Ketamine is a very powerful form of anesthetic that typically comes in either liquid or powdered form. It is a dissociative anesthetic that is used on both humans and veterinary medicine. It is a class III scheduled drug and is approved for use in hospitals and other medical settings as an anesthetic. A dissociative drug is a hallucinogen that can cause a person to lose touch with reality. Its chemical structure and actions on the brain are very similar to PCP. Most ketamine that is illegally sold on the streets is diverted from veterinary practices.
How Does Ketamine Work in the Body??
Ketamine is commonly called many different slang terms on the streets, such as special k, super k, and vitamin k. Illicit use of ketamine is usually swallowed, injected, or evaporated to form a powder that can be snorted. It is both odorless and tasteless. This, unfortunately, makes it very commonly used as a date rape drug to commit sexual assaults because it can easily be slipped into a drink. It can hinder and sedate a victim.
How Ketamine is Used Medically?
In the United States, Ketamine is a Schedule III drug under the DEA’s controlled substances categorized list. It is generally only used under extreme circumstances on people. Ketamine can be used to provide pain relief as well as short-term memory loss. This is helpful because it causes amnesia during medical procedures. During surgeries, it is often used to induce and maintain sedation and provide general anesthesia. It has also been used for pain control during burn therapy.
More About Ketamine Addiction
While ketamine is often used as a date rape drug, many people take and abuse this drug willingly due to its intense effects on the body. Ketamine addiction is very difficult to overcome without getting help. Even if someone wanted to stop using this drug, the changes that have already happened in the brain chemically make it that much harder actually to quit without professional help. People who take ketamine also describe it as feeling like they are in a dream with hallucinations that can range from a pleasurable feeling to floating or experiencing an out-of-body experience.
Sign and Symptoms of Ketamine Abuse
Once someone has crossed into the state of Ketamine addiction, they will likely spend their time feeling detached from what is around them and become inept at leading a productive and normal life. Their cognitive ability will be impaired, and both memory and speech will be affected. The signs of a Ketamine addiction will often include:
- Becoming obsessed with their next fix
- Steadily increasing the amount they use due to tolerance increase
- Spending extreme amounts of money on ketamine
- Failing to upkeep responsibilities like work or school
- Neglecting family and friends
- Becoming increasingly reclusive
What Are the Risk of Ketamine Misuse?
Many timed experiences with ketamine can involve a really scary feeling of almost complete sensory detachment described as feeling like a near-death experience. This experience is similar to having a bad trip on LSD and is called a K-hole. In lower doses, ketamine intoxication can cause impaired attention, impaired memory, and even worsened learning ability. When taken in high doses, it can cause amnesia, delirium, impaired motor function, depression, and even potentially fatal respiratory problems.
Ketamine Addiction Help at Evoke Wellness at Cohasset
The key to overcoming a Ketamine addiction is by seeking professional help. Addiction treatment will help the afflicted stabilize their brain’s chemical imbalance, ultimately making it easier to mentally and physically recover from their addiction. Addiction is a nearly impossible thing to face on your own, but you don’t have to do it by yourself. At Evoke Wellness at Cohasset, we offer the help you need with our medical professionals and addiction specialist’s expertise. They can help you figure out which of our variety of ketamine treatment programs would be best for you. We want to help you recover from addiction. Take the steps today to make that happen. Give us a call, all calls are free and confidential.
