Physical Effects of Ketamine Abuse

Physical Effects of Ketamine Abuse

What Does a Ketamine High Feel Like?

At lower doses, ketamine acts a weak stimulant. When dosage increases, ketamine hits users as an intense psychedelic. As a dissociative drug, ketamine causes users to feel painlessness by impeding messages between the brain and body. Perception becomes distorted, and users often experience an effect known as “the K-hole” at high doses, where reality is replaced with abstracted thought and pseudo-spiritual experiences.

In fact, many ketamine users report depersonalization and derealization take hold, causing out-of-body or near-death experiences. While some ketamine users find these dissociative effects pleasant, others experience them a deep sense of loneliness and emptiness. Hallucinations—both visual and auditory—can also take place during a ketamine trip. Ketamine trips do not tend to lend themselves to social interaction at high doses, but tend to be introspective as users withdraw into themselves.

What Are the Physical Effects of Ketamine?

Within 10-20 minutes, the effects of ketamine begin to become discernable for users. Muscle paralysis sets in, making it difficult to move. Ketamine users often fall into a “trance” state, finding themselves encountering difficulty speaking and cognitively processing. Ketamine trips are short lived, lasting between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, depending on tolerance. Users often feel drained and exhausted after a ketamine trip, and muscle aches often tend to set in as users come down from a ketamine high.

Ketamine users experience temporary paralysis of the muscles, loss of physical coordination and become prone to accidental falls and injuries. Research studies indicate that ketamine addiction can lead to brain damage, particularly the formation of vacuoles, also known as “Olney’s lesions.”

Can You Overdose From Ketamine Use?

Ketamine does not tend to result in overdoses from self-administered use, largely because unconsciousness sets in before overdose levels of ketamine could be experienced in the body. However, if ketamine is administered by a third party, overdose can occur if dosage continues after a loss of consciousness.

 

How to Contact Passages Addiction Treatment Centers:

Call Passages Addiction Treatment Centers today if you or a loved one is battling an addiction to drugs and alcohol. Our admissions department is available 24/7 and can be reached directly by calling our toll-free number at (888) 397-0112. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

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