Ketamine Addiction

Ketamine drug, or Special K as it is more commonly called on the streets, is a drug that is used in human and veterinary medicine. The primary use of Ketamine is as an anesthetic.  It is administered before surgery, or a medical or dental procedure, to produce loss of consciousness.  It can be used alone or in conjunction with another medication, usually a sedative. Its primary use is on animals, and when used for legitimate purposes, the drug is administered in liquid form, either intravenously or intramuscularly

Ketamine drug facts: A hydrochloride salt usually manufactured under the trade names, Ketalar, Ketaset, and Ketanest. Pharmacologically, Ketamine is classed as a receptor antagonist.  In potent doses, Ketamine binds opioid receptors type 2 in neuroblastoma cells. When administered to patients it produces a condition known as “dissociative anesthesia.”This is a type of anesthesia producing catalepsy, catatonia, and amnesia, but does not necessarily render the patient completely unconscious.

In 1999, the US put Ketamine on the list of controlled substances.  It can be consumed in drinks, injected, snorted, or added to joints and cigarettes. Ketamine is a “date rape” drug.  It is also structurally related to PCP, a powerful hallucinogenic. Shortand long-term effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, nausea and vomiting, numbness, depression, amnesia, hallucinations and potentially fatal respiratory problems. Although Ketamine isn’t addicting like, morphine, heroin, or alcohol, Ketamine users can develop a powerful psychological addiction and “crave” the drug. At high doses, users experience an effect referred to as “K-Hole,” an “out of body” or “near-death” experience.

Unlike opiates, which are physically addicting, Ketamine takes hold of the mind. This is a mental bond that can be hard to break.  Drug treatment in Florida follows protocol for this type of addiction. The user first goes through the detoxification process, then counselling is offered.   Detoxification from Ketamine can be in as little as 72 hours or may take several weeks.  Detoxification can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis, but a typical user will choose to be admitted. This method will offer the best chance of recovery.

Alcohol Rehab Program Martin County: Detoxification from Drugs

Detoxification is a very long and hard process to endure. It is done in a hospital or a medical facility of some kind. This is because of the effects that the detox can have on the person. Many drugs that people become addicted to cause different withdrawal symptoms. Some can be as severe as death. Heart failure, respiratory failure, and liver failure are three of the most known reactions that can cause major reactions. There are three steps to the process of detoxification. The first step is the evaluation of the person who is suffering from addiction. This includes assessment of the circumstances, the people around them, the drug of choice, and if there are any other addictions or disorders that are evident. It is very important to know exactly what is going on with each person individually.  A plan is constructed for each person. 

During this step of the process, the individual with the addiction is told what is going to happen during the process of recovery and what to expect. Every person is different so the exact withdrawal symptoms are unknown with each case that arises. Withdrawal symptoms during this problem can be very dangerous. This is the reason why this process is always done in a medical facility or hospital of some kind. Some of the more severe symptoms include failure to major organs in the body. These include the liver, heart and respiratory. There are numerous other reactions that develop as well that are minor. These include chills and tremors, hallucinations, irritability, weakness, sweating, aches, anxiety, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.

The last step of the process is to enroll in a rehabilitation program Martin County. A person suffering from drug addiction will normally enroll in a treatment center. In the treatment center, they will gain services such as therapy and counseling and other emotional, as well as physical help to achieve recovery. It is important for people going through drug detoxification to have a good support system of friends and family. The encouragement and understanding of those closest to them will have a major effect on the overall outcome of the recovery.