Special K is a street name for the anesthetic medication ketamine, used primarily in veterinary medicine. A Schedule III narcotic, Ketamine, has some legitimate medical purposes but also carries a high potential for abuse and dependency. The dissociative, hallucinogenic effects of Ketamine provide users with a detached type of “high” characterized by sight and sound distortions.
It can be taken in many ways, including liquids, white powder, and pills. Common practices are snorting, injecting, and mixing into drinks. Abuse in the club scene partially occurs because of the detached, out-of-body experience it produces.
Addiction to Ketamine is generally a psychological dependence on the medication. It is usually seen when it elicits profound mind-altering effects. Unlike other drugs, it hardly causes acute physical withdrawal. Instead, there is the development of strong desires and compulsive use despite adverse outcomes.
Prolonged use of Ketamine eventually alters brain chemistry. So, individuals may find it very difficult to discontinue using it on their own. As it disrupts normal activities, it can leave individuals feeling as if they are detached from reality. They cannot engage in meaningful daily tasks, significantly impacting their quality of life.
Many people addicted to Ketamine take higher doses for the same high. This increases their risk of overdose and serious health consequences, including cognitive impairments or bladder problems.
Here are the common signs of ketamine addiction:
Ketamine is known to act on the brain’s reward system. It releases the chemical dopamine, said to be the “feel-good” chemical. It is basically considered addictive. Ketamine is a recreational medicine that makes the person who ingests it euphoric and dissociative. This may be pleasurable for people and highly inviting for repeated intake.
After a little time, the brain gets used to these effects. Thus, tolerance develops in the user, with the requirement of a large amount of Ketamine to achieve the desired high. This increasing dosage further escalates the risk of dependence and addiction.
Addiction to Ketamine can be manifested through symptoms, either psychologically or physically. Early recognition of such signs is important in seeking further help before addiction worsens.
If you or someone you know has these signs, overcoming an addiction requires professional help to start the recovery process.
High dosages of Ketamine become dangerous. The lethal doses of Ketamine are considered to be more than 11 mg/kg. This would be about 660 mg for a person weighing 132 pounds. Fatal results have been determined for recreational users with 0.1 – 7 mg/L of Ketamine present in the bloodstream.
Smaller quantities can easily lead to serious health issues such as overdose, liver problems, and severe bladder problems. If dosage control becomes difficult, then it is best to seek professional help.
Addiction to Ketamine has a varied foundation, including environmental, psychosocial, and genetic factors.
Continuous use of Ketamine alters brain chemistry and builds tolerance. Such changes mean that less reward activity goes on in the brain, and so users take more Ketamine to achieve the same euphoric feeling.
It runs in the family. A person is more likely to become addicted to drugs because people from their family have drug misuse problems, which means impulsive behavior is inherited.
Being around people who abuse drugs or not receiving parental guidance during one’s childhood encourages addiction. Peer pressure could also force individuals into substance abuse, especially in social circles or when one is attending a party.
Most mental health conditions, like major depression and anxiety disorders, belong to a category of prevalent conditions that prompt individuals to self-medicate with Ketamine. Eventually, this becomes a habit and increases the dependency.
Being a well-known dissociative hallucinogen, Ketamine can cause extreme alterations in one’s thought process regarding perception of things around him and reality.
Continued use of Ketamine can result in some serious long-term effects. These include :
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), some of the physical and psychological effects are delayed and may appear later in life. These are:
Understanding how substances impact the body over time can be crucial for recovery. If you’re curious about the timeline for how long ketamine remain in your system and their lasting effects, this guide provides important insights to help you stay informed.
Addiction to ketamine results from a change in perception, mood, and even reality within just one moment. Many people take Ketamine as a means of self-medication, seeking temporary relief from their emotional or psychological problems momentarily.
Further, the dissociation properties of this drug provide an escape from anxiety, depression, or trauma; however, the relief will last only for a few minutes. This always tends to push users into increasing usage, leading them into dependency.
Treatment for ketamine dependence varies for each person. It takes a multi-faceted approach. Some of the key treatment options include the following:
Inpatient treatment provides a controlled environment for people who need acute care. They will stay in a rehabilitation center where they can be under constant supervision. Therefore, it will be safe to withdraw and give immediate medical attention if needed.
Outpatient programs allow flexibility for those individuals who are capable of dealing with their addiction in a manner that enables them to handle daily responsibilities. Patients visit the house for scheduled therapy sessions but do not require staying there overnight.
Whatever the treatment setting, therapy is an essential element of recovery. The important therapeutic approaches include :
This is very useful; it helps an individual better understand how cognitions, emotions, and behaviors are all interconnected. It supplies the patient with coping mechanisms. It helps them address negative thought patterns found to be associated with ketamine use.
This form of psychotherapy teaches mindfulness and emotion regulation. Thus, it helps to acquire the tools necessary to effectively handle stress and cravings.
ACT includes the acceptance of one’s current emotional state and commitment to changes in behavior that improve the quality of life. Through this approach, patients are advised to face the emotions connected with addiction.
Sober living environments can extend support for recovery even when active treatment has been completed. These homes foster healthy behaviors and accountability and provide an immediate social network of individuals who value the struggle of addiction.
Bridges Sober Living Apartments offers a peaceful and inviting atmosphere that is perfect for those who are seeking sobriety. Our sober living home gives the residents the opportunity to build lasting relationships with other members of our community.