MEET CHRIS: From Stressed-out Businessman to Enlightened Entrepreneur.
Chris is a business professional and entrepreneur. With stress and disappointment from work, he decided to try Ketamine to help him overcome his depressive emotional state. He took what he would call a leap of faith. After the session, Chris was able to get in touch with his deepest self. It enabled him to see his situation differently, creating an entirely new perspective on life. Now, Chris is more hopeful. He sees his work situations as not bad or stressful, describing his journey with Ketamine as an experience of enlightenment.
Chris, tell us a little about yourself.
I'm originally from the Caribbean in Jamaica, but I’ve lived here in the United States for over 18 years. I earned a Bachelor's degree from Lamore University and my Master's from Nova Southeastern University. I am strongly involved in business growth and development. Simply put– I'm just a go-getter, ambitious, visionary, always moving and looking ahead. Naturally, I'm always on the go.
Let's dive right in. How did you hear about Ketamine?
I first heard about Ketamine online. I saw it everywhere through social media and articles, but I wasn’t too familiar with it. You could say I was curious. If I were with someone I trusted or were a medical professional, it would be something I'd be interested in discussing further, and that's what ended up happening.
“There are a lot of breakthroughs in using Ketamine in terms of just getting in touch with oneself as well as overcoming depression and distress.”
Did you have any reservations about trying Ketamine?
Sort of. I wanted to know if this was right for me. I wasn't 100% sure that this was something that I should be taking. I just found myself in the right environment where I could ask questions, and it began as more of an educational moment when I went to the Ketamine Lounge. I didn't initially go there to try Ketamine. It was actually for something different but being there and talking about their various services got me thinking. I was going through a lot in terms of doing projects back to back and dealing with devastation and disappointment from those work-related deals, so the timing felt right.
Yes, I'm a self-motivator, and yes, I'll pick myself up as I always do, but I decided I had nothing to lose. When I spoke with The Ketamine Lounge, they explained that there are a lot of breakthroughs in using Ketamine in terms of just getting in touch with oneself as well as overcoming depression and distress. That initial trust I built with them comforted my reservations and allowed me to become open to trying it.
What ailments were you suffering from before trying Ketamine?
I wouldn't call it as deep as depression, but it was one of those things where I had trouble bouncing back after being let down. Usually, it wouldn't be long before I was back to my bubbly, motivated self, but I felt a bit stuck before my first journey.
How was your first experience?
It was a very unique experience. It almost felt as if it were a trust fall. In the trust fall exercise, you have a blindfold over your eyes, and you drop back and allow people to catch you. There's this sense of trusting the unknown and believing you will be okay. It was like that where I had to be in a state of mind where I needed to accept that it's okay wherever I'm at right now. If things don't ever change, it's okay. Letting go of everything also meant I had to let go of whatever disappointed me. I had to let go of whatever was stressing me out. From there, I just began to see things from a different perspective.
I saw giants that would melt down to ants. The mountains I saw would be moved aside. Nothing seemed as problematic anymore. I realized my situation was better than I thought. I started to come out of that previous sense of hopelessness. I just shouldn't have been as distressed as I was. And yes, I had a couple of losses and setbacks, but I continued with that mindset and bounced back. I trusted the situation, and it proved itself to be worthwhile.
“There's this sense of trusting the unknown and believing you will be okay.”
How has your treatment impacted your day-to-day life experience?
The treatment peels back so many layers. It's almost like an onion, or like going down a rabbit hole. Sometimes, it even felt like I was going through a maze. In the session, my natural reaction was trying to figure out every turn I took because I wanted to remember where I came from, but it came to a point where I knew that I didn't have the capacity beyond this point to remember, step by step, how I got here. So if I stepped forward or bent this corner, I was officially lost, or at least it seemed that way. The only way is knowing there is no way to go back. I had to go forward, and I had no idea what ahead was or what to expect. From there, I just took a leap of faith.
Now, the impact is me remembering that the giants, theoretical or imaginary, are just those dwindled-down ants. I remember the mountains I faced, which felt so huge, devouring me when I got too close. I remember how they were moved to the side. I still remember that vivid imagery. So, when I'm faced with things that stress me out, these images are always on my mind, and I remember it's better than I think. There IS a solution to this. I need to step back and change my perspective. This exercise has become a practice for me. I do it subconsciously at this point, and it's all from my Ketamine experience.
“The treatment peels back so many layers. It's almost like an onion or like going down a rabbit hole.”
Do you feel like it was a spiritual journey for you? How has your Ketamine journey impacted your religious beliefs?
I'm a Christian, so I can't help but mirror or draw a connection to the similarity between some of the visuals of my treatment and my Christianity. It's intertwined because there's so much you can draw from references like the mountains being moved aside and the giants. For example, the giants can be referenced to David and Goliath. Seeing the correlation between the session and my faith has been engaging.
So, would you say that the Ketamine treatment strengthened your faith?
Absolutely. It confirmed my faith.
“Seeing the correlation between the session and my faith has been engaging.”
Looking back, what supported you the most during your experience?
The Ketamine Lounge prepared me well before the treatment, which made the most significant difference to me. It helped me in getting the most out of the treatment. Preparing for this kind of therapy builds trust, especially the education before the treatment. Knowing what the process is lets me know what to expect and how long the process should be. So, although I may have all these different emotions and faced these different perspectives and feelings, I always felt secure.
What would you say to someone interested in trying this treatment but has reservations?
I would say that in my community, especially the African American community, you don't necessarily hear about treatments like this, and even if it's there, there's a lot of resistance even to try anything new. It's imperative to become educated about the possible options out there. It’s vital to start these types of discussions and hear other people's experiences. Learn the benefits and the processes. Analyze it and see if this is something that's right for you. I suggest making sure that you do it with a licensed institution, where you can have an actual treatment plan and a process that you can trust.
What would it be if you had one word to describe your experience?
Two words– "I'm okay".
If you connected with the above write-up, are curious, and need some guidance, psychedelic medicines such as Ketamine can support this healing process, self-discovery, and purpose. Click below to find out more.
Author: Bre Jenkins
Bre Jenkins, a certified health coach, previously worked in mainstream wellness before shifting her focus to energy healing and psychedelic medicine to support deep healing and personal expansion. She is certified in Reiki levels 1, 2, and 3, as well as Inner Dance and Psychedelic Integration. Her work has been featured in major publications, and she is also a significant voice in the psychedelics space, contributing to renowned psychedelic companies such as Doubleblind Mag, Third Wave, The Ancestor Project, and more.