Ketamine Therapy for OCD in Connecticut

Anesthesiologist-led IV ketamine infusion therapy in Milford & Westport, CT — a different mechanism for trauma that standard antidepressants and therapy alone haven’t reached.

What is Obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition marked by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) performed to relieve anxiety. These patterns can disrupt daily routines, interfere with work, and impact social interactions.

Clinically, OCD is linked to overactivity in brain circuits involved in habit formation, error detection, and anxiety regulation. This can create a persistent cycle where intrusive thoughts trigger compulsive behaviors, making it difficult to stop even when the individual is aware the behavior is excessive. In some cases, symptoms continue despite therapy or medication.

Gino Ang, MD, and the team at the Ketamine Center of Connecticut provide medically supervised ketamine infusions tailored to individuals with persistent or treatment-resistant OCD. To learn if this treatment may be appropriate for you, contact our Milford or Westport office to schedule an appointment.

As symptoms lift, many patients describe…

Obsessions loosening their grip, compulsions reducing, the underlying anxiety quieting, negative loops softening, mental flexibility improving, and daily life opening back up. Improvement is measured with clinically validated rating scales, so progress is tracked rather than assumed.

How ketamine may help

By acting on the brain’s glutamate system and supporting new neural connections, ketamine may help interrupt the rigid obsessive-compulsive loops — and research suggests roughly half of patients were still improved one week after a first infusion. Treatment is delivered as a precise sub-anesthetic dose by a board-certified anesthesiologist, with hospital-grade Caretaker® monitoring throughout.

What treatment looks like

The standard protocol is a series of 6 infusions over about 12 days, each in a private room with dim lighting, music, and a clinician beside you the whole time. Most infusions take about 40–60 minutes, and many patients move to occasional as-needed booster infusions afterward to maintain results. We never recommend stopping your prescribed medication — ketamine is used alongside your existing care.

What many patients experience as symptoms begin to lift

Obsessions lose grip

By influencing brain circuits involved in intrusive thought patterns and cognitive control, ketamine may help reduce the frequency and intensity of obsessive thoughts. As these thoughts become less persistent and less consuming, patients often experience improved mental clarity and greater ability to shift attention without being overwhelmed.

Compulsions reduce

By modulating neural pathways involved in habit formation and anxiety-driven behaviors, ketamine may help lessen the urge to perform repetitive rituals. As these compulsions weaken, patients often experience greater control over their actions and increased freedom to engage in daily activities without interruption.

Anxiety quiets down

By influencing neural circuits involved in fear processing and stress regulation, ketamine may help reduce the persistent tension associated with obsessive thinking. As this heightened anxiety begins to ease, patients often experience a calmer mental state, allowing for improved focus and a greater sense of control in daily life.

Mental flexibility improves

By modulating neural pathways involved in cognitive control and adaptability, ketamine may help enhance the brain’s ability to shift attention and break rigid thought patterns. Patients often report an increased capacity to move past intrusive thoughts without becoming “stuck,” supporting more adaptive thinking and improved daily functioning.

Negative loops soften

By influencing neural circuits involved in habit formation and error monitoring, ketamine may help reduce the intensity of repetitive thought–behavior cycles. As the cycle of doubt, checking, and repeating becomes less dominant, patients often experience greater cognitive control and a reduced need to engage in compulsive patterns.

Daily life opens up

By supporting improvements in mood regulation and cognitive flexibility, ketamine may help reduce the overall burden of OCD symptoms. As symptoms ease, daily routines, responsibilities, and relationships often feel more manageable, allowing patients to engage more fully in everyday life.

Learn more about what to expect on your journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OCD?

OCD is a mental health disorder that causes uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that you have the urge to repeat. You know your obsessions and compulsions are unreasonable, yet you can’t stop the thoughts or the urgent actions they trigger.

In severe cases, you may spend hours each day acting out compulsive behaviors. OCD makes it hard to lead a normal life, as your obsessions and compulsions interfere with work, school, and personal relationships.

What types of obsessions might I have?

Obsessive thoughts typically follow a theme, such as a fear of being harmed or a fear of germs. You may need to keep items in a precise or symmetrical order. It’s also common to continuously think you forgot to turn off the stove or didn’t lock the door.

What types of compulsions might I follow?

Compulsive behaviors often line up with your obsessions. For example, you may repeatedly wash your hands to remove germs or frequently verify the location of an item. Many patients must continuously rearrange or count items.

If you can’t shake the thought that you didn’t lock the door, you’ll need to go back numerous times to check it, even though you know you already checked and it was locked.

How does ketamine treat OCD?

Ketamine is an anesthetic and pain-relieving medication. Over decades of use as in surgery, the medication has established a solid reputation for safety.

When you receive a low dose of ketamine through an intravenous (IV) infusion, it produces a completely different effect. Low-dose ketamine safely balances brain chemicals, restores nerve communication, and alleviates the symptoms of many mental health disorders, including OCD.

Highly experienced anesthesiologists administer your infusion at Ketamine Center of Connecticut. Though ketamine is known to be safe, your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored throughout your treatment using a wireless device called Caretaker®.

If you respond to the treatment, you’ll notice a rapid improvement in your OCD symptoms. In studies, about half of the patients still noticed the improvement a week after their first infusion.

Your provider at Ketamine Center of Connecticut typically recommends a series of six treatments spaced 12 days apart. After six treatments, most patients experience longer-lasting results.

If you continue to struggle with OCD despite psychiatric medications, call the Ketamine Center of Connecticut to schedule an appointment.

You don't have to feel "ready." You just have to make one call.

Ask the hard questions. No pressure just a clear conversation about whether ketamine therapy is right for you or someone you love.