Weekly Dose: anaesthetic and recreational drug ketamine could be used to treat depression
- Written by Julaine Allan, Senior Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University
Ketamine hydrochloride is an anaesthetic that causes people to feel disconnected from their bodies. At low doses, they remain conscious and can talk but do not feel pain. At higher doses, ketamine is used to induce a trance-like state or sedate people with burns or other traumatic injuries.
The drug can be used to perform short operations, particularly on children who are allergic to other drugs. Vets also use ketamine as an anaesthetic.
A small number of people, usually those who also use other party drugs, use ketamine as a recreational drug. Recreational users are seeking the relaxed and disconnected feeling it causes, as well as hallucinogenic effects that change sight, sound and touch. People may take ketamine accidentally because it is sold as ecstasy or is mixed with ecstasy.
Authors: Julaine Allan, Senior Research Fellow, Charles Sturt University