Although originally an anesthetic, ketamine is now used widely for the treatment of OCD, depression and some other mental situations. It is still quite popular in some parts of the world as a recreational drug. It is recorded to some times have transformative effects for individuals who have not responded properly to normal psychiatric medications and were at the brink of giving up hope. However, because the experiences people have of ketamine vary, it’s quite difficult to know how you will feel while you take it.
What does Ketamine feel like?
What Ketamine feels like is entirely dependent on how much of it you take. When you take bumps of ketamine, it has a similar effect to being drunk. You begin to feel like you are energetic and giddy. You begin to feel all cheery with everyone and eventually blackout a bit. Apart from the fact that it is a sedative, ketamine is also known to possess some dissociative properties which means it has the power to make you feel disconnected from your body and the world in general.
When taken at low doses, it can be a pleasurable experience. However, when they are taken at higher doses, there is a chance that you may feel a detachment from reality which can make you arrive at dangerous decisions. There is also the possibility of ketamine affecting your sensory perception. What this means is that for some people, colors may get more intense and brighter. Some may also have hallucinations. Other people may find hearing to be more acute.
Other substances, which are in the Arylcyclohexylamines chemical class as ketamine, have all of the above mentioned effects as well, but because of their severe side effects, they are not used as much as ketamine. They can cause changes in sleep habits, elevate blood pressure or even tremors. However, for some, a minimum dose of arylcyclohexylamines has lots of benefits and as a biggest one, they mention the ability to affect so deeply inside the mind that reality seems distant.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Ketamine Trip?
Usually, the effect of ketamine last for about sixty minutes, however, they can continue for up to a day. This is however largely dependent on the method of ingestion and dose. Some people simply sleep after taking a few doses of ketamine while there are people who will keep feeling a sense of confusion even after a day. This is especially so if it is taken at high doses.
What Are The Associated Risks Of Taking Ketamine
Even though ketamine is generally viewed as safe in the medical world, the same cannot be said when it used for recreational purposes. The problem with ketamine is that it is quite difficult to dose and as such if you overdose, there is a high chance for you to experience fatal effects. Some of the effects include the inhibition of the central nervous system and could even lead to a cardiac arrest.
One other notable difference between medical and recreational use of ketamine is in the fact that in medical settings, it gets administered using intravenous means hence it comes up gradually. On the recreational side, it is often snorted hence, the effects kick in almost at once. Also, people who take ketamine as a recreational drug by ingestion need to take more of it to feel it. This is in addition to the fact that ketamine gotten from outside clinics may be contaminated with other drugs.
Prolonged use of Ketamine could cause some rather adverse conditions. These include damaged bladder which may lead to frequent urination. You may also experience psychosis even after you must have stopped taking it.
What Is The Proper Way Of Dosing Ketamine
It is always not recommended to resort to self-medication when dealing with ketamine. This is because ketamine is heavily dosed dependent and as such you have to be careful how you take it. It is highly recommended that you do not exceed microdose which is about 0.02 mg beneath the tongue. It is also advisable that you do not take it more than once in a sitting. Chances are that you may feel tempted to do this because side effects tend to wear off quite quickly, however, the effects of multiple doses will always show.
Does Ketamine Show When You Go For A Drug Test
There are certain blood and urine tests that are strong enough to detect the presence of ketamine in your body. However, a standard urine drug test may probably not pick it up. Therefore, even though ketamine continues to be a vital ally to surgeons and other health practitioners.
How Can I Reduce The Associated Risks Of Taking Ketamine
It should be restated that there is no safe way you can use ketamine recreationally. However, if you must use them, there are a few tips that should help you out in that regard.
1. Understand what you are taking
You should know that ketamine is a controlled substance that can be quite difficult to get. Due to this reason, there is always going to be a chance that the drug you think is ketamine is nothing but a counterfeit drug that contains some other substances. Drug testing kits are the best way to ascertain its authenticity.
2. The dietary guide
Ensure that you do not eat for at least an hour before you take the drug. Nausea is one of the most notable side effects of using ketamine and vomiting cannot be ruled out. This can be quite dangerous especially if you are unable to move or even or ensure you are sitting upright. In addition to this, ensure that you avoid eating for two hours before you take the drug to reduce the occurrences of symptoms.
3. Select a safe setting
Being in a K-Hole may lead to confusion and as such make it quite difficult for you to communicate or move and this places you in a vulnerable position. Due to this reason, ketamine is often deployed as a date rape medication. Also, ensure that you do not use it regularly because it has a risk of addiction and dependence.
4. Safe hygiene is vital
Good hygiene is very important if you seek to lower the risk of injury or infection. if you are snorting ketamine, ensure that you do this on a clean surface using something sterile. Make sure you rinse your nose using water whenever you are done. If you are injecting it into your system, make sure you use a new and sterile needle and do not share them. Also, when taking the drug, ensure that you do not do so alone. The reason for this is that no one can tell how the drug will affect them. Hence, have someone with you especially someone that would not be using the drug with you even though he or she is familiar with effects.
5. Take proper care of yourself after
Usually, the main effects of ketamine are known to wear off quite fast even though everyone is quite difficult. Some people may experience mild effects for hours or days after. You should stay hydrated, eat well and get enough exercise so that you can feel better.
How Addictive Is Ketamine
Even though ketamine is not entirely an addictive drug like other drugs of abuse such as stimulants, opioids, alcohol or stimulants, chronic users may usually develop a pattern of compulsive ketamine abuse which can be quite hard to quit.
Research shows that ketamine users may develop a strong level of tolerance which means they will require higher volumes if they want to get high and this may increase their level of dependency. This is particularly so if they use the ketamine in a binging pattern and this may lead to the manifestation of withdrawal symptoms. Even though dependence and tolerance do not serve as real indicators of the presence of an addiction, they are usually the two major signs that someone is struggling with an addiction.
Also, individuals with a history of substance abuse have a higher tendency of becoming addicted to it more than those without such characteristics.
Are There Withdrawal Symptoms Of Using Ketamine
There are no specific withdrawal syndromes that are associated with using ketamine. Even though individuals who struggle with the chronic abuse of the drug usually report certain cravings when discontinuing the use of the drug. Some of the reported withdrawal symptoms reported by people who stopped using ketamine include chills, restlessness, nightmares, and tearing of eyes. There is also the possibility of experiencing flashback hallucinations of things that happened during the high.
Why Is Ketamine Used In The Treatment Of Depression?
In a situation where a person responds to ketamine, it can lead to a rapid reduction in the chances of committing suicide while also helping to reduce some of the symptoms of depression. In addition to this, it can also be quite potent for the treatment of depression when combined with anxiety. It should be noted that other treatments for depression and suicidal thoughts usually take up to months for the effects to kick in.
Last Line
Ketamines are a special type of drug for several reasons. Chief among which is that when it is taken as a medication, the benefits are immense. The only major challenge with it comes when it is used as a recreational drug. In this case, knowing the right dosage to take could make all the difference.
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