Tricia Anne Dewey, a 41-year-old paralegal from Pound Ridge, N.Y., sought help from Better U, a telehealth company offering online ketamine therapy, after years of domestic violence and painkiller addiction. The booming industry promises relief from depression, anxiety, and insomnia through remote consultations with clinicians.

Better U markets itself as a solution to reclaim happiness through ketamine treatment, joining several online clinics that have emerged in recent years. The largely unregulated industry has grown rapidly, with internet ads and social media marketing targeting vulnerable individuals seeking mental health solutions.

Dewey's story highlights the risks in this expanding market where patients receive prescriptions after brief telehealth consultations. While ketamine shows promise for certain conditions, the lack of oversight and aggressive marketing tactics raise serious questions about patient safety and appropriate care standards in the telehealth ketamine industry.