What You Should Know About The Brain And Ketamine Addiction

Ketamine addiction is a growing concern in the world of substance abuse. As a dissociative anesthetic drug, ketamine can have a profound impact on the brain and its functioning. While it is primarily used in medical settings for anesthesia and pain relief, ketamine is increasingly being abused for its hallucinogenic effects. As with any substance abuse, ketamine addiction can cause significant harm to an individual’s physical and mental health. However, it is important to understand the specific ways in which ketamine addiction affects the brain and its functioning.

Addiction to and abuse of ketamine have greatly increased recently. Understanding how this medicine affects the brain is crucial for this reason. In the medical industry, ketamine has long been used as a short-term general anesthetic. Its dissociative properties, however, have made it popular in other contexts recently, particularly for its ability to treat psychological health conditions like depression. Sadly, ketamine addiction can have a lot of long-term side effects if used excessively, much like many other medications. Further information on ketamine, its negative effects, and treatment options are provided in this page if you or a loved one is struggling with ketamine addiction.

Ketamine abuse over a lengthy period of time might have long-lasting psychological repercussions. Frequent ketamine usage can lead to emotional instability, memory loss, and problems with reason and logic.

Ketamine: What is it?

Anesthesia induction and maintenance frequently involve the use of the drug ketamine. It functions by blocking the activity of an NMDA receptor antagonist, a specific type of glutamate receptor found in the brain. Moreover, it has analgesic and antidepressant qualities. It is sometimes used to treat depression and anxiety outside the scope of its authorized uses. Ketamine is a regulated substance, thus it must be used according to a doctor’s recommendations as it can be addictive and cause side effects like hallucinations, dizziness, and disorientation.

How Does Ketamine Feel While You’re High?

When used recreationally, ketamine addiction can produce a range of symptoms, including hallucinations and a sense of being cut off from one’s body. Some have called the drug’s effects strange and dreamlike. Smaller doses can cause elation, while bigger ones can make someone feel drowsy or even comatose. It is crucial to keep in mind that depending on the dosage, the individual’s tolerance, and the setting in which it is consumed, ketamine’s effects can vary significantly from person to person. Moreover, ketamine addiction may cause dangerous physical and psychological side effects, including anxiety, a faster heartbeat and blood pressure, and hallucinations.

How Dependent is Ketamine?

In contrast to opioids and stimulants, ketamine is not considered to be physically addictive, but it has the potential to develop psychological dependence. This suggests that those who use the substance frequently may develop a psychological reliance on it and might have significant motivation to continue using it.

Individuals who use ketamine recreationally or in excessive doses may be more likely to develop a psychological dependence on it. Regular use may cause the body to become tolerant to it, requiring higher dosages to have the intended benefits. This may set off a vicious cycle of increasing drug dependence and use.

It’s vital to note that ketamine can have major negative effects on the body and mind, including hallucinations, altered awareness, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. When ketamine is combined with other substances like alcohol or other narcotics, the effects could be especially dangerous.

Brain and Ketamine Addiction Risks

Anesthetic ketamine has the ability to cause hallucinations and altered states of consciousness. It affects the body and brain negatively when consumed in big doses or recreationally. Ketamine has a number of short-term adverse effects, including: difficulty thinking clearly, memory issues, diminished discernment, sensory distortion, difficulty speaking, poor motor skills, muscle spasms, lightheadedness, nausea.

Ketamine use for an extended period of time can cause serious problems such bladder inflammation, kidney and liver damage, as well as damage to the brain that results in memory loss, concentration problems, and atypical brain growth. Moreover, regular users of ketamine may need to ingest higher doses in order to achieve the same benefits, which raises the risk of overdosing and other unfavorable outcomes. Ketamine can also be habit-forming.

What Mental Effects Does Ketamine Have?

Ketamine can have a variety of harmful consequences on the brain, both immediately after usage and over time. The following are a few ways that ketamine might harm the brain:

Confusion

One of the most frequent negative consequences of ketamine use is confusion. Short-term memory issues might result, making it challenging for a person to remember crucial details or recollect the past. Because it can affect judgment and reaction time, this can be particularly risky when performing certain tasks like driving or operating heavy equipment. Consequently, before choosing to use ketamine, it is crucial to be aware of the possible negative effects.

Hallucinations

Ketamine use can result in a variety of hallucinations and altered perceptions, from brilliant colors and noises to warped visual effects. This alteration in perception is primarily brought about by the drug’s capacity to affect brain chemistry, which results in abnormal firing patterns of neuronal networks. It is crucial for anyone using ketamine to be aware of the dangers involved because such hallucinations can be surprising and unsettling.

Dysfunction of the Motor Skills

Ketamine use can lead to defective motor abilities that make it challenging for users to move or converse normally. Both short-term and long-term effects may result from this; one may struggle with physical movement and coordination for a while after using. Ketamine can impair muscle control and coordination when used in high doses, which frequently results in accidents or physical harm.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that ketamine has the potential to damage one’s capacity for rational thought, speech, and movement.

Changes the structure of the brain

Chronic ketamine use can have significant, long-lasting effects on the brain. In contrast to those who do not use the drug, research has shown that these impacts can include memory loss, decreased learning, attention problems, and reduced brain development. These modifications have wide-ranging effects and have the potential to result in severe neurological and psychosocial issues.

How Does Ketamine Damage the Body?

In addition to the numerous harmful impacts ketamine addiction has on the brain, this substance also harms the body physically over the long run. Ketamine use can have negative consequences on the body whether it is ingested or injected. Ketamine inhaled through the nose can permanently harm the sinus cavities and nasal passages, as well as impair smell perception. Moreover, injecting ketamine can harm internal organs, muscles, and skin. Infections of the skin, infectious illnesses, and endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves, can also result from it.

Suggestion for read: The Value Of Trust In Substance Abuse Rehabilitation

Ketamine addiction that is prolonged and extensive has also been connected to kidney and liver damage. Moreover, it may result in problems with the bladder and urine system. In some cases, breathing issues, hypertension, convulsions, and heart rate acceleration have been noted. The side effects of ketamine use can be extremely severe and even fatal; they can prohibit someone from functioning normally and, in severe circumstances, result in organ failure and a heart attack that kills them.

Ketamine Addiction treatment

Ketamine can be psychologically addictive when used recreationally, and those who regularly use it may experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit. It’s crucial to get help from a specialist if you’re battling with ketamine addiction. Common approaches to treating substance misuse and addiction include the following:

Detox

A ketamine detox is a critical step for persons seeking therapy for ketamine use. With the aid of medical professionals, the body is enabled to get rid of the drug as part of a medical procedure. Detoxification can occur in a hospital or detox facility, where specially qualified staff members can keep an eye on the patient and give them the necessary medical attention. In the end, this will be the initial phase of your recuperation. Rehab

In order to address the psychological aspects of ketamine addiction that may have contributed to or exacerbated the addiction, rehab programs are a crucial component of the recovery process. Individuals can focus on recognizing and controlling triggers, enhancing coping mechanisms, and ultimately lowering the risks of relapse in the supportive setting of rehab programs. Depending on the needs of the individual, rehabilitation programs can be either inpatient or outpatient. In either scenario, the objective is to give them the information and resources they need to live fulfilling lives free from addiction.

Medicine-Assisted Therapy

Despite the fact that there are no drugs expressly licensed to treat ketamine addiction, medication-assisted treatment can be helpful in lowering cravings and other withdrawal symptoms. Targeting the physical signs of withdrawal and assisting people on the road to recovery are goals of medications like clonidine, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. To assist people address the root causes of their addiction, cognitive-behavioral therapy might be a useful adjunctive treatment.

Here are few certified therapists who you can get in touch and book a therapy session with:

John Hilsdon

Sylvia Cowell

Glen Gibson