Ketamine is a dissociative drug with a range of effects, including hallucinations, a distorted sense of self, and an altered perception of time and reality. It is a fast-acting anaesthetic and painkiller, used in both human and veterinary medicine. It is also used recreationally, and is typically snorted, swallowed, injected, or smoked. The effects of ketamine usually last for about an hour, but can continue for up to a day, depending on the dosage and method of ingestion.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Forms | Powder, liquid, tablet, capsule |
Administration | Snorted, swallowed, smoked, injected, mixed into drinks |
Effects | Calmness, relaxation, pain relief, detachment, hallucinations, nausea, memory loss, confusion, slowed breathing, increased heart rate, raised blood pressure, anxiety, dizziness, loss of balance, derealisation, K-hole |
Duration | 30 minutes to 2 hours |
What You'll Learn
Ketamine can be snorted, swallowed, smoked, or injected
Snorting
Most people who take powder ketamine will snort it. In the UK, this is the most common way to take ketamine. "Snorting" leads to effects in roughly 5 to 15 minutes. The buzz can last for around 30 minutes to an hour, but the effects depend on how much you take.
Injecting
Injecting yields a quick response, with effects occurring in seconds to minutes. Shots will come on more quickly and end more quickly than other methods. Injecting usually involves intramuscular or subcutaneous injection.
Swallowing
When taken orally, ketamine will take longer to take effect, around 20 minutes to an hour. Oral administration takes the slowest to set in. Some people swallow the powder wrapped in cigarette paper, while others take it in tablet form.
Smoking
Ketamine can be smoked with marijuana or tobacco.
Carrie Underwood's Secret: Keto Fit Success?
You may want to see also
It is a fast-acting anaesthetic and painkiller
Ketamine is a fast-acting anaesthetic and painkiller. It is used in both human and veterinary medicine. It is a dissociative anaesthetic, which means it induces a trance-like state of sedation, pain relief, and amnesia. It is particularly useful for short-term procedures that do not require muscle relaxation.
Ketamine is a unique intravenous (IV) anaesthetic that produces a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects, including sedation, catalepsy, somatic analgesia, bronchodilation, and sympathetic nervous system stimulation. It is a water-soluble phencyclidine derivative that is highly lipid-soluble and rapidly breaks down and redistributes to peripheral tissues.
At lower, sub-anaesthetic doses, it is a promising agent for treating pain and treatment-resistant depression. In these cases, it is administered intravenously, and the antidepressant effects can last for up to 30 days or more.
Ketamine is also used in emergency medicine, including during physically painful procedures, and is the drug of choice for people in traumatic shock who are at risk of hypotension. It is unlikely to lower blood pressure, and can even raise it, making it useful for treating severe head injuries. It is also used for emergency surgery in field conditions in war zones.
Ketamine is a rapid-acting antidepressant, although its effect is transient. Intravenous ketamine infusion in treatment-resistant depression may result in improved mood within four hours, reaching a peak at 24 hours.
Ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic that can cause serious harm and even death, particularly if mixed with other drugs. It can increase heart rate and blood pressure, and cause confusion, agitation, delirium, and disconnection from reality. It can also cause damage to short- and long-term memory, and serious bladder problems.
MyFitnessPal for Keto: Tracking Your Low-Carb Success
You may want to see also
It can cause hallucinations and a feeling of mind-body separation
Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic that can cause hallucinations and a feeling of mind-body separation. It is a Class B drug, which means it is illegal to have, give away or sell. Ketamine is sold as a grainy white or light brown powder and is usually snorted, but it can also be swallowed as a tablet, injected, or smoked. The effects of ketamine can last from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
When taken, ketamine reduces sensations in the body and alters the user's perception of time and space. It can induce a state of sedation, making the user feel calm and relaxed, but it can also cause hallucinations, where people see or hear things that are not there. These hallucinations can be very vivid and can be musical or auditory-verbal in nature. For example, one participant in a study reported hearing the song 'Yellow Submarine' by the Beatles and seeing the animated characters from the movie.
Taking too much ketamine can lead to a "k-hole", where the user feels like their mind and body have separated, and they are unable to do anything about it. This can be a very scary experience. Ketamine can also cause memory loss, nausea, depression, and an increased heart rate and blood pressure. It is important to note that mixing ketamine with other drugs, such as alcohol, benzos, or opiates, is dangerous and can be fatal.
The effects of ketamine can vary from person to person, and regular use can lead to tolerance and psychological dependence. It is important to be aware of the risks associated with ketamine use and to seek help if needed.
Keto and Apple Cider Vinegar: A Powerful Weight Loss Combo
You may want to see also
It can be used to treat depression and OCD
Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic that can cause serious harm and even death, particularly if mixed with other drugs. It is used in medicine as an anaesthetic for humans and animals and is often sold as a grainy white or light brown powder on the street. It is also known as 'K', 'Special K', 'vitamin K', 'bump', 'cat Valium', 'Kit Kat', 'Super acid' and 'Purple'.
Ketamine is being researched as a potential treatment for severe depression and OCD. It is not yet known how the drug works in the brain, but researchers are intrigued by its potential to help identify a whole new line of medicines for fast-acting treatment of mental health disorders. It is believed that ketamine affects the levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain, and there is increasing evidence that glutamate plays a role in OCD symptoms.
In 2013, a clinical trial of ketamine in OCD patients randomised 15 patients with OCD to ketamine or a placebo. The effect on those given ketamine was immediate, with patients reporting dramatic decreases in their obsessive-compulsive symptoms midway through the 40-minute infusion. The diminished symptoms lasted throughout the following week in half of the patients.
Another randomised, controlled trial with an inactive placebo demonstrated rapid anti-OCD effects in patients with persistent intrusive thoughts. A single intravenous dose of ketamine without serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) resulted in rapid clinical improvement within hours to days after treatment. For these patients, ketamine administration specifically resulted in a decrease in obsessions, leading to a secondary improvement in compulsions, with persistent effects at one week after administration.
An open-label study indicated that ketamine might temporarily improve symptoms of treatment-resistant OCD, but the effect appeared to wear off rapidly after the first administration. In this trial, 10 patients received a single IV infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) over a 40-minute period. A significant and acute response was seen in OCD symptoms 1 to 3 hours following the administration of ketamine and persisted for 1 to 3 days. These reports suggest potential rapid anti-obsessional effects of ketamine in OCD, but also a lack of extended therapeutic response when used alone.
There is also some evidence that ketamine can be used to kick-start a type of cognitive behavioural therapy called exposure and response prevention, an evidence-based psychological treatment designed to help patients overcome OCD.
Keto Test Strips: How and When to Use Them
You may want to see also
Ketamine is illegal to possess or sell outside of medical settings
Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic with hallucinogenic effects. It is commercially produced and sold as a short-acting anaesthetic and pain reliever for humans and animals. It is also used in veterinary medicine as a horse tranquiliser.
Ketamine is a powerful drug that can cause serious harm. It can increase heart rate and blood pressure, cause confusion, agitation, delirium, and disconnection from reality. It can also lead to memory loss, nausea, and depression. Regular use can damage short- and long-term memory and cause depression. It can also lead to bladder problems, abdominal pain, and liver damage.
The effects of ketamine can last for several hours, and people may feel down and low in mood for a few days after using it. It can be detected in urine tests for several days as well. It is important to only use ketamine in a medical setting and never mix it with other substances.
Joanna Gaines' Keto Diet: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Ketamine can be snorted, swallowed, smoked, or injected. In medical settings, it is often administered via IV or injections.
Ketamine has dissociative properties, which can make you feel disconnected from your body and the world. It can also cause hallucinations, nausea, and confusion. At higher doses, it can lead to derealisation, detachment from reality, and K-holes, where users are temporarily immobile.
Ketamine's effects typically last for about an hour but can continue for up to a day, depending on the dose and method of ingestion.