Ketamine was linked with better outcomes when used along with behavioral and motivational therapy in two clinical trials on substance misuse treatment. Treatment for ketamine addiction often involves some type of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational enhancement therapy, family therapy, or group therapy. More research on how ketamine affects addiction is needed, but it may change how your brain deals with cravings, motivation to quit a drug, and controlling behavioral reactions. Ketamine treatment might also make behavioral therapy more effective, which is a big part of overcoming addiction. No medications have been FDA-approved to treat ketamine addiction, but doctors may prescribe other medications to help treat co-occurring mental health conditions. Hospitalization may sometimes be required to manage serious withdrawal symptoms.
What Is Ketamine?
While ketamine isn’t the most fatal of substances when used alone, developing an addiction to this drug can ketamine addiction greatly affect quality of life. For ketamine to be helpful in addiction treatment, it must be used under the close care of medical professionals. Recreational use could lead to addiction and other dangerous effects. The people who were dependent on alcohol got ketamine through an IV during the second week of a 5-week motivational enhancement therapy session. The people who had cocaine addictions got ketamine through an IV for 5 days, in addition to 5 weeks of mindfulness relapse prevention therapy. In a medical setting, doctors give low doses of ketamine over a longer period of time.
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Ketamine addiction also makes it difficult for people to function as they normally do in their daily life and activities. If substance misuse disrupts work, school, and personal relationships, it can indicate a ketamine addiction. When people try to stop using ketamine, they may also experience symptoms of withdrawal. While ketamine overdoses are not strongly linked to death, consuming large amounts of this drug can be fatal. Combining ketamine with other substances can increase this risk.
- Rehabilitation centers can help with different treatment options, detox programs, and other necessary assistance for overcoming dependency.
- Combining ketamine with other substances can increase this risk.
- She helps brands craft factual, yet relatable content that resonates with diverse audiences.
- Ketamine was linked with better outcomes when used along with behavioral and motivational therapy in two clinical trials on substance misuse treatment.
- Addiction can negatively impact quality of life, physical health, mental well-being, and relationships.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

Ketamine is a drug gaining fast notoriety with America’s young population. In 2020, 1.3% of 12th graders were found to have misused the drug for recreational purposes—this number was at 0.7% only a year prior. In both studies, the researchers concluded that ketamine lowered the chances of restarting or relapsing into addiction. Rehabilitation centers can help with different treatment options, detox programs, and other necessary assistance for overcoming dependency.
What Is Ketamine Addiction?

By Elizabeth PlumptreElizabeth is a freelance health and wellness writer. She helps brands craft factual, yet relatable drug addiction content that resonates with diverse audiences. Ketamine can disrupt the senses, judgment, and motor function for up to 24 hours after use. These effects have seen a growing and worrying use of this drug for date rape.
What Happens During a Ketamine Overdose?

Coupled with its ability to produce an out-of-body experience, this drug can cause visual and auditory perceptual changes. Different amounts of ketamine will give different “highs.” A medicinal dose is usually around 1 to 2 milligrams for each kilogram of body weight. Scientists created ketamine to be an anesthetic and a pain reliever. Ketamine, also known as Special K or Super K, is a short-acting anesthetic drug with hallucinogenic effects. It can change how you perceive sights and sounds, make you feel like you’re not in control, and make you feel detached from the world around you or any pain you’re feeling. Cognitive behavioral therapy can assist with changing the thought patterns that play a role in supporting drug use and addiction.
Ketamine for Addiction: What to Know
- Recreational use could lead to addiction and other dangerous effects.
- It can also help develop new coping skills and ways of thinking.
- Scientists created ketamine to be an anesthetic and a pain reliever.
- However, this drug can be fatal because it is usually combined with other substances like alcohol (which also has sedative effects) or hallucinogens like LSD and PCP.
- The people who had cocaine addictions got ketamine through an IV for 5 days, in addition to 5 weeks of mindfulness relapse prevention therapy.
This could be a dosage of about 680 mg for a person around 60 kg. People who use it illegally often snort, smoke, or inject it, or mix it into drinks. Ketamine triggers activity of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the frontal cortex of your brain. It also allows more synapses, which allow information to flow inside your brain, to form in the same area.
 
								
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