GUESS WHICH NONTRADITIONAL METHODS ARE SUCCESSFULLY TREATING ADDICTION?
Because of the ketamine treatment, many people feel relief from symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety, all of which can be triggers for relapse.
Justin Hoffman's relief from post-traumatic stress disorder began with the hiccups. Not the cute and happy kind, but chronic hiccups that had to be treated with morphine and Thorazine in the emergency room. When he mentioned this to a colleague in the treatment industry, that doctor suggested ketamine as a possible treatment. When Hoffman received a dose of ketamine not only did the hiccups stop, but he experienced something unexpected.
"I felt like the PTSD that I had been walking around with was gone," said Hoffman.
The experience led to Hoffman partnering with board-certified anesthesiologist Henry Liang to found Klarity Life, a treatment program that will be opening in Las Vegas this fall. The program consists of two aspects. At The House at Klarity Life, Hoffman, the program director, utilizes holistic therapies to facilitate healing in a luxurious setting where clients have private rooms and meals prepared by a private chef. Dr. Liang, the medical director at The Clinic at Klarity Life, gives patients NAD+ and ketamine infusions, as well as supplements, which allows a virtually painless detox.
Hoffman, nephew of the 1960's counterculture icon Abbie Hoffman, was familiar with the benefits of nontraditional treatments. After spending 20 years hooked on opioids and trying over 30 rehab programs, he got sober with the help of plant-based medicine. That was six years ago, and since then he has worked to help other people achieve lasting sobriety by combining plant-based medicine with strict aftercare that includes nutrition, exercise and spiritual exploration.
"It made sense to open a safe, beautiful place, to teach other people the things that worked for me: like yoga, cryogenic therapy, nature, Qigong," Hoffman said. "I started to watch the success rate for treating addiction rise from 30 percent with just plant-based medicine to 70 percent with aftercare."
Hoffman had built a business and life around helping other people get sober using plant-based medicine, but when he tried ketamine for the first time he realized that it was an even more powerful tool for helping to treat addiction.
NAD+, a component of vitamin B3 (niacin), has long been used to treat withdrawal symptoms. Justin and Dr. Liang realized that the combination of NAD+ and ketamine, coupled with Hoffman's rigorous aftercare program, would give people with substance use disorder the best chance of lasting sobriety.
"It clicked in my head that this is the best choice for addicts, even better than plant-based medicine," he said.
The program facilitates healing by pairing The Clinic's NAD+ and ketamine infusions and supplements with The House's holistic aftercare regimen of clean eating, therapy, exercise and spiritual restoration. The infusions offer virtually painless detox as well as alleviate depression and PTSD symptoms; the aftercare teaches people how to live a full life without relying on drugs or alcohol.
"With this place, I cover all the bases: nutrition, spirituality and recovery," Hoffman said. "After 30 rehabs and their protocols, I realized how archaic they are. They're giving meds to cover symptoms. It's like putting a Band-Aid on a laceration of throat. We don't want to put a Band-Aid on anything."
One of the most appealing parts of Klarity Life is that it offers clients nearly painless detox from almost any drug. Using infusions and supplement management in the first 24-72 hours, people who are dependent can detox without feeling severely ill. By day three to four of infusions, people are typically feeling great, Hoffman said. Infusions continue for eight to ten days, and for the rest of their stay clients focus on learning to live healthy, rewarding lives in recovery.
"We have you feeling good right away", Hoffman said. "The rest of the time we're working on healthy substitutes for what you've been doing in the past."
As part of this, Hoffman exposes clients to an array of treatment modalities, from 12 step programs to SMART recovery. By sampling an array of recovery resources, clients can connect with the resources that work best for them.
"We want to expose them to all different types of therapy," Hoffman said. I want to embrace anything that is saving someone's life. I've lost too many people to say my way is the only way."
Because of the ketamine treatment, many people feel relief from symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety, all of which can be triggers for relapse. Healing this root cause of addiction, and then building the foundation for a life of healthy habits, is what sets Klarity Life apart, Hoffman said.
"We've been seeing miracles" he said. Klarity Life is a boutique rehab program opening this fall in Las Vegas, offering outpatient NAD+ and ketamine infusion therapy and a holistic approach to health and healing.
By The Fix Staff