FAQ about Ketamine

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Ketamine, what is it?

Ketamine is a fast-acting anaesthetic and painkiller used principally in veterinary surgery. It is also used, to a lesser degree, in human medicine.

Ketamine can produce vivid thoughts or hallucinations, and make the user feel as though the mind is estranged from the body. This effect is called "dissociation," which is also the effect of the related drug PCP. Ketamine is used on humans for medical reasons; it is often given in amalgamation with another drug that prevents hallucinations. Ketamine effects take two different forms: physical and psychological. Ketamine effects are most damaging to the mental aspect of the user and can be overwhelming. In fact the same reasons that cause the Ketamine effects to be destructive are the same reasons why they are so seductive. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic. This means that the drug allows a person to disassociate themselves from their own perception. This is what is known as the ‘near death feeling’ or "k-hole" in slang terms. This is the desired Ketamine effect of a Ketamine user/addict.

What does Ketamine look like?

The Ketamine that is manufactured for medical use is sold in a liquid form, though it is usually transformed into a white powder before it is sold illegally. The powder is snorted, mixed into drinks or smoked with marijuana or tobacco. The liquid is added to drinks, or injected. It is usually injected into a muscle, because injecting it into a vein usually causes loss of consciousness.

Ketamine: the users?

Ketamine is only available legally to veterinarians and medical doctors and has been used for its veterinary properties for nearly 30 years. However, it is then stolen or diverted, and sold illegally on the street or in clubs for leisure use.

There has been a recent increase in the popularity of the drug among young people, which may be linked to its convenience as a "club drug" at parties and "raves."

Ketamine dissolves in liquid, allowing it to be slipped into drinks, and its sedative effects have been used to prevent victims from resisting sexual assault. For this reason, Ketamine has been commonly referred to in the media as a "date rape" drug. Hence it is worthwhile to take caution at parties and bars and watch your drink.

How does Ketamine make you feel?

The way Ketamine - or any other drug - affects you depends on many factors: age and body weight, how much you take and how often you take it, how long you've been taking it, the method you use to take the drug, whether or not you have certain pre-existing medical or psychiatric conditions, and if you've taken any alcohol or other drugs.

The effects of Ketamine are usually felt around ten minutes after taking the drug. Users report a drunken and lightheaded feeling and a quick numbness in the body. The range of visual experiences are reported to include distorted vision, seeing "trails," "astral travel" and intense and horrifying hallucinations. Some report feelings of weightlessness, and "out-of-body" or "near-death" experiences.

When Ketamine is taken in minor doses, users may feel sleepy, abstracted and withdrawn. They may find it difficult to think plainly, or feel confused, having a distorted observation of time and their body. At higher doses a Ketamine user may babble, stumble, have an increased heart rate, find it difficult to breathe and most likely not remember who or where they are. Too high a dose of Ketamine causes loss of consciousness.

The mildest effect of Ketamine is an increase in heart rate along with a slight euphoric feeling. This feeling of euphoria can be illusory; when something is truly wrong the user may not know it. Additionally, if their body is being affected in a lethal way the euphoria will not draw their attention to the problem.

How long do the effects of Ketamine last?

The effects of Ketamine usually last about an hour. Some users may feel concerned or anxious, or even have some memory loss. In some cases the user can experience flashbacks of their drug experience long after the effects of the drug have worn off.

Ketamine: the dangers?

Users of Ketamine put themselves at risk a number of ways.

Like all anesthetics, Ketamine prevents the user from feeling pain. This means that if injury occurs, the user may not know it. Depending on the amount of drug taken, those under its effects may have difficulty standing up or talking, resulting in an amplified risk of injury.

As with other anesthetics, Ketamine may cause nausea. Eating or drinking before taking the drug increases the risk of choking on vomit.

When taken in higher doses, Ketamine may depress the central nervous system. This can reduce the level of oxygen that gets to the brain, heart and other muscles, and may even cause death.

The Ketamine sold at clubs may be mixed with other drugs, which in combination could make it even more dangerous. Combining Ketamine with alcohol or other sedatives can be fatal.

Is Ketamine addictive?

If Ketamine is used frequently, the user becomes more tolerant to the effects of the drug; meaning more and more is needed to attain the same initial effect. However, there have been no reports of withdrawal when users stop taking Ketamine.

What are the long-term effects of using Ketamine?

Given that there has been modest research about the long-term, non-medical use of Ketamine, the long-term effects are not known. Of all the Ketamine effects the most sought after is this feeling of disassociation. With the attainment of this feeling come many consequences. If the user continues use to the point of “k-hole” they can begin to do permanent damage. The perforation in their consciousness can become lasting. This then creates a neurosis that is inescapable, which leads to periodic episodes of complete consciousness perforation. If this continues the person can become mentally unwell beyond psychological assistance.


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