Ketamine Addiction Treatment in Houston

Understanding Ketamine Misuse and Addiction

While ketamine is used in specific healthcare settings, it is still an addictive substance. Ketamine misuse and addiction can still be highly destructive in daily life. Understanding the risks of ketamine, both those taking ketamine under supervision and especially those using ketamine illicitly or against their prescription, is paramount to identifying the need for treatment. 

What Is Ketamine? An Overview

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic and has been used for its pain management effects in those living with chronic pain, and has FDA approval for use in anesthesiology. It has also been used to address mental health needs, from mood disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to providing a new approach to addressing bipolar disorder and severe depression. 

However, its use as an antidepressant still requires approval, and it is only used in certain situations of treatment-resistant depression when other traditional treatments have already been explored and have been unsuccessful. This approach still demands a professional and dedicated ketamine clinic; trained professionals and ongoing therapy are all part of using ketamine in this way.

However, ketamine is also common in the illicit market, and street-level ketamine can present a myriad of new challenges. Outside of these dedicated medical settings, it is used for its euphoric and dissociative effects. While medical ketamine can be given through nasal spray or ketamine infusion therapy, using low and monitored doses of ketamine intravenously to treat specific challenges, illicit ketamine can be found in powder form or dissolved in liquid and presents challenges such as unexpected effects, higher doses than needed, or being cut with other illicit substances.  

How Ketamine Affects the Brain: Glutamate, Receptors, and Reward Pathways

Ketamine affects the brain in several different ways. First, its immediate use blocks glutamate receptors in the brain, producing ketamine’s pain-relieving and dissociative effects. However, higher doses of ketamine can quickly lead to hallucinations as these receptors are blocked. Ketamine blocking these receptors also triggers another response in the brain, increasing synaptic activity and stimulating AMPA receptors, causing antidepressant effects. 

Like many addictive drugs, ketamine also reprograms the brain’s natural reward pathways, forcing the release of dopamine, or the “feel-good” chemical that brings feelings of euphoria. Over time, ketamine releases more and more of this chemical, and the brain becomes reliant on drug use to continue releasing the chemical, making it difficult to enjoy other things in life while also increasing cravings or reliance on drug use. This repeated use, coupled with increasing dosage to maintain its effects, can quickly develop into misuse and addiction that demands professional treatment to address. 

Understanding the Psychological Dependence of Ketamine

Ketamine, when used under the supervision of a medical professional, can provide some benefits. However, those using ketamine illicitly or self-medicating with the drug can instead develop psychological dependence. This is when a person becomes reliant on a drug to “feel good,” or to challenge feelings of depression, trauma, or other challenges. 

Psychological dependence is when a person believes that they need the substance to cope with these effects, and can manifest if ketamine is being used to address personal challenges without also developing personalized coping strategies, engaging in effective therapy, or working in dedicated individual and group therapy environments. The lack of other coping skills, paired with increasing use of ketamine, can lead to addiction. 

Some signs of ketamine dependence may include:

• Using ketamine off-label to address personal challenges
• Feeling that ketamine is necessary to “feel good” or “normal”
• Difficulty stopping the use of the drug or exploring replacement therapies
• Using ketamine preemptively to address expected stresses or feelings, even before they happen
• Neglect of personal responsibilities, professional obligations, personal relationships, or hygiene

Short- and Long-Term Risks of Ketamine Misuse

Ketamine can have a wide array of both short- and long-term effects, especially in those using ketamine illicitly or attempting to self-medicate without the supervision of a board-certified professional. Some of the short-term risks of ketamine misuse include:

• Feelings of detachment and dissociation
• Compromised motor skills and coordination
• Confusion and altered perceptions of reality
• Difficulty perceiving danger, risk, and an increase in risk-taking behaviors
• Slowed reaction time
• Intense mood swings, especially feelings of depression, anxiety, or panic

The body can also react to ketamine use, from increased blood pressure and heart rate to feelings of nausea, vomiting, or slowed breathing. However, there are also lasting effects of ketamine use that continue to affect daily life, even after these immediate short-term effects wear off. These include:

• Cognitive decline
• Increased feelings of anxiety, panic, or worsening symptoms of depression when not using ketamine
• Detachment from personal relationships, interests, and responsibilities
• Liver damage
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Missing work, academics, or adopting a self-isolated lifestyle

Ketamine cystitis is also common, bringing damage to the kidneys and bladder over long-term use of ketamine. Experiencing any of these symptoms can be a reason to contact both a medical healthcare professional and a dedicated addiction treatment program like Harmony Grove Behavioral Health to explore personal needs and effective addiction treatment for a healthy approach to change.