What is the difference between recreational ketamine and medical ketamine use?
To answer this question there are 3 major differences: quality/bioavailability, safety/support, and intention of use.
1. Quality and The Bioavailability of Ketamine
If you are getting ketamine off the street or illicitly, you don’t know really know what you are getting. Are you getting real ketamine? Is it adulterated or laced with another drug. However, if you receive ketamine treatments from a doctor's office it comes from the pharmacy which has legal standards they are required to meet. At a medical clinic, you can fully trust you are getting ketamine and ketamine alone.
Furthermore, when you're receiving ketamine in a clinic it's typically done intravenously. This means there is 100% bioavailability. If someone is doing it recreationally it's generally done in a different route of administration. All of which have a much lower bioavailability. This means that when you're getting intravenous ketamine you can use the lowest doses to have the maximal desired effect. Although ketamine is a very safe drug, at higher doses and frequent uses can cause problems to the bladder and liver. Which is why it's important to use the minimal effective dose.
Learn more about bioavailability and ketamine in this video.
2. Safety and Support During a Ketamine Experience
Ketamine is originally FDA approved to be used as a general anesthetic agent and used extensively in the OR and ER. When you're receiving ketamine at a ketamine clinic typically the doctors are monitoring your vital signs like your heart rate, your oxygen level, your respiratory rate, and your blood pressure. In a recreational setting it is not monitored at all.
Ketamine and other psychedelics are not toys. They can cause serious adverse reactions, which is why we carefully monitor all of our patients during their treatments. You certainly wouldn’t buy scalpels and sutures from eBay to remove your own appendix. The mind is even more complex and it’s not worth it to be careless with ketamine.
Ketamine therapy can be transformational but it isn’t for everyone, learn more about who should NOT get ketamine treatments here.
3. Ketamine: The Intention Behind Using It
The other thing is the intention behind using ketamine. If someone is using it recreationally they may be just wanting to escape what is going on in their life or to have a good time. However, with medical use we have a very specific intention: to reduce and eliminate symptoms of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain. Also with medical ketamine the goal is to not escape from problems but to do a deep dive into them. We highly encourage patients to feel their feelings, meet with integration coaches, therapists, and learn more about the root cause of some of their symptoms.
Summary: Transforming Your Life With Ketamine
It’s clear to see the difference between recreational and medical ketamine use when you understand the quality of ketamine, medical support, and intention of using ketamine. Your mental health is important and ketamine may be the right tool to assist you. But you want to get ketamine treatment from medical professionals who have years of experience with ketamine administration and how to handle the potential adverse effects. There’s nothing recreational about ketamine when the intention is to do transformative, healing work. We hope this helps you on your journey!
Learn more about intentions and how to prepare for a ketamine infusion here.
CONTACT RESET KETAMINE
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY, PTSD, DEPRESSION, OR CHRONIC PAIN, PLEASE CONTACT US NOW FOR A CONSULTATION TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR KETAMINE INFUSIONS.
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Learn what to expect during ketamine therapy, including key preparation steps, emotional responses, and tools to navigate your ketamine infusion experience.