Introduction
Are you hearing about Ketamine for the first time? It is okay! Sometimes we are not aware of the things happening around us, no matter how alert we are.
Ketamine is a dissociative injected anesthetic that has been used since the 1970s. Be it for veterinary or human use, it has played its part even in the past. However, its limited use is so far approved by the FDA, yet it has off-label uses as well. What are these uses? What does Ketamine feel like? We have all the answers. Begin reading!
What Is Ketamine?
Well, in simple terms, Ketamine is a substance that doctors use as anesthesia. It reduces the sensation of pain and sedates the patient. However, people also use it for recreational purposes because it has hallucinogenic properties, but it is not at all recommended.
Coming towards legality, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it to be used as general anesthesia only. On the flip side, it is also used by doctors as an off-label medicine to treat severe forms of depression.
It comes in handy to treat extreme levels of depression and anxiety that make the patients go suicidal. Being an off-label medicine means that it is not approved by FDA to serve for the above-mentioned purposes yet doctors use it in case all other treatments provide no result.
Look
Ketamine may look different depending on the purpose it is used for. For instance, on the streets, you can find it in powder form, ranging from white to gray-brown crystalline look. Moreover, it is also available in tablet form and when used in medicines, it is liquid.
Taste
Actually, the taste of Ketamine is unpleasant. People snort it when it is available in powder form. Also, they inject it to get the strongest results and some eat it, especially when it is in the crystalline form.
How Does Ketamine Work?
According to what is stated by Lone Star Infusion, Ketamine encourages neural activity. This ends up making the brain work normally. It also helps to overcome the unhealthy recursive patterns. Consequently, these are just a few of the outcomes.
- The previously depressed patients don’t come across depressing thoughts.
- It helps patients overcome their behaviors and rather switch to positive behaviors and routines.
Why Is Ketamine Used?
As said earlier, it is mainly used as general anesthesia. It is the requirement of medical procedures. General anesthesia is a process that temporarily puts you in a sleep-like condition. This purpose is the one approved by FDA but some people have been using it for some off-label purposes as well. This sort of use is not at all recommended.
On the other hand, doctors also give Ketamine therapy to patients who have severe depression and anxiety, which other medications failed to overcome. This therapy is also offered to patients who feel suicidal. But, what are these uses? Let’s find out.
Analgesic Use
It is seen that doctors use low doses of this substance to decrease sensations in their patient’s bodies. This comes in handy to give relief from pain. It is used for a number of discomforts, including fractures, trauma, pain in different areas of the body such as the leg, arm, and abdomen.
General Anesthesia
For short-term sedation, doctors use this substance as general anesthesia. Usually, it is used in emergency cases. It serves for fixing joint dislocations, treating fractures, and dealing with wounds.
Treating Seizures
There are a number of seizures people experience based on their health conditions. Some seizures are short-lived, while some can be as long as five minutes. Moreover, some people rarely experience seizures, while some experience them frequently. This is where Ketamine steps in.
Anxiety
There is not a vast amount of study conducted on the fact that this substance is helpful to treat anxiety, but it has been observed that it helps with anxiety issues, specifically social anxiety disorder, also known as SAD.
Depression
Although there is scarce data available it is observed that depressed people who have not responded well to other treatments get relieved after getting treated with Ketamine.
What Are The Effects Of Ketamine?
As Ketamine is used to sedate, it minimizes the sensations in the body. Consequently, there are a number of psychological factors you come across. It can have the below-mentioned effects.
- It can make you detached from the world to the point that you barely feel any connection between your mind and body. However, this usually happens when you consume too much of it.
- You feel confused and can have trouble in decision-making.
- You seem to be living in a bubble but happy and relaxed.
- You may also get hallucinated. You may hear and see things that are not actually there.
- As it disconnects your mind from your body, you barely feel pain sensations and can end up damaging yourself.
On the flip side, long-term use of Ketamine can make users go through other effects as well. These effects are as follows.
- Long or short-term memory loss.
- Depression, especially when you have been consuming high doses of it.
- Aggression as well as panic attacks.
So, when used for recreational purposes, nor can it be fatal this substance may also offer temporary relief by making you feel relaxed and calm. However, long-term use or high doses can end up deteriorating your health. The only safe way to use it is when it is suggested by the doctors and in the supervision of doctors.
For How Long Do The Effects Last?
Honestly, it is the dose that determines the time it takes to kick in and stays in one’s system. Furthermore, it also depends on your weight and other medications you are up to. Different consumption methods come with different durations for the drug to kick in.
For instance, when snorted, it will take about 15 minutes to work. On the other hand, when consumed orally, that is when it will take a bit longer, such as 20 minutes, to kick in. Anyways, injecting it can work fast.
The effects last depending on the dose, but the buzz can last for about 30 minutes. Even when it seems like the effects have faded away, you may seem lethargic and in a low mood for days.
Even when you stop taking it, it can be detected in the urine test for days. Also, you can’t say for sure how long it can be detected because it varies from test to test.
Risks Related To Ketamine?
Many people don’t realize that Ketamine can have severe health effects on its users. Most people only consider the temporary relief, which is only acceptable as long as the substance is prescribed by the doctor. When used for recreational purposes, you can encounter many issues. Below are the risks attached to this substance.
- It can deteriorate not only your short but also long-term memory.
- It can be especially fatal when taken along with other drugs.
- Making your blood pressure and heart rate rise, it can make you aggressive, consumed and detached.
- It can make you fragile to the point that you don’t fear hurting yourself as you don’t feel pain.
- If you use it a lot, you can have your liver damaged.
- It can affect your kidneys and bladder and as a result, you get to pee frequently. Moreover, you may also notice blood in your urine.
- The damage it can cause to kidneys can be so severe that you may get admitted to the hospital for a surgical procedure due to be done to your bladder.
- It can also cause cramps.
Can You Mix Ketamine With Other Substances?
Not at all. Be it Ketamine or other substances, it is highly discouraged to consume it with other medications. For this one, even if it is taken along with ecstasy, it can make the user’s blood pressure shoot and can kill.
When taken along with other medications and opiates, it can make the user faint, choke and so much more. So, mixing it with other substances is not at all safe.
Is Ketamine Addictive?
Although there seem to be no physical withdrawal symptoms with Ketamine, it can be addictive. Just as with other substances, you develop a habit of using it and can’t stop even when you are aware of the damage it is causing.
Importantly, when people develop tolerance against it, then they can’t help it but increase the dose. This turns out to be even more problematic. Keeping in view all this, people visit rehabilitation centers to seek professional help.
Conclusion
By now, you must have all your answers about Ketamine, so you no longer have to worry about queries like What does Ketamine feel like? The recreational use of this substance is highly discouraged because it is very harmful and can lead to death. However, when administered by trained professionals in clinical settings, it can turn out to be beneficial.
Many areas of this substance lack proper research, but when it is done, only then can its use be encouraged.
