If you share a home and a life with a person whose depression has outlasted every standard medication tried, you probably have questions about ketamine therapy that nobody has answered for you, because most information is written for the patient. This FAQ is written for the partner.

Numbers cited here come from 443 Midwest adults who answered our publisher's survey in June 2026. They are final, validated figures.

My partner is on the fence. How common is that?

Very common. Our survey's largest single group, 34 percent, answered that they felt cautious but open when ketamine for depression or PTSD came up. Folding in the hopeful or curious respondents, 18 percent, the combined share leaning open is 51 percent. Only 9 percent reacted negatively. Being undecided puts your partner right in the middle of the pack.

Is "ketamine therapy" one thing?

No, and the difference matters for your household. Esketamine, branded Spravato, is a nose spray that won FDA approval in adults for depression that treatment has not resolved, and for adults whose major depression brings acute suicidal thinking or behavior. Supervised certified centers are the only place it is given. IV ketamine infusions and at-home ketamine lozenges or tablets are off-label when used for depression; the FDA has flagged at-home use without monitoring as risky.

Almost no one knows the approved product by name. Seventy-three percent of the people we asked had never heard of Spravato. Brain Recovery Centers has a clear introduction to Spravato if your partner wants to see it for themselves.

Will my partner be "high" during a session?

Many people feel something during and soon after a dose. Common effects include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, and a sense of detachment or dreaminess. Blood pressure can rise temporarily. That is why patients stay at least two hours after each esketamine dose while staff monitor them. These effects usually ease within that window.

Can I stay with my partner during the session?

It depends on the center. Some allow a support person in the room or nearby, and some prefer that companions wait elsewhere. Ask when you call to schedule. If your partner would feel calmer with you close, say so.

Can my partner drive home?

No. After esketamine, patients should not drive or do anything requiring full alertness until they have slept through a night. With two sessions a week in the first month, that is a real commitment for whoever does the driving.

Can they go to work the next day?

Often, yes, once they have slept, but ask the clinician, especially if your partner's job involves driving, machinery, or safety-critical tasks. The treating team can advise based on the specific job and how your partner responds.

How long does a course last?

The usual pattern is a month of twice-weekly sessions, around a month of weekly ones, and then weekly or every-two-weeks visits depending on response. The clinician will adjust the plan over time.

Will insurance cover it?

Many plans cover esketamine, but prior authorization is common, usually requiring documentation of the antidepressants your partner has tried. The member services line printed on the insurance card can tell you. Coverage was the top concern in our survey, where 85 percent ranked insurance among the top two things they look for in a provider. A slim majority said they would take covered care with extra hoops over paying for a quicker start.

My spouse is a veteran. Does that change anything?

It may change the path. Military families and many retirees are covered by TRICARE, and in our survey 5 percent listed TRICARE among their coverage. Another 6 percent of respondents were partners or spouses of veterans or first responders. Counted with parents and other kin, the 156 family members of veterans or first responders put coverage in their top two at 83 percent. Plenty of veterans also use an employer plan, Medicare, or Medicaid. Whatever the plan, ask it directly about esketamine coverage and certified locations, and bring the question to your spouse's own doctor.

Who should my partner talk to first?

A doctor they already see. Our respondents' first stops: a primary care doctor for 56 percent; for 23 percent, a psychiatrist or another mental health clinician. Weightier still, a full 74 percent pointed to a nudge from their own doctor as the thing that would get them to try. You can help by encouraging and even booking that appointment, if your partner wants you to.

Is it right for my partner?

Only a clinician can answer that. Esketamine is generally considered after at least two antidepressants have not worked well enough. Some health conditions can rule it out, among them uncontrolled high blood pressure and certain blood vessel problems. Other medications matter too.

What should I do on session days?

  • Drive, or arrange a driver.
  • Keep the evening quiet and low-demand.
  • Handle tasks that need alertness, like cooking, childcare, or driving the kids.
  • Let your partner rest, and check in without pressing.

What do we tell the kids?

Keep it simple and age-appropriate: "Mom has a doctor's appointment for an illness that makes her tired and sad, and afterward she needs to rest." Children do better with honest, calm information than with secrecy.

What if it does not help?

Response varies, and no treatment is a sure thing. The clinician will track progress and discuss next steps, which might include other medications, therapy approaches, or treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation. A treatment not working is not a failure on anyone's part.

How do I take care of myself?

Supporting a partner through long depression is draining. Talk to a friend, a counselor, or a family support group. Keep something in your week that is just yours. Running on empty helps nobody, and your partner benefits when you are rested.

What if I think my partner is in danger?

Act right away. If your partner talks about wanting to die, or you believe self-harm is possible, call or text 988 without delay. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline takes contacts from partners at every hour and can guide you through the next few minutes.

Methodology

Pollfish fielded this survey on its consumer panel for our publisher, who commissioned and funded it. Collection ended June 23, 2026, by which point 443 people aged 18 to 64 had finished, from Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oklahoma. Everything reported here is top-line, and the coverage item allowed more than one answer. Pollfish has since validated the responses, and these are the final numbers.