About
Ketamine is a medical brand known under the name of Ketaset. It was introduced in 1970 and approved to be a nonbarbiturate general anesthetic in operational procedures that are both medical and emergency-natured.
The drug is categorized as a Schedule III substance that triggers hallucinogenic effects for its users. Individuals with a history of self-medicating expression and suicide ideation are more likely to be addicted to the drug because part of its effects is to temporarily heighten sensory feelings and therefore reduce typical emotional symptoms.
Ketamine is used for the purposes of medical anesthesia, pain management, therapy, and as an antidepressant. Like all drugs, its repetitive and increased doses can lead to abuse and addiction. As anesthesia, it cannot be applied on its own; relaxants and incubation come with its operation protocol. Pharmaceutical effects in using the drug are catalepsy, bronchodilation, and sympathetic nervous stimulation.
For its other uses, ketamine is a sedative for spinal/epidural analgesia and health emergencies for pain management. This use is convenient because the substance can be applied without the need for electricity, oxygen, or medical professionals; it can be used on animals and by veterinarians on occasion.
Studies have also shown Ketamine as a solution towards some types of depression such as treatment-resistant depression, bipolar depression, and suicidal ideation. Its depressive tendencies in one dose can kick in 4 hours after it is ingested.
Ketamine was discovered in the 1990s when it slowly became a recreational substance. The pharmaceutical properties that it contained produced neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. Its reputation as a dissociative drug means that it is often administered through an intravenous needle. Studies from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the US show a significant demographic of those taking the substance from the age range of 18 to 25.
Ketamine goes by several names such as Cat Valium, Super Acid, Jet K, Vitamin K, Kit Kat, Special K, Purple, and Special La Coke while K, Super C, Jet, and Green are its popular street names. Commercially, it can be referred to as Ketaset, Ketalar, Ketelar SV, Ketanest and Ketanest S.
The drug can come in three forms: liquid, tablets, and powder. In liquid form (Ketamine Hydrochloride), it is colorless and odorless and can be injected into the patient’s body as anesthesia. When used for recreation, they are bought and then stored in bottles for minimal intake. Consuming a lot of ketamine could result in harmful and unexpected results.
Another way of ingesting the substance is through mixing it with a beverage. Taking the liquid with alcohol or while driving can cause profuse vomiting and loss of consciousness. In powder form, the appearance of the drug is similar to that of cocaine but smoother in consistency and in texture especially when it gets in contact with water.
Special K powder, like its liquid variation, is taken in small doses (less than a pinch) so a user does not suffer adverse effects. As a tablet, manufactured ketamine has brand logos that resemble ecstasy’s outer casing. It is this trademark that makes it popular at parties, which is how Ketamine got the reference of party drug.
Digestives made from diluted Ketaset, when combined with a stimulant, creates a mild and subtle dissociative effect. Extra precaution is given to those consuming the drug for its potency is difficult to measure like LSD and synthetic marijuana.
Effects
Ketamine’s sedative properties relax and alter the senses of those who use it. It has the potential to be abusive because of its hallucinogenic effects. The most extreme cognitive symptoms manifest through memory loss and delusions along with the physical effects of bladder and kidney problems. The drug also targets the brain and its mental and cognitive functions.
A very complex system in the human body is a chemical target for Ketamine. Once the drug is taken, it aims for the central nervous system (CNS) NMDA receptor that allows positively-charged ions flowing throughout the cell membrane. When this process happens, the functions of neurotransmitters (a chemical messenger that boosts and balances signals throughout the body) dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are temporarily disrupted.
When combined with other narcotics, the drug can increase its potency and can do serious damage to the vital organs. It can also leave the body to develop symptoms of delusion, amnesia, and unconsciousness. Ketamine then affects the cardiovascular function so symptoms of chest pain, depletions in heart rate, and increase in blood pressure are also felt.
There are several effects of Ketamine. Short-term effects that can occur directly after ingesting the substance (or after a short period of taking the drugs) are forgetfulness, nausea, vomiting, feelings of depression, and slow to difficulty in breathing. Long-term signs and symptoms affect the physiological and behavioral/cognitive aspects of the patient. These can range from redness of the skin, rapid eye movement, lack of coordination, slurred speech, insomnia, excess saliva, increased urination, sudden numbness/tolerance to pain, increased blood pressure, and motionlessness.
Behavioral and cognitive effects can be a tendency to get depressed, irritability, detached or dissociative, feeling of being strong/powerful or having an out-of-body experience, doubts on discernment, difficulty in thinking, lack of focus, colorful dreams, and hallucinations.
Addiction and Treatment
As a Schedule III drug, Ketamine has its illicit uses. Unlike cannabinoids and opioids, however, they are less severe since its users are less psychologically and physically dependent on it. The drug itself is not addictive but it does give a pleasurable dream-like dissociative effect that gets an individual craving for it once it has left the system. This detached state allows the body to function in a monotonous manner; those who are complacent of these symptoms take higher doses more frequently for the effects to happen again.
Once passed this state, behavioral signs can become more unpredictable depending on how the individual responds. For some, it can manifest through euphoria while for some, it can be hallucinations or temporary paralysis.
Ketaset itself is a quick remedy for mental disorders such as depression and suicidal urges. Treatments are either inpatient or outpatient, addressing the emotional and mental concerns and causes of addiction. A detoxification process or having toxins leave the body is compulsory for both inpatient and outpatient options.
Inpatient treatments are those treatments done within a health facility or rehabilitation clinic. They are extensive treatments monitored by medical professionals depending on the circumstances of abuse. Outpatient treatments target functioning Ketamine users who prefer the rehabilitation assimilation into their way of living. Patients are expected to follow through with the medication prescribed and made to adapt to a healthier lifestyle.
