Ketamine Addiction Effects, Symptoms, Dangers, and Treatment

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine addiction happens because it induces euphoria and alters perception; it also activates the brain’s reward system. Known as “K” or “Special K,” this drug can lead to tolerance, requiring higher doses for the same effects and increasing the risk of substance use disorder.

The FDA officially approves ketamine as a sole anesthetic during diagnostic and surgical procedures. However, it is not FDA-approved for treating any psychiatric disorders, despite some off-label use for conditions like depression. [1]

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Ketamine Withdrawal Symptoms

Ketamine withdrawal can occur when you have developed a dependence on the drug and then abruptly reduce or stop its use. The symptoms include:

• Cravings.
• Fatigue.
• Irritability.
• Depressed mood.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Changes in sleep patterns.
• Increased sensitivity to pain.
• Anxiety.
• Sweating.
• Nausea and vomiting.

Can You Overdose on Ketamine?

Strong anesthetic ketamine can induce dissociation from pain and environment, but it also carries a danger of toxicity and overdose, mainly when used in large amounts.

It also causes euphoria and altered perception at lower doses, but at higher doses, it can cause a dissociative “out of body” experience known as the “K-Hole.” Ketamine use has also been connected to accidental injuries and deaths, including those from motor vehicle accidents.

Ketamine is potentially fatal in alcohol-intoxicated patients.

If you’re taking benzodiazepines or alcohol along with ketamine, it could make you extra sleepy or affect your breathing. Watch out if you’re also taking serotonin-related medications (like SSRIs or SNRIs) because mixing them with ketamine might increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, which is not good.

Serotonin syndrome symptoms include:

• Agitation.
• Confusion.
• Rapid heart rate.
• Dilated pupils.
• High blood pressure.
• Dilated pupils.
• Loss of muscle coordination or twitching muscles.
• Heavy sweating.
• Shivering or tremors.
• Diarrhea.
• Headache.
• Fever.
• Goosebumps.
• Involuntary muscle contractions.
• Elevated body temperature.
• Changes in blood pressure.
• Rapid changes in heart rate.

Combining ketamine with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) is the riskiest, as it can lead to a dangerous spike in blood pressure.

Ketamine Overdose Symptoms

The most common symptoms of a ketamine overdose include:

• Confusion.
• Hallucinations.
• Agitation.
• Seizures.
• Loss of coordination.
• Muscle stiffness.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• High blood pressure.
• Respiratory depression.
• Unconsciousness.

Though deaths linked with ketamine overdose and respiratory depression are relatively rare when the drug is used on its own, the risks become more significant when ketamine is used with other substances that also impact breathing.

If you believe you or another person are experiencing an overdose on ketamine or another drug, call 911 immediately.

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Is Ketamine Addictive When Used for Depression?

Consult medical specialists about the consequences before considering ketamine therapy for depression. People should have informed discussions with their healthcare providers on the benefits, drawbacks, and acceptability of ketamine therapy for their particular circumstances, given the potential for instant antidepressant effects. This cooperative method guarantees that prospective applicants are knowledgeable and capable of making choices that support their general mental health and well-being.

Are Ketamine Troches Addictive?

Similar to other ketamine derivatives, ketamine troches have the potential to become addictive. Factors like dose, individual vulnerability, and frequency of usage all impact the likelihood of addiction. Troches are intended for regulated medical usage; nonetheless, abuse or unsupervised use may raise the risk of addiction, dependency, or tolerance. Individuals must use ketamine troches only as prescribed by healthcare professionals to minimize the risk of addiction.

What to Know About Ketamine Therapy for Addiction

To properly comprehend the efficacy of ketamine in treating addiction, additional meticulously designed research trials are required. Ketamine may have a variety of effects on addiction treatment, such as:

• Enhancing the brain’s capacity for growth and change.
• Upsetting particular brain networks linked to addiction.
• Reducing depressive symptoms.
• Augmenting the efficacy of psychological therapy.

Determining the precise mechanism by which ketamine produces these beneficial effects will be necessary for expanding its application in addiction therapy and may also shed light on other psychedelic treatments. But according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more research is still needed. [2]

What is Ketamine Psychosis?

Ketamine recreational users and abusers frequently experience a range of symptoms that resemble psychosis or a psychotic episode. A ketamine user experiencing a psychotic episode may speak, believe, or act in ways that are inconsistent with reality. After taking the Ketamine, they were more likely to have disorganized thinking and may have had trouble trying to finish simple words.

Loss of connection to reality is a hallmark of psychosis. Someone can have incorrect beliefs or delusions that are based on hallucinations. Their ability to perform at work, in the home, and society is substantially impacted by ketamine psychosis. Psychosis sufferers frequently have poor physical conditions. The greater the psychotic symptoms are, the higher the related level of impairment. People frequently have difficulty telling the difference between psychotic disorders like bipolar disorder or other similar disorders and drug-induced psychosis.

Ketamine Detox

Medical detox is an essential first step in developing a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan for ketamine addiction. Acknowledging your addiction’s warning signs and admitting you need treatment is crucial. To determine the best course of action, this often involves having a trained addiction specialist evaluate you for substance use disorder.

Once detox is complete, a new doorway in ketamine addiction treatment opens up, which is referred to as an inpatient drug rehab or residential level of care. Our residential care program slowly and effectively introduces the individual into an atmosphere of therapeutic growth, marked by master’s level therapists, clinicians, group counselors, psychiatrists, and a community of like-minded individuals with the same aim: to attain sobriety and live a great life.

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