Reality Star Reveals Ketamine Infusions Helped Her Out of a ‘Deep Depression’

Southern Charm star Molly O’Connell is opening up about how ketamine infusions helped her climb out of a “deep depression.” The 37-year-old reality star, who also appeared on America’s Next Top Model in 2011, spoke candidly about her mental health journey on the Tuesday, March 4 episode of the LadyGang podcast.

“I was in a deep depression. I struggle with depression and anxiety,” O’Connell shared. “I have PTSD and I got in a real rut and I couldn’t get out of bed. I wasn’t showering for long periods of time. I wouldn’t leave my house, I would just order DoorDash. I wouldn’t do anything, wouldn’t let anybody come over. And I wasn’t in a place where I could even do therapy. I needed to get better.”

O’Connell first heard about ketamine infusions from fellow America’s Next Top Model alum Lisa D’Amato, who posted about how the treatment had changed her own life. “I messaged her; she told me about it. So had she not posted that publicly, I wouldn’t have known to do that,” the Bravo star said. “I did a ketamine infusion and during the ketamine infusion is when I was playing ‘80s rock ballads … I was like, ‘Why did I quit music?’ … ‘Why would I let my anxiety stop me from something that I loved so much? And that I’ve done since I was 3, 4 years old.’ It was just ridiculous.”

O’Connell said the infusions helped her “get out of that rut” and begin exploring therapies including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and exposure therapy. The model has been open on Southern Charm about her weight fluctuations over the years and how it’s impacted her modeling life.

“I gained weight and most of the stuff I do, you need to be a certain size. I do a lot of e-commerce and that’s just how it is [now],” O’Connell explained. “I’ve lost those jobs and weight is a part of that. It affects a lot of parts of my life, and I’ve got a lot of shame around it because of just society and the modeling industry and the toxicity of all that.”

O’Connell previously opened up about the “toxic” production of America’s Next Top Model on the Jan. 16 episode of The Viall Files, saying there was “24/7 filming” with “motion sensor cameras in the corner of our bedrooms.”

The Cycle 16 runner-up continued, “You couldn’t escape anyone. They could just come in,” adding that while cameras would leave you alone if you were using the bathroom, “If you wanted to hide from the cameras, they’d come find you.” She also claimed that production would “purposely mess with us,” recalling, “I would get low blood sugar attacks and need food and they would dangle a sandwich in front of me. ‘Just a few more questions Molly and then we’ll feed you.’ It was so toxic.”