Is Ketamine Addictive? 11 Clinicians and Doctors Weigh In

Nutt ketamine addiction and other researchers found “club drugs” like LSD and MDMA (‘ecstasy’) to have a lower potential for addiction. While you might not think that your drug use is a cause for concern, there is no ‘correct’ dosage for ketamine and any recreational use of the substance should be a cause for concern. This is because ketamine is illegal and has the potential to be highly dangerous if not administered by a medical professional.

I’m all for anything that can help minimize symptoms of addiction, whether you are using Kratom (an herb) to minimize opioid addiction or naloxone to help curb alcohol cravings. That being said, medical providers must not become so hyper-focused on treating the symptoms of addiction that they forget about addressing the underlying causes such as environmental factors and biological factors, and trauma. If your loved one needs treatment for a drug addiction, the NHS say that they’re entitled to care in the same way as anyone else who has a health problem. If they are receptive to treatment, contacting their GP is a good place to start. They can discuss their problems with them and refer them to a local drug treatment service. One myth swirling around on the internet is that ketamine isn’t an addictive drug, so you can take it frequently and avoid being at risk of dependence.

• Spotting the early warning signs is crucial and is the first step to getting help.
• Ketamine, a powerful horse tranquiliser and anaesthetic, is a licensed drug and can be prescribed medically.
• Drugs, such as ketamine, can induce feelings of pleasure which trigger the brain’s reward centre and encourage repetition of the behaviour.
• The reviews noted no concerns in clinical studies beyond a few single case reports.
• In both studies, the researchers concluded that ketamine lowered the chances of restarting or relapsing into addiction.

Ketamine Abuse Signs, Symptoms, Side Effects, and Addiction Treatment

Those who struggle to quit the drug often turn to ketamine detox alongside a ketamine rehab programme for support, engaging with numerous workshops and therapies to help them break free from ketamine dependency once and for all. This page will take a closer look at ketamine, how it came into existence and what the next steps are if you or a loved one is suffering from ketamine addiction. Mr Jones added that he and the family are working with mental health and addiction service Adferiad on a campaign to “raise vital awareness and give information on how to get help if you are struggling with ketamine usage”.

Safety

It tends to cause a wide variety of effects relating to almost every area of the body. It’s very easy to accidentally hurt yourself while on ketamine because it’s an anesthetic. Pain tells us when we’re injured or doing something that is likely to lead to injury. It also forces us to stop and focus on the injury, preventing further damage.

What to do next if you recognise the signs

People who have been administered ketamine in surgery will appear awake (eyes remain open) but are in a dissociative state. Ketamine bladder syndrome is a condition that’s characterised by severe bladder damage and discomfort, where chronic use of the ketamine affects the lining of the bladder and shrinks it. And this means users’ habits can escalate rapidly, according to Aaron (not his real name), who lives in a small town outside Burnley and took his first snort of ketamine when he was just 16. Lexi, who lives on a neat, well-cared-for street in Burnley, loved sport and dancing.

This page will explain what ketamine is, its licit and illicit uses, risks of misuse, and how to get help if you’re struggling with ketamine dependence or addiction. The potential of becoming addicted to ketamine should still not be underestimated. Those addicted to ketamine may find it difficult to control their use or stop using, despite the negative effects this has on their finances, relationships, social life, and work. Ketamine hydrochloride is a depressant and acts on the central nervous system as an anaesthetic agent. The term addiction usually refers to a physical dependence but it can also include a psychological one.

Physical effects can include

They hope to raising “vital awareness” and spread “information on how to help” people struggling with ketamine use. The substance produces what is known as a dissociative, or “out of body” experience, and people who use it may feel euphoric, pleasant, happy, or relaxed, or report having enhanced sensory abilities. Through her experiences treating patients at Delamere, Carney believes Ketamine use becoming increasingly normalised. The government is currently seeking expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on whether the drug should be reclassified.

Clinicians should continue to weigh potential risks, access, and potential benefits to patients in their decision making. In follow up to asking respondents what safety measures were in place, an open ended question asked what specific measures they felt were actually necessary. Just over 25% (13) of respondents who used a variety of routes (4 IV, 3 IN, 7 SL, 6 IM, 2 PO) felt that no advanced safety measures were necessary.

• Getting support from friends, family, and professional facilities can assist you in overcoming your addiction and living your life free of substances.
• While you may not be physically dependent on it yet, misusing ketamine can lead to significant harm and addiction.
• For this reason, it is important to carefully monitor your ketamine use to determine whether your habit has escalated to a full-blown addiction.
• The proportion of young people receiving substance misuse treatment with ketamine problems increased from under 1 percent in 2015 to 6 percent in 2023.
• The psychiatrist you meet should be willing to discuss risks like addiction in a comprehensive manner, as well as highlight how they work to minimize these risks.

Increasing numbers of ketamine users are asking if they may be addicted to ketamine. Still, the internet is full of accounts of people becoming addicted to ketamine taken at clubs, home, or recreationally as an alternative to cocaine or other drugs they fear might be adulterated with fentanyl. Ketamine addictions are also reported by people taking ketamine off-label for depression or anxiety, who assumed they were safe because a doctor prescribed their ketamine.