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Ketamine

Ketamine (ketamine hydrochloride) was developed for use as an anesthetic, and it is still used for that purpose in some medical and veterinary contexts. As a "dissociative anesthetic," it distances the user from physical sensations, and it also relieves pain. Ketamine is chemically similar to PCP, but it is more fast acting and less potent. It is also very addictive. Ketamine is sold commercially as Ketalar. Street names are Ketter, Special K, Lady K, Vitamin K, or just K.

Methods of Use

When used for recreational purposes, Ketamine is usually snorted as a white powder, but it can also be injected for increased psychedelic effect.

Types

Ketamine is generally manufactured as a liquid, but it can also be cooked into a white powder and snorted or injected. It is sometimes sold as or mixed with Ecstacy.

Effects on the Central Nervous System

Ketamine activates specific opioid receptors (sigma opioid receptors) in the central nervous system. The sigma opioid receptor has been implicated in many of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Specifically, Ketamine acts to decrease functioning of the thalamus, which is a sort of routing station for perceptual signals in the brain. The result is that sensory perception is blunted. Ketamine also reduces the functioning of the hypothalamus, which adds emotional "tone" to experience. The result is that users feel emotionally detached from reality.

Intoxication

At the lower dosage ranges, Ketamine may make users feel like they are floating or leaving their body. At higher doses, Ketamine has hallucinogenic effects on the nervous system. Users may feel that they are having a spiritual or out-of-body experience. Some people are frightened by this hallucinogenic effect, which is sometimes called a "K-hole" on the streets.

Ketamine can cause increased heart rate at lower doses and altered states of consciousness at higher doses. It is particularly dangerous in combination with other depressant drugs like alcohol or sedatives.

Other side effects include:

Dry mouth
Respiratory problems and difficulty breathing
Nervousness
Racing or slowed heartbeat
Nausea or vomiting
Hallucinations
Nightmares
Double vision
Muscle spasms that resemble seizures

Life Risks

Aside from the risk of dependence and addiction, Ketamine use involves health risks that have not been thoroughly studied or well documented. Long-term use may induce personality changes, including paranoia and delusional thinking. Because Ketamine is sometimes injected, infection can result from shared or dirty needles.

Warning Signs

Withdrawal symptoms for Ketamine have not been clearly established but may include nightmares, disorientation, and a sense of unreality.

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