Dive into the core differences between therapeutic ketamine use and recreational ketamine use, and gain an insightful perspective on the importance of using ketamine therapy to treat depression, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Due to ketamine’s colorful past, there is a lot of misinformation about the medicine being used in a therapeutic setting.

What are the Key Differences Between Therapeutic and Recreational Ketamine Use

Ketamine has a very unique and interesting history, and thanks to its checkered past, there can be much confusion around its use to treat patients with mood and pain disorders. Therefore, in this blog, I would like to discuss the main differences between recreational ketamine use and therapeutic ketamine use. There are three factors to consider: number one is quality, number two is safety and support, and number three is the intention of the use. Let’s discuss each.

Street ketamine has a mix of harmful substances, unlike therapeutic ketamine which is regulated and safe for use in the clinic setting.

How Does the Quality of Recreational Ketamine Compare to Therapeutic Ketamine?

When considering the first factor, quality, there are some concerns about street ketamine because it can often be mixed with other substances such as fentanyl, cocaine, or methamphetamine. It's unclear what's actually inside of recreational ketamine, and this uncertainty is concerning because opioids such as fentanyl can cause severe overdoses and can potentially be life-threatening. In contrast, in the therapeutic ketamine setting, there are regulations and standards for the ketamine that a pharmaceutical company produces.

Recreational use of ketamine is usually done unsupervised in a club or festival. On the other hand, therapeutic use of ketamine is supervised under a medical professional.

The Safety and Support Aspect in Recreational vs. Therapeutic Ketamine Use

Secondly, the safety and support during use also differ significantly. With recreational ketamine use, it might take place at a club or a festival, where you may be without supervision. On the other hand, in the therapeutic ketamine setting, patients are typically monitored closely, with medical professionals tracking vital signs such as blood pressure, oxygen levels, respiratory rate, and cardiac rhythm. These measures are crucial because ketamine is also used as a general anesthetic in operating rooms and emergency departments. We strive to make it as safe as possible.

I have frequently seen vital signs become abnormal – blood pressure may skyrocket or oxygen levels may drop. However, in a clinic, we have medications, oxygen, and other adjunctive therapies available to make it a much smoother process. Additionally, patients always have someone with them during the infusions, which can be a comforting presence, especially considering that ketamine infusions can sometimes be frightening. Furthermore, with intravenous ketamine, we can stop it at any time. Whether someone is 5 minutes in, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes in, once it's stopped, the effects will rapidly fade.

When using ketamine therapeutically, intention setting is encouraged, as opposed to being used recreationally where it is mostly just for fun or escaping.

How Does the Intention of Use Differ Between Therapeutic and Recreational Ketamine

Lastly, the third component to consider is the intention of use. When someone is using it recreationally, they may have an intention of just having fun or escaping. In contrast, with therapeutic ketamine, we have a very specific intention, a goal, if you will, for why someone is receiving their ketamine infusion. It may be to relieve depression, decrease the triggers of PTSD, or reduce chronic neuropathic pain. This intention is a crucial component. As you may know, ketamine is a medication that can rapidly increase neuroplasticity. The neurons are literally changing, and synapses are changing. We want to leverage that by having a supportive healing intention.

There are many notable differences between therapeutic and recreational ketamine, making the former a safe alternative to treat depression, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Summarizing the Core Differences Between Therapeutic and Recreational Ketamine

In this blog, you learned the key differences between therapeutic and recreational ketamine use: the importance of quality, safety, support, and intention. I highlighted the potential dangers associated with recreational use, especially due to poor quality and lack of safety measures. In contrast, therapeutic ketamine therapy offers a secure environment and a regulated, high-quality medication to assist patients in managing conditions. The intention behind using therapeutic ketamine marks another key difference, as it is administered with a clear goal in mind – enhancing neuroplasticity and thus improving the patients' conditions.

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