
Disney has been widely recognized as a source of joy and comfort for many people. However, what would you do if overindulging in the beloved company actually ruined attempts to overcome mental health challenges? One 28-year-old patient recently blamed Disney for “hijacking” her experience during a clinical trial. This Disney ketamine therapy session did not provide the mystical and emotional journey the woman was trying to encounter.
Evolving Mental Health Therapies
The patient, who had been grappling with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) for over a decade, embarked on a journey of unconventional treatment after 14 years of unsuccessful traditional therapies. In a clinical trial done by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, she underwent a series of ketamine infusions. This form of care is gaining recognition for its potential in treating mental health conditions.
During her hospitalization for depression and suicidal thoughts, the patient received two ketamine infusions over a week. The results were remarkable, echoing the features of a psychedelic therapy session – a sense of connection, introspection, and emotional processing. Impressed by these positive changes, she was discharged with plans for further treatments if necessary.
Disney Ketamine Therapy
Months later, she encountered an unexpected and troublesome Disney twist as an outpatient in the same clinical trial. Despite a similar treatment approach, her first ketamine infusion felt drastically different. The experience was still magical but in a totally undesirable way. Involuntary visual hallucinations of Disney characters and iconography dominated her experience, overshadowing the therapy’s intended effects. Her words vividly captured her sentiment: “And then I just saw Disney stuff. I don’t want to! I didn’t want to!”
The therapist and patient discussed the findings. The therapist maintained that the patient couldn’t control what images reflected in her mind. However, the patient came to an understanding during their conversation:
It hijacked it! And it’s my fault for always scrolling through the ‘pins’… I’m just annoyed that I felt like I had the Band-Aid on. It felt like I almost ended up going to important things and then Disney frickin’ covered it up.
Disney Pin Trading “Hijacks” Psychedelic Experience
The patient connected the intrusive Disney imagery and her extensive online engagement in trading Disney pins. She spent over six hours daily trading the pins on social media. This realization prompted her to cut down her digital Disney exposure before subsequent treatments, resulting in a shift to the more positive therapeutic outcomes she had initially experienced.
Later on, the woman described how she felt about this revelation. She also admitted that she didn’t entirely cut out her habit but is more aware now:
Well, before the ketamine, I was shopping for Disney pins, like, a lot of the day, and then I felt like the first treatment was ruined because I just saw Disney and stuff, and now I’m aware when I’m doing that to numb myself, basically, and to cope, but I’m not going to lie, I’m doing it right now. But at least when I’m doing it, I know.
While the study is small, it is an interesting perspective on how the mind absorbs our habits. However, seeing a visual hallucination of Mickey Mouse could surely send shivers through some people’s spines. Mental health therapy is an ever-evolving topic; some results are simply wild!