Characteristics of ketamine as a psychoactive drug for depression

Ketamine is one of those examples that shows how counterintuitive the world of psychoactive drugs can be. In the first place, because, as occurs with other psychoactive products, this substance is both a medication as a drug used for recreational purposes, depending on the context and its mode of administration. use. And second, because the sedative and anesthetic effects it has on the body can become part of the treatment of people suffering from a pathology characterized by the lack of activation of the nervous system: the depression.

To better understand the characteristics of this drug used in mood disorders, in this article we will make a brief summary about the effects of ketamine and how it can be used in patients with depressive-like symptoms.

• Related article: "Types of psychoactive drugs: uses and side effects"

What is ketamine?

As we have advanced, ketamine is a relatively frequently used drug in the field of medicine. It is a product characterized by its anesthetic, analgesic and sedative properties, and also because it produces a state of dissociation that produces distortions in the way of perceiving the reality. In addition, its effects appear and disappear very quickly, especially if it is administered intravenously. This, as we will see, is part of what makes it an interesting resource in the treatment of depressive disorders.

Since it was synthesized in laboratories to be used above all as anesthesia in the treatment of diseases and in surgical proceduresBoth medical and illegal use of this drug has become widespread internationally. In its format as a recreational drug, it is usually called "special K" or simply "keta", and is used in the form of powder or liquid for its dissociative and hallucination-inducing effects, as well as for the feeling of relaxation that it brings to a very short term.

Now, as happens with drugs with such powerful properties, the use of Off-label ketamine carries many risks and has a damaging effect on the Body.

In addition to facilitating the appearance of an addiction (although its addictive potential is moderate, somewhat lower than that of other substances commonly consumed in the world of nightlife), can cause severe alterations in the renal system and in the liver. At lower doses and even after a single dose, side effects such as confusion or disorientation, euphoria, very intense hallucinations that lead to losing control of what is done, or even amnesia (which, along with the rest of the symptoms, have turned this substance into one of the drugs used to date rape).

On the other hand, as its effects wear off relatively quickly, this makes it easy for you to end up spiraling into substance abuse. In addition, it can interact in an unwanted way with other drugs, especially anesthetics and sedatives. Ketamine abuse can cause death if the dose is too high due to its direct effects on the brain (the nervous system is so inhibited that breathing stops), but deaths do occur from its impact on the behavioral patterns of those who consume it: traffic accidents, suicides, drownings in masses of water etc

• You may be interested: "The 6 Types of Mood Disorders"

Why ketamine can be useful when treating depression?

Research has shown that ketamine tends to improve the quality of life for people with the main types of mood disorders: major depression and the Bipolar disorder in his depressive phase. The exact neurobiological mechanism by which this occurs is still poorly understood, but what is most interesting about ketamine as a psychoactive drug for depressed people is that may produce very short-term antidepressant effects, within a few hours after taking the first dose.

This is important, because most antidepressants only produce a significant effect after several days of use. periodic intakes, and even weeks, since they require a cumulative change to occur in the nervous system of the patient. And this can be a problem with pathologies as severe as bipolar disorder and major depression, bearing in mind that in many cases there is a high risk of suicide attempts.

Thus, while other antidepressant drugs mitigate the symptoms of depression after a few weeks (in which you also have to do the possible to get the patient involved in the treatment and take the drug in the indicated doses and periods), ketamine can make the person begins to feel better in a period that goes from 4 to 12 hours after taking it, and the effects usually remain at very high levels for about 24 hours. In many cases, moreover, this improvement is still present after a week, although with more moderate effects.

Secondly, It is very important that the use of ketamine is always carried out following the instructions of the doctor, and it is also essential that this substance is not used if a treatment that requires it is not being applied. As we have seen, adverse effects are a real possibility, and so is the risk of developing an addiction.

• Related article: "Types of antidepressants: characteristics and effects"

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