If you or someone you know is using ketamine, you might need to know the side effects of ketamine used and when it is time to get professional help.
What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is a drug typically used as an anesthetic by medical practitioners and veterinarians. Ketamine changes the way chemicals in your brain control Visual and audio input. This literally enables you to detach from reality and fall into a more relaxed, dissociative state. For that reason, it is an anesthetic commonly used during surgery. Compared to other anesthetics, ketamine doesn’t slow down your breathing rate or heart rate but increases it.
Like any prescription drug, ketamine can be used illegally to try and achieve that same high, but this brings with it many potential side effects. So, what are the side effects of ketamine use?
Is Ketamine Addictive?
There are many side effects of ketamine use, but the most serious is the risk of addiction. Ketamine is considered a schedule 3 drug that medical professionals or veterinarians can legally administer, but used outside of that, it comes with a significant risk of addiction.
Like most drugs that cause hallucinations or detachment from reality, ketamine addiction can prevent people from going about their daily life, being productive, engaging in activities or responsibilities like work or school. It can also impact memory, cognition, and speech. Ketamine use can very quickly compound and become a ketamine addiction when someone is reliant or dependent upon ketamine to avoid their daily lives, and they can do nothing other than search for and use more ketamine. This happens gradually, especially as individuals increase the dosage they take.
What Are the Side Effects of Ketamine Use?
The side effects of ketamine use can worsen depending on how much ketamine is used and how often.
Short term, the most common side effects of ketamine use include:
- Confusion or clumsiness
- Reduced sensitivity to pain
- Increased heart rate
- Slurred speech
- Blurred vision
- Hallucinations
- Vomiting
- Panic attacks, anxiety, or violence
The way ketamine causes the most common side effects and which side effects are caused will vary based on the individual. The amount of ketamine taken, how strong it is, and if any other drugs are taken at the same time can influence the severity of symptoms.
Long-term side effects of ketamine use include the risk of overdose and ketamine bladder syndrome. High amounts of ketamine or long-term ketamine use put you at risk for incredibly high blood pressure, resulting in convulsions and loss of consciousness. Long-term side effects of ketamine also include:
- Abnormal kidney or liver function
- Abnormal pain
- Bladder problems
- Personality changes
- Depression and mood changes
- Poor sense of smell
- Problems concentrating or remembering things
More serious is ketamine bladder syndrome. This is a significant problem brought about by ketamine abuse. This painful bladder condition can result in bladder ulcers, incontinence, and difficulty holding in urine.
Ketamine Addiction Treatment Centers in Laguna Beach, CA
If you have noticed the side effects of ketamine use and addiction in your life, it might be time to get help. Long-term side effects of ketamine use can be treated at an addiction treatment center. A good ketamine addiction treatment center will help you get the right detox program and long-term coping skills to remain sober.
Luxury ketamine addiction rehab centers like Laguna View Detox know that achieving and maintaining sobriety means you need to realize your full potential, find purpose in life, and develop long-term coping skills that give you an alternative when environmental triggers, stress, or anger get in the way.
Our luxury rehab center gives you medically assisted ketamine detox and the medical assistance you need for any co-occurring disorders. Our safe and secure environment helps you complete detox safely and comfortably and then participate in residential treatment programs with a combination of evidence-based practices and holistic treatment modalities. We seek to give you a foundation for success and recovery with customized treatment programs and dedicated, caring staff.
Let Laguna View Detox help you escape your addiction with our ketamine addiction treatment center. We are here to help you on your path to sobriety and healthy living.