risk. Other people may experience depression due to traumatic life events, such as the death of a loved one. As a result, effectively treating mental health conditions requires new and innovative methods. Such methods are best employed by compassionate professionals trained in numerous, diverse modalities.

Ketamine Therapy Benefits

Elon Musk has said ketamine helped him move out of a deeply negative mental state. His story is only one experience. However, it shows why many people are learning about ketamine for mental health. Two decades of Yale studies testify to the value of ketamine as a treatment. In a number of Yale studies, when patients with severe depression receive intravenous (in the vein) ketamine, over half of them show a significant reduction in depression symptoms within 24 hours.

Ketamine is also uniquely beneficial because it is able to produce positive effects for those struggling with treatment-resistant depression. These patients are not able to make any progress with other antidepressant medications until ketamine therapy was used. Furthermore, ketamine is being used more and more by those who keep society running, including business leaders and the always indispensable police force.

Although it’s worth noting that clinicians recommend pairing ketamine with other mental health practices, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a form of psychotherapy. CBT by itself is not a pharmacological treatment, but can offer social and emotional support to help patients develop more positive mind states.³

How Does Ketamine Therapy Work

Elon Musk described ketamine as a tool that changed his negative state of mind. Research gives more detail about how ketamine may affect the brain. Yale research shows how ketamine helps patients. According to research, ketamine affects glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter or “chemical messenger.” Accordingly, a shortage of glutamate in the brain is linked with depressive conditions. Ketamine appears to boost glutamate, which eventually helps create more connections in the brain. As a result, these neural connections, or pathways, can lead to more positive thought patterns.

Ketamine may owe its effectiveness, at least partially, due to the fact that it affects glutamate in the brain. Other drugs work by targeting other brain chemicals that have been linked with mental health issues. As examples, these chemicals include dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

Further to that, ketamine exerts its effects by blocking activity in a brain receptor called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). This brain receptor is involved with various functions, including mood regulation and pain perception.

Ketamine Results

Elon Musk’s ketamine experience brought more attention to its fast effects. He said the treatment helped him leave a negative mental state. However, results can differ for each patient. Ketamine can quickly relieve the symptoms of depression and many other mental health issues. It is much faster-acting than other medications, working in hours instead of weeks or months.”4

Because of this, many see ketamine as an invaluable potential alternative to other drugs used for mental health. Some, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may cause side effects like a loss of appetite or problems with sexual function.

Ketamine is used to treat many conditions, including the following:

Depression
Treatment-Resistant Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Postpartum Depression
Sexual Abuse Trauma
Chronic Pain
Fibromyalgia
Lyme Disease
Migraines

And More

Celebrities who use Ketamine

Elon Musk is one of several public figures who have discussed ketamine treatment. These stories have helped more people learn about ketamine for mental health. Other public figures have also shared their experiences. Numerous celebrities benefit from ketamine therapy. Find out what they have to say below:

Jamie-Lynn Sigler

In May 2026, actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler discussed ketamine therapy on her MeSsy podcast. Sigler spoke with her therapist about trauma, emotional healing, and how ketamine-assisted treatment became part of her personal therapy process.

Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen recently spent her birthday enjoying various activities, including a gathering with friends and fancy meals. She also tried a not-so-conventional activity on her special day, engaging in a session of ketamine therapy. After trying this mental health therapy, Teigen said she saw many things, including “space and time.”5

Lamar Odom

Former NBA champion Lamar Odom says ketamine helps him treat drug addiction. Ketamine therapy gave Odom a new lease on life. He says, “I’m feeling amazing… I’m alive. I’m sober. I’m happy.”

Sharon Osbourne

Ketamine also helps Sharon Osbourne overcome some mental hurdles and find peace. Osbourne described the therapy, saying, “I got it all out.” She continued, “All the tears and everything that I felt, you know. All of that, it’s gone.”

Tyler Baltierra

Tyler Baltierra, from Teen Mom, helped make ketamine more publicly known. He shared his therapy with the show’s audience in 2023, taking MTV viewers into the treatment room.

Baltierra spoke to Yahoo Life about his feelings: “Doing it was a little bit scary at first, to be honest, but I was ready for a deep dive, especially doing it with a therapist and medical professionals involved. Ketamine is a pretty sedating experience. Having done that recreationally and having a lot of enlightenment with that, I felt like this was the best route to really get to the core of the issues I’ve had.”

Why Elon Musk and Other CEOs Explore Ketamine Therapy

Elon Musk has linked his ketamine treatment to his mental health and work. He said the treatment helped him manage negative mental states. Other business leaders may also explore ketamine because of stress and mental pressure. Candace Curzon, LCSW and owner of a ketamine clinic in Utah states, “CEOs are turning to ketamine therapy because it helps them break free from rigid thought patterns, gain fresh perspectives, and better manage the mental pressures of leadership. Ketamine creates a space for deeper self-awareness and emotional clarity, allowing them to approach challenges with renewed focus and creativity.”

Ketamine Therapy in Utah | Premier Ketamine Clinic in utah

Elon Musk’s support for ketamine has helped bring this treatment into public view. However, ketamine care should always be based on each patient’s needs. A trained provider can explain the risks, benefits, and treatment options. Depression, anxiety, and other negative mental states can make it impossible to live your life and enjoy your favorite activities. But our team is trained in multiple treatment methods and here to help.

If you’d like to explore the benefits of ketamine therapy, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at our ketamine clinic in Utah. We are proud to serve the Draper, Sandy, Lehi, Ogden, and Murray areas of Salt Lake City.