Ketamine AbuseWhat is Ketamine?

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with effects similar to that of PCP, dextromethorphan (DXM), and other dissociatives and hallucinogens. It was created in 1963 to replace PCP, and it is still being used today in hospitals and veterinary medicine as an anesthetic. Ketamine is a legally controlled substance, but its recreational popularity comes as a hallucinogen in the club scene. Ketamine is a popular club drug and most of the drug supply that makes it to the streets is stolen from legal sources such as hospitals, veterinary hospitals, manufactures, etc. although ketamine is popular in the United States, its popularity has spread other parts of the world like Australia, Europe, and Asia.

As a dissociative anesthetic, ketamine causes similar types of reactions to that of PCP. Some of these reactions include euphoria, numbness, out of body experiences, hallucinations, and depression. It can be taken by inhaling or injecting it, but ketamine is more often consumed via liquid and tablet. Like PCP, ketamine is water soluble, but it is colorless and tasteless. Ketamine causes out of body experiences, hallucinations, and detachment from one’s outer world. At high doses, the person is said to experience different worlds and other dimensions that are indescribable. Some experiences are terrifying and result in what is stated as a “near death” experience which is called the “K-hole” experience. When reaching the “K-hole”, the person becomes totally oblivious to their own identities, the real world, and completely loses their perception of time.

Unlike other hallucinogens such as LSD or peyote, the dream-like hallucinations only last for a couple of hours (only an hour if snorted or injected), but after a “trip” (a drug induced experience), the effects of the drug are slow to wear off. The user is slow to come back to reality and sometimes has difficulty remembering their name, where they are, or what they were doing. There are many slang terms for ketamine. Some of them are: “K”, “Blind Squid”, “Special K”, “K2″, “Vitamin K”, “Cat Valium”, “Super K”, “Jet” (Texas), “Kitty”, “Super Acid”, “New Ecstasy”, and “Psychedelic Heroin”. Sometimes cocaine and ketamine are mixed together; the mixture is called “Calvin Klein” or “CK1″.

Causes of Ketamine Addiction

Ketamine, like most other hallucinogens, has not been determined to produce a physical dependency, but it will create a psychological addiction. One of the reasons ketamine will become psychologically addictive is due to its out of body experiences and vivid psychedelic effects. When inhaled or injected, the reactions to ketamine are felt more quickly, and the drug induced trip lasts for about an hour. When ketamine is taken in liquid or tablet form, the trip can last a couple of hours. With ketamine trips lasting much shorter than other hallucinogens, it can sometimes lead to ketamine binging. Tolerance to ketamine is developed quickly, and for daily users, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, labored breathing, and schizophrenic-like tendencies can be developed. Co-occurring disorders such as severe depression, anxiety, or eating disorders can exacerbate the effect of the drug and its addictive qualities.

Signs of Ketamine Use, Addiction and Dependence

Developing a physical dependence may not happen, but creating a psychological dependence will most likely occur. The allure to the psychedelic and hallucinogenic nature of ketamine makes it exceedingly easy to become mentally dependent. There are some common signs people show when using ketamine. Some of these signs are:

Ketamine Effects

There are multiple side effects to abusing ketamine, and they deal with the mental and physical characteristics of the body. The longevity of a ketamine trip is approximately two hours, but the intensity of the trip is based on the dosage consumed. Here are some of the psychological features:

Here are some of the physical attributes:

With continued abuse of ketamine, some of these unwanted effects can be felt for over a year. Some of the more serious side effects such as memory loss and brain damage may be permanent. Death is also a real possibility when consistently abusing ketamine.

The person abusing ketamine also has to take other areas of their life into consideration. The potential to lose their relationship with loved ones is dramatically increased. The addiction will also negatively affect their professional career as well as their financial stability.

Ketamine Withdrawal

Dealing with the psychological addiction is the main focus when dealing with ketamine abusers. There are some physical withdrawal symptoms like nausea, dizziness and diarrhea occur when someone abruptly stops using ketamine, but the emphasis is on the mental state of the user. Schizophrenia type behavior, depression, and anxiety are some of the psychological withdrawal symptoms that may be experienced.

Ketamine Addiction Treatment

It is a difficult task to stop using any drug, and ketamine is no exception. It does not matter if the person is fighting a physical addiction or a psychological addiction. Someone abusing ketamine needs help to overcome the addiction. Treatment for ketamine addiction is like that of other hallucinogens. People addicted to ketamine may have an altered perception of reality and may be depressed. It is important for someone abusing ketamine to find help. If you are struggling with ketamine addiction, addiction to synthetic marijuana or any other drug, or know someone else who is, get help today. If you are fighting urges to use, even if you believe the problem is under control, call us right now at 1-888-563-5213. Our helpline representatives can answer your questions and provide you with tips for immediate treatment options at the appropriate recovery center in your area.