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Ketamine

Slang names

Kit Kat, Ket, K, Special K, Vitamin K.

Short 

Ketamine is a narcotic that has a dream-like effect. It separates body and mind. The drug is sold as a white powder or in liquid or pill form. A low dose gives a euphoric and trippy feeling. Higher doses intensify the trippy effect, with the extreme being what is known as a “K-hole”. In this surreal state, you feel disconnected from your own body. A K-hole is often experienced as very unpleasant and frightening.

 

Delivery method

Swallowing (bomb), snorting, booty bumping, slamming.

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Physical effects

Dependent on dosage, frequency and duration of use.

  • Increased blood pressure, heart rate and saliva production,
  • Reduced muscle tension, muscle coordination and pain sensation,
  • Intense tingling.

Psychological and sexual effects

Dependent on dosage, frequency, duration and context of use.

  • Psychological:
    • Increased relaxation, euphoria, dreaminess and dissociation.
    • Altered body perception, pain perception, vision and perspective.
  • Sexual:

    • Increased sexual arousal,

    • Reduced sexual inhibitions,

    • Prolongation and intensification of orgasm.

Acute risks

Dependent on dosage, frequency, duration and context of use.

  • Physical: Erectile dysfunction, nausea, vomiting, temporary paralysis, decreased consciousness, loss of consciousness, cognitive impairment, seizures (rare), cardiac arrest (rare).
  • Psychological: Extreme disorientation and dissociation (K-hole), feeling of dying, paranoia, delusions.

Short- and long-term risks

Dependent on duration and intensity of use.

Abdominal cramps (K-cramps), incontinence, chronic severe bladder infection, psychological dependence.

 

Tips for use

  • Have your ketamine tested freely and anonymously at a testing service near you.
  • Ketamine can cause a bad trip and exacerbate existing mental health problems.
  • It is important to dose ketamine accurately. You need much less to get the desired effect than other snortable powders.
  • Beware of using ketamine in public places. You may become disoriented and have difficulty moving, causing you to stumble or fall.
  • When using ketamine for the first time, do it at home, start with a low dose and make sure someone with ketamine experience is around.
  • Ketamine reduces muscle control. It is best to use it sitting or lying down.
  • An adverse side effect of ketamine is nausea. Use on an empty stomach.
  •  If you experience adverse effects, remember that the drug will wear off within one hour. This can feel like a very long time because time seems to move very slowly when using.
  • Stop using ketamine if you develop bladder problems.
  • Never combine ketamine with other downers, such as alcohol or GHB/GBL. This increases the likelihood of passing out.
  • If you snort ketamine, clean your nose before going to bed. Use a moist cotton bud, a nasal douche, or spray to remove the residue in your nose, or clean your nose with your fingers while showering.
  • Expect an intense experience when slamming ketamine intramuscularly (into muscle tissue). Make sure you can lie down and use only sterile material. Note: Slamming is more likely to result in dependence on ketamine than other methods, such as snorting.
  • Do not participate in traffic. Ketamine affects your ability to react.
  • Do not use during pregnancy. Ketamine is harmful to your unborn child.

 

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