OCD Treatment
Break the loop. A different pathway for treatment-resistant OCD.
For OCD that hasn’t responded to high-dose SSRIs — the condition that quietly consumes hours of the day, often invisible to everyone around you. Our consultant-led IV ketamine programme in London works through a completely different neurotransmitter system, and many patients feel intrusive thoughts quiet down within hours of their first session.
- The Science
How ketamine treats OCD — quieting the loop at its source.
SSRIs work on serotonin and often need very high doses in OCD — with limited success. Ketamine acts on the glutamate system, directly quieting the hyperactive cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit behind intrusive thoughts and compulsions. That’s why relief can be measured in hours rather than months.
Interrupts the Error-Checking Loop
Ketamine directly targets the glutamate system to rapidly interrupt the hyperactive 'error-checking' loops of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit that drive obsessions and compulsions.
Quiets Intrusive Thoughts
By modulating glutamate signalling, ketamine weakens the intensity of intrusive thoughts — often within hours of the first session — and reduces the compulsive urge to respond to them.
Rebuilds Neural Flexibility
OCD is a disorder of cognitive rigidity. Ketamine drives rapid synaptic plasticity through BDNF and the mTOR pathway, helping restore the brain's ability to shift focus and let thoughts pass.
Works Where SSRIs Don't
OCD typically needs high-dose SSRIs and often still doesn't respond. Ketamine acts on a completely different neurotransmitter system, giving many treatment-resistant patients their first real relief.
35%+
reduction in Y-BOCS scores required for a clinical response
50%
of patients achieve this significant relief within the first week
1–2 hours
typical time to feel a noticeable break from intrusive thoughts
- The Programme
What treatment actually looks like.
Every step is consultant-led. Every session is monitored. And between sessions we track Y-BOCS daily — not at your next appointment three months from now.
Consultant Assessment
A consultant psychiatrist reviews your OCD presentation, previous treatment (including SSRI dosing and ERP therapy), and comorbidities. We take baseline Y-BOCS scores so we can track your response objectively — the same scale used in every major OCD trial.
Preparation
You’ll fast for 4–6 hours before your session and arrange transport home. On arrival you’re settled in a private, quiet treatment room before your consultant confirms the plan with you.
IV Infusion
Ketamine is delivered intravenously over 40–60 minutes at a subanaesthetic dose, titrated to your weight and response. Heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation are monitored throughout by a consultant anaesthetist.
Recovery & Debrief
You’ll rest for 30–60 minutes as the acute effects wear off. Many OCD patients report a noticeable break from intrusive thoughts within the first 1–2 hours — we debrief that experience before you leave.
The Programme & Follow-Up
A full course is typically 6–10 sessions across 3–5 weeks. Between sessions, daily WhatsApp check-ins and Y-BOCS tracking let your consultant see how you’re responding in real time and adjust the plan. Booster sessions are scheduled based on how long your response holds.
- Obsessive-Compulsive
Treatment-Resistant OCD.
For OCD that hasn’t responded to high-dose SSRIs. The condition that quietly consumes hours of a person’s day — often invisible to everyone around them.
Who this is for
- Diagnosed OCD with significant daily impact
- Tried SSRIs at the high doses OCD typically requires, without response
- Intrusive thoughts that dominate your mental life
- Compulsions consuming hours per day
- Pure-O presentations — mental compulsions, rumination, scrupulosity
How we help
Ketamine directly targets the brain’s glutamate system to rapidly interrupt the hyperactive “error-checking” loops that drive OCD symptoms. By enhancing synaptic plasticity, it helps quiet intrusive thoughts and weakens the compulsive urge to respond to them.
Consultant-led from day one
Your treatment is planned and delivered by a consultant psychiatrist and consultant anaesthetist — not delegated to junior clinicians.
Y-BOCS tracking between sessions
Short WhatsApp check-ins plus repeat Y-BOCS scoring give your consultant real-time visibility of how you're responding — and let them adjust the plan session by session.
A programme designed to hold
The full course is typically 6–10 sessions across 3–5 weeks, with booster sessions timed to your individual response — so the benefits are sustained, not fleeting.
Get your hours back.
If high-dose SSRIs and ERP haven’t given you meaningful relief, the next step is a short eligibility check or a free, no-pressure call with our team.