The Dark Side Of Ketogenic Diets

Ketamine is a dissociative drug that can distort sensory perception and make users feel detached from reality and themselves. It is a powerful anaesthetic that can induce loss of consciousness and is used in both human and veterinary medicine. However, ketamine is also used recreationally, and this can be extremely dangerous. Mixing ketamine with other drugs, such as alcohol or opiates, is particularly hazardous and can lead to passing out or stopping breathing. Taking ketamine also increases the risk of accidental injury or death, for example, from falling, drowning, or traffic accidents. Long-term ketamine use has been linked to bladder and urinary tract problems, memory issues, and cognitive and emotional changes that can predispose someone to addiction.

How bad is Ket?

Ketamine can cause short-term memory loss, nausea, depression, and confusion

Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic that can cause serious harm and even be fatal, especially if mixed with other drugs. It is used in medicine as an anaesthetic for humans and animals, but it is also used recreationally as a club drug. Ketamine can cause short-term memory loss, nausea, depression, and confusion, among other side effects.

Short-term memory loss

Ketamine is known to induce psychosis-like effects, and heavy use of the drug has been linked to short-term memory loss. A study by UCL researchers found that people who frequently take ketamine suffer from short-term memory problems, with their memory worsening over time as ketamine use increases. However, the study also found that infrequent and ex-users did not show such impairments, suggesting that memory deficits may be repaired when people stop taking the drug.

Nausea

Nausea is one of the most commonly reported side effects of ketamine. It is recommended that people avoid eating or drinking for several hours before taking ketamine to help prevent nausea and vomiting. If vomiting occurs, a medication such as ondansetron (Zofran) may be prescribed to help manage the symptom.

Depression

While ketamine is being studied as a potential treatment for severe depression, regular use of the drug can actually cause or worsen depression. Ketamine can also make existing mental health problems worse, and it is not recommended for people with schizophrenia or a history of substance abuse.

Confusion

Ketamine can cause confusion and a distorted sense of reality, which are common side effects of the drug. It can also lead to unusual thoughts and beliefs, with users reporting feelings of unreality, visual and sensory distortions, and temporary unusual thoughts.

In addition to the side effects mentioned above, ketamine can also cause increased blood pressure, slowed breathing, hallucinations, and a loss of consciousness. It is important to note that ketamine is only safe when taken as prescribed by a doctor, and recreational use can lead to adverse health effects and even death.

It can increase heart rate and blood pressure, and cause involuntary rapid eye movement

Ketamine is a powerful drug that can have a range of effects on the body, and it is important to be aware of the risks involved in taking it. One of the key physical health risks associated with ketamine is its impact on cardiovascular function. Ketamine can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which can be particularly dangerous for individuals with existing cardiovascular issues.

When taken, ketamine causes a significant increase in both heart rate and blood pressure. This effect is well documented in numerous studies, which show that ketamine's impact on cardiovascular function can be advantageous in certain medical contexts, such as in the case of polytraumatised patients, but can also be harmful in others. For instance, it is contraindicated for patients with raised intracranial pressure, hypertension, or cardiac or coronary artery disease. In these cases, ketamine use may lead to fatal heart failure or acute myocardial infarction.

In addition to increasing heart rate and blood pressure, ketamine can also cause involuntary rapid eye movement, a phenomenon known as nystagmus. This is one of the symptoms of a "k-hole", a state of intense dissociation and impaired environmental awareness and bodily control brought on by high doses of ketamine. During a k-hole, individuals may experience hallucinations, a sense of floating, and an inability to interact with others or their surroundings. They may also exhibit involuntary eye movements as their eyes move around.

The impact of ketamine on cardiovascular function and the risk of involuntary rapid eye movement are important considerations when deciding whether or not to take the drug. While ketamine can be safely used in controlled medical contexts, recreational use is hazardous and may result in life-threatening adverse effects.

It can lead to bladder and urinary tract problems, and abdominal pain

Ketamine is a dissociative drug that can make users feel detached from reality and themselves. It is a powerful anaesthetic that can cause serious harm and even be fatal, particularly when mixed with other drugs. It is sold as a grainy white or light brown powder and can be injected, snorted, ingested, or smoked.

Ketamine can cause abdominal pain and bladder and urinary tract problems. It can cause a frequent and urgent need to pee, which may be very painful and the urine may contain blood. This can lead to incontinence (uncontrolled peeing) and the bladder may need to be surgically repaired or even removed.

The bladder can become damaged, causing ulcers and fibrosis (stiffening and shrinkage of the bladder walls). This can result in urinary frequency, urgency, pressure, pain, incontinence, and bleeding. The bladder capacity may also be reduced, causing the patient to void small amounts of urine frequently.

The urinary tract, from the kidneys down to the bladder, can also be affected. This can lead to upper tract obstruction, papillary necrosis, and hydronephrosis (a condition where the kidneys become swollen with urine).

Abdominal pain, sometimes called 'K cramps', has been reported by long-term ketamine users. This may be due to the loss of nerve fibres in the muscles of the bladder.

It can be addictive and cause psychological dependence

Ketamine is a powerful dissociative drug that can cause a person to feel detached from reality and themselves. It is a chemical compound used as an anesthetic in humans and animals and has been developed as a less toxic alternative to the drug phencyclidine (PCP).

Ketamine can be addictive and cause psychological dependence. Laboratory studies have shown that ketamine use can cause brain changes typical of a drug with addictive potential. Human studies have shown that regular ketamine use is associated with symptoms of addiction, including continued use despite knowing the health risks, physically hazardous use, and spending too much time obtaining or using ketamine. People who become addicted to ketamine will keep taking it, and some will attend drug treatment services to help them stop.

Ketamine has a high potential for abuse, as evidenced by the development of tolerance and psychological dependence. People who use ketamine regularly can develop a tolerance to it, which could lead to them taking even more to achieve the desired effects. This can result in a cycle of increased use and heightened tolerance, making it challenging for individuals to stop without professional assistance.

Additionally, ketamine addiction can significantly impact an individual's daily life. It can interfere with essential daily tasks, including school, work, social relationships, and family life. The compulsive nature of ketamine misuse can lead to a substance use disorder, requiring supervised medical detoxification and treatment to address the underlying psychological dependence.

While ketamine has no physical withdrawal symptoms, the psychological dependence it creates can be strong. This aspect of ketamine addiction underscores the importance of addressing the mental health aspects of substance use disorders. Treatment options often involve therapy and support groups, with cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy being some of the commonly used approaches.

It can be dangerous when mixed with other substances, especially alcohol and opiates

Ketamine is a dissociative drug that causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment. It can be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked with cannabis or tobacco. The effects of ketamine may be experienced within one minute if injected, 5–15 minutes if snorted, and up to 30 minutes if swallowed. Its effects can last for around an hour, however, an individual's coordination or senses may be affected for up to 24 hours after initial use.

Mixing ketamine with other drugs can have unpredictable effects and increase the risk of harm. Ketamine is especially dangerous when mixed with alcohol and opiates. Both alcohol and ketamine are central nervous system depressants, so the combined effects are dangerous. Mixing ketamine with alcohol can lead to a rapid decline in your ability to move or communicate properly. This can make it harder for you to process how much each drug is affecting you, which is more likely to lead to an overdose. It can also cause dangerously slowed breathing and, in higher doses, can cause a person to stop breathing.

Mixing ketamine with opiates can lead to nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, passing out, and possible death.

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