Ketamine Addiction

Ketamine hydrochloride is a central nervous system depressant and a rapid-acting general anesthetic. It has sedative-hypnotic, analgesic, and hallucinogenic properties.

Ketamine is sold in either powdered or liquid form. In powdered form, its appearance is similar to that of cocaine and it can be insufflated, injected, or placed in beverages. It is also possible to smoke the drug in a joint or pipe, usually mixed with marijuana and tobacco.

On the night of taking the drug, Ketamine users would show marked schizophrenic type symptoms, felling disassociated from their environment and showing gross impairments in memory and concentration. Use of the drug can cause delirium, amnesia, depression, long-term memory loss and cognitive difficulties. Due to its dissociative effect, it is reportedly used as a date-rape drug.

The high rate of psychological dependence, however, make Ketamine addicts use the drug again and again, and as an anaesthetic, this can shut down the motor controls and cause death. As with PCP (Phencyclidine) Ketamine abusers can also have very bad experiences, including bad trips, panic attacks, and exaggerated mood swings. They can be enjoying themselves one minute and then, with little warning, become frightened, act bizarrely, and become a danger to themselves and to others around them.

People who may be at risk of mental illness can experience psychological problems as a result of ketamine use.

Relatively little is known about the problems of long-term use of Ketamine, but some abusers may develop personality changes and a mental illness similar to that sometimes seen in PCP abusers.