Ketamine (which was initially developed as an anaesthetic) has emerged as a prominent subject in discussions about mental health and, unfortunately, recreational drug use. 

Its potential benefits in controlled (emphasis on the controlled) therapeutic settings, particularly for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, are definitely intriguing. Yet, ketamine also has a darker side when misused or taken outside of a medical context. 

Despite potential, significant risks are still associated with its misuse, especially when street versions are consumed recreationally. 

In this article, we’ll cover what you should be aware of, including information on its effects and the potential dangers associated with abusing the substance.

Ketamine Is an Anaesthetic and Psychedelic

Ketamine is both a sedative and a dissociative anaesthetic. This means it can make people feel detached from their surroundings and, sometimes, even from their own bodies. 

Initially developed in the 1960s as a safer alternative to other anaesthetics, it has been widely used in medical settings for surgeries and pain management. In recent years, though, it has also shown promise in treating severe depression, particularly for those who don’t respond to standard medications. 

Its effectiveness in mental health settings is due in part to its ability to act on the brain’s glutamate system, which influences many things to do with our overall makeup, including:

  • The way we learn.
  • Our memory.
  • Our emotional processing.
  • How we respond to stress.
  • Our sleep regulation. 

Although it has the potential to have a positive impact, when used outside of controlled medical environments, ketamine can quickly become very dangerous. People often take high doses to experience the drug’s dissociative effects, leading to what is usually called a “K-hole”. This is a deeply dissociative state where people feel an extreme sense of detachment. 

This feeling may be sought after by some, but it carries serious risks, as people lose a sense of reality and control, which can lead to unsafe behaviours. Misuse of ketamine in these ways highlights the fine line between its therapeutic potential and its dangers, which is why it’s so important to avoid taking ketamine outside of clinical settings. 

Ketamine Has a Big Impact on the Brain

One of the biggest concerns with frequent ketamine misuse is its impact on the brain, especially when it comes to our memory and overall important cognitive functions. 

Studies have shown that prolonged ketamine misuse can lead to impairments in attention, memory, and overall cognitive flexibility. Users who take ketamine frequently can experience lasting effects that affect their daily functioning, even after the drug has left their system. This is because ketamine alters brain chemicals involved in memory formation and learning.

Some symptoms people commonly report include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Experiencing memory gaps
  • Having a hard time concentrating
  • Trouble with remembering familiar locations or directions. 
  • Developing schizophrenia-like symptoms (e.g. developing unusual beliefs). 
  • Finding it harder to think of words and understand verbal information as quickly as they normally would.

Long-term or heavy use can exacerbate these symptoms, leading to more significant cognitive deficits that may not fully reverse even after someone stops misusing ketamine. 

In some cases, excessive and prolonged exposure to ketamine has also been linked to symptoms resembling early cognitive decline. However, much more research is needed to understand the full extent of these long-term effects.

Using Ketamine Recreationally Isn’t Good for Your Mental Health

Although ketamine-assisted therapy has shown really promising results when it comes to treating certain mental health conditions, it’s essential to distinguish between clinical and recreational use. There is a big difference. 

In a clinical setting, small doses of ketamine are administered under medical supervision, and it’s often in conjunction with therapy to manage depression or PTSD. However, recreational use can lead to very different outcomes. Instead of offering relief, it can sometimes actually worsen underlying mental health issues or even trigger new ones.

Ketamine’s dissociative effects can cause hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions when used without medical supervision, which can be distressing or frightening. It’s also worth noting that these effects are not rare. 

For individuals with a history of mental health issues (especially conditions involving psychosis or severe anxiety), ketamine misuse can worsen associated symptoms, and it can have a severe impact, sometimes leading to hospitalisation. 

The risk of dependency is also very real. Ketamine isn’t typically physically addictive in the way opioids or alcohol might be, but the effects can lead to psychological dependence. 

This can mean that people abusing ketamine may develop strong urges to re-experience its dissociative state, particularly as a coping mechanism for stress or mental distress. This alone has the potential to create a damaging cycle where the drug becomes a method of escape rather than a means of support.

There Are Many Physical Health Risks to Ketamine Abuse

The physical health risks of ketamine are often overlooked, especially by those who view it as a safer option when compared to other recreational drugs. However, repeated ketamine use can lead to serious health complications. One of the most notable is its impact on the urinary tract. 

Chronic ketamine users often experience what’s known as ketamine bladder syndrome. This is a very serious, painful and debilitating condition. It’s characterised by:

  • Frequent and painful urination.
  • Finding blood in the urine
  • Waking up throughout the night with an urgent need to urinate.
  • Pain or discomfort in the bladder area.
  • In extreme cases, bladder shrinkage. 

This condition is often irreversible and can significantly impact the quality of life, and sometimes, the damage is irreversible if not caught early. 

In addition to bladder issues, ketamine abuse is also linked to conditions related to heart function and respiratory health. The possibility of accidental overdose is also a danger, especially in situations where ketamine is taken with other substances or in amounts greater than intended. 

It’s also worth noting that there’s no widely available reversal agent for ketamine like there is for some other drugs. This means that an overdose requires immediate medical attention and can still have long-term effects.

There’s A Risk of Addiction and Psychological Dependence

One of the often debated aspects of ketamine is its addictive potential. 

As we touched on earlier in this blog post, ketamine is not technically considered to be physically addictive in the traditional sense. However, it does have a strong potential for psychological dependence. 

It’s possible to become reliant on ketamine’s effects to manage stress, escape from daily life, or experience feelings of detachment from negative emotions or circumstances, and this psychological pull can be very powerful. This is especially true since ketamine’s effects are both rapid and intense, which can create a strong incentive to keep using it.

Whether it’s a night out or in a group setting, people who abuse ketamine may find themselves chasing the dissociative experience that ketamine provides, sometimes increasing doses over time to achieve the same effect. This cycle can lead to problematic use patterns, even if it doesn’t involve physical withdrawal symptoms. 

A dependence on ketamine can happen quickly and unexpectedly, even after using it once or twice. Treatment for ketamine dependence usually involves psychological support, including therapy and support groups, and may also address underlying mental health issues that contribute to use.

How Dangerous is Ketamine? The Key Takeaways

There’s no denying that the use of ketamine has shown promising potential in medical settings and, more recently, its prospective use in treating certain mental health conditions. However, its misuse still carries significant risks. 

Ketamine abuse has been normalised in certain contexts, but it can have serious physical and mental health effects – which is why it’s so important to avoid using this substance outside of any controlled setting. 

For those struggling with mental health issues, always seek supervised medical advice rather than attempting self-medication.

Used carefully and under medical supervision, it may provide relief for some, which is why the NHS is actively trialling its use in this context. But when taken recreationally or excessively, the risks far outweigh any short-term pleasurable effects.

Struggling With Substance Abuse? Get In Touch

If you or someone you care about is struggling with ketamine abuse or any other substance, please get in touch with our team today. 

At Ocean Recovery, we specialise in helping people overcome substance abuse. We offer comprehensive inpatient programmes, which are tailored to fit the needs of the individual. For more information, call us on 08008807596. 

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: November 8, 2024

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.