Overview

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been used for a number of medical reasons including
anti-inflammatory properties as well as the treatment of heroin addiction, alcoholism, and
depression. In 1985, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed ketamine as one of the most
essential medicines in the field for the fact that it is a dissociative anesthetic that does not
stop one’s breathing, and can be administered intravenously. In the 1990s, Evgeny Krupitsky tested
ketamine injections on extreme alcoholics. His results showed that 66% of the participants abstained
from alcohol for one year, compared to 24% in the conventional treatment control group. Since then,
ketamine has been studied at Yale for heroin addiction and depression, Johns Hopkins has developed
an Esketamine nasal spray for depressive disorders, and Imperial College London is researching
ketamine and psilocybin benefits comprehensively. With ketamine already being legal and regulated,
pharmaceutical companies do not need to pander to scheduled drug red-tape in order to apply for
research or study grants. In 2018, the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson applied to the FDA
for a patent on a nasal spray of a ketamine-related compound: esketamine. It was later approved in
2019 and distributed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals as Spravato. Today, there are thousands of ketamine
clinics opening world-wide, which is what we hope to see in the near future concerning other
psychedelic substances with therapeutic values and evolving legislation and public perception.

It is highly recommended to use harm reduction practices if using this substance.

Dose and Duration

Ketamine may cause a tingling body high, rapid breathing, numbness, euphoria, relaxation and mild
visuals. Higher doses may cause visual, auditory, and even taste-oriented hallucinations that can
feel very realistic.

The general recommended dose for ketamine is as follows:

• Low: 10 – 30 mg
• Medium: 30 – 75 mg
• Strong 75 – 150 mg

Anything higher than 150 mg will put a user in a “K-Hole.” This is when users have out-of-body or
near-death experiences as awareness of their physical environment and body dissolves. More
specifically, time is distorted in such a way that the user is able to acknowledge their
psychological ailments and develop understandings that outlive the trip experience and incorporate
themselves into passion, empathetic sensitivity, and increased satisfaction in life.

Effects

Ketamine is a water-soluble PCP derivative. It has two enantiomers: S(+) isomer (esketamine) and R(-)
isomer (arketamine). It antagonistically blocks NMDA receptors, preventing signals from passing
between the brain and spinal column. This is what is responsible for ketamine’s analgesic effect.
Part of what makes ketamine an interesting compound is that it can produce anesthetic effects
without stopping one’s breathing.

Ketamine can also interact with other receptors and systems, such as opioid and monoamine receptors,
cholinergic, purinergic, and adrenoreceptor systems.

Experience

Ketamine users report feeling relaxed and weightless with heightened feelings of euphoria. It can
also act as a catalyst for introspective thoughts and enhanced appreciation for life. In the most
extreme cases, users can fall into a “K-Hole” and have vivid internal experiences and an extremely
distorted sense of time. Negative side effects include depersonalization, paranoia, amnesia, and
nausea.

Other shared experiences include:

• Motor Control Loss
• Optical Sliding
• Double Vision
• Scenery Slicing
• Ego Inflation
• Psychosis
• Distortion of Time

The effects of ketamine can last up to an hour, with after effects losing up to 12 hours.

Benefits

Ketamine is considered a novel antidepressant for its ability to rapidly reduce symptoms of
depression, especially in treatment-resistant patients. It is also known to effectively treat those
who suffer from bipolar disorder.

Though experts are still unsure how ketamine works in its entirety, they believe it can repair
damaged connections in the brain that are worn down by depression and stress.

Risks

When taken in the proper setting, ketamine is a rather safe drug, as it does not affect the airway
reflexes or depress the circulatory system like other anesthetics. However, it can cause an increase
in blood pressure and pressure in the brain. That being said, those with brain swelling, glaucoma,
and brain lesions or tumors should avoid taking ketamine. When used long term, it can cause memory
issues and serious damage to organ systems.