Ketamine, also known as Super K or Special K, is an incredibly potent hallucinogenic and anaesthetic drug that was first used for medical procedures in the 1960s. Originally designed to relieve pain during human and animal operations, ketamine is widely used in hospital and veterinary settings. The intake of ketamine changes how you feel and perceive things and makes you feel detached from your surroundings or any pain you are feeling. Though the FDA approves ketamine, this ‘club drug’ is often misused for recreational purposes. And the frequent use of ketamine may develop an addiction that can affect the quality of life. However, ongoing research says that ketamine may be used for substance use or addiction treatment along with behavioural and motivational therapy.
How Does Ketamine Work?
When used in high doses, ketamine triggers the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter located in the brain’s frontal cortex. As a result, the heart rate goes up, and blood pressure goes down, which disrupts your ability to respond to things around you. Also, it is available in both powder and liquid form and may be used in the form of snort, smoke, or injection. While lower amounts of ketamine are responsible for visual hallucinations, numbness, and heightened senses, the higher doses cause short-term memory loss, trouble moving, and vivid hallucinations. It also leads to the following:
- Stiffened muscles
- Teary eyes
- Dilated pupils
- Uncontrolled eye movement
- Nausea
Ketamine addiction or overdose causes slowed breathing and unconsciousness in severe cases.
Symptoms of Ketamine Addiction
Ketamine addiction can occur quickly. It happens because the regular use of ketamine develops intolerance, and users need higher doses to gain the desired high. A few symptoms that a person may experience during ketamine addiction are:
- Confused behaviour
- Excessive salivation
- Autonomic arousal
- Chills
- Nightmares
- Delusions
- Low appetite
- Paranoia
- Restlessness
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Seizures
- Nightmares
- Watery eyes
- Tiredness
- Unexplained bruises
The severity of these symptoms may cause the disruption of relationships, work, school, and daily life and activities.
Effects of Ketamine Addiction
If ketamine is combined with other substances like alcohol or hallucinogens like LSD and PCP, it can be fatal to human beings. However, the alone use of ketamine is largely non-fatal. In addition, ketamine has a relatively short half-life. As a result, even if the drug is primarily eliminated from the body, it can have long-term effects on the body. For example, people reported having short flashbacks even weeks after the drug had been cleared from the body. Withdrawal symptoms of ketamine also lead to conditions like depression, hysteria, loss of memory, and high blood pressure.
What Happens During a Ketamine Overdose?
When ketamine is taken in higher amounts or combined with other substances, it leads to an overdose. And it depends on how ketamine is taken. As we discussed earlier, ketamine is available in liquid and powder form, but when mixed with other stimulants, users remain unaware of the amount consumed. Hence, excessive amounts of ketamine lead to an overdose. Similarly, few people inject ketamine into the veins, quickly entering the bloodstream. A few symptoms of ketamine overdose include the following:
- High blood pressure
- Nausea
- Hallucinations
- Chest pain
- Extreme confusion
- Paralysis
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
While ketamine overdoses may not cause death, consuming large amounts can be fatal.
Ketamine Addiction Treatment and Recovery
Several things, such as negative consequences, disruptions to personal life, and preoccupation with the substance, characterise ketamine addiction. If a person suddenly stops taking ketamine, they may experience the withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Cravings
- Chills
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Tremors
- Rapid heartbeat
- Lack of appetite
- Low mood
In other words, ketamine addiction is serious, but professional treatment can help. Ketamine addiction treatment often involves addiction counselling and psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), family therapy, group therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy.
While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) plays a significant role in changing thought patterns regarding drug use and addiction and helping individuals develop coping skills, seeking support from rehabilitation centers, such as the renowned Malibu drug rehab center, can offer additional treatments. These centers provide comprehensive programs including detox programs and medical assistance tailored to individual needs.Though FDA has approved no medications for ketamine addiction, some of the stimulants may be given to treat co-occurring mental health conditions. In severe cases of withdrawal symptoms, hospitalisation is the right option. Also, support from family and friends is essential.
Bottom Line
Like any other addiction, ketamine also negatively impacts the quality of life and a person’s mental and physical well-being. If reading the above symptoms made you realise that you have a ketamine addiction, contact professional help at the treatment centres. The therapists at skilled facilities use addiction counselling to help people overcome addiction and enable them to live a life of substances.
