A Drug Guide
Ketamine
Ketamine is a sedation drug used in veterinary medicines and abused by individuals as a party drug due to its ability to create hallucinations or otherworldly experiences once ingested. Users commonly describe the dissociative state caused by ketamine as “the K-hole”.
Ketamine comes in either powder, tablet or liquid form. This fast-acting dissociative agent is a powerful anesthetic agent. Unlike other painkillers that mask the pain, ketamine literally blocks the brain from experiencing impulses from the rest of the body. The brain ceases to process information from nerve pathways thus creating an out of body, hallucinogenic state.
Street Names
- K
- Special K
Special K creates an anti-social effect. Individuals using Special K do not interact or communicate in social situations as they are isolated within an effect known as “the K hole”. Users site otherworldly, contemplative, and abstract experiences.
Your Brain and Ketamine
Ketamine is a nervous system inhibitor, shutting the brain off from other parts of the body. It is a drug used most often by veterinarians on large animals such as horses, however, it has been used on humans for the purpose of preventing deadly spasms. This dissociation between the brain and the body can create an experience that is either enjoyable or frightening for the K user.
Some find that the experience of being “brain only” allows the sort of introspection they would not otherwise receive, whereas others find the experience frightening or depressing.
Dependency and Side Effects
Ketamine is not physically addictive, but it does produce drug tolerance requiring more and more ketamine to produce the same effect.
Long term side-effects of ketamine usage include:
- Paranoia
- Depression
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Cardiovascular difficulties
- Respiratory difficulties
- Neurological issues
- (in extreme cases) psychosis
Overdose
You may overdose on any drug if you take enough of it to produce adverse effects. Because it is unknown exactly what your drug is cut with it is difficult to predict lethal or harmful dosage. An overdose experience may be mild (heart palpitations) to extreme (heart attack, stroke, or death). Because ketamine is classified as a sedative there are other symptoms to note along with the general symptoms of overdose:
- Accelerated heart rate
- Lowered heart rate
- Shallow breathing
- Inability to talk or move
- Paranoia
- Confusion
- Violence
- Seizures
If you or someone close to you is experiencing these effects call 911 or a poison control center at once.
Drug Detoxification and Treatment
Ketamine does not have an special detoxification or treatment considerations. It does not have a physical dependency component to deal with, but it does have a psychological dependency among its users that must be dealt with in counseling and other treatment measures.
