Ketamine Addiction and Detox

Ketamine use has been on the rise is Tennessee, with greater numbers of people becoming addicted to the drug.

While Ketamine can be used in medical situations, excessively using the drug can cause people to develop a psychological dependence. Tolerance builds up over time and there becomes a need to use large doses more frequently to main the effects of the drug. This can culminate in addiction. Because of this, when the use of Ketamine is stopped or drastically reduced, withdrawal symptoms can begin.

These withdrawal symptoms often occur as Ketamine has altered the chemistry of the brain. Psychological symptoms of withdrawal are frequently both severe and dangerous, and suicidal ideation can develop from intense depression, meaning that users are at risk. If you use Ketamine to either stave off pain, feel high, or induce sleep, you might be stuck using the drug for fear of the withdrawal symptoms.

With the help of treatment professionals at a Tennessee detox, you can pass through the withdrawal stage.

Ketamine withdrawal

Ketamine withdrawal is when a set of physical and psychological start to develop when you either reduce your normal dose or attempt to quit the drug after a period of time abusing it.

While there is debate over the possibility of physical dependence occurring from Ketamine, the drug definitely causes psychological dependence. Some physical withdrawal symptoms might also happen.

Withdrawal is the most cited reason that users cannot get themselves to stop using drugs, as the symptoms from it seem like they are too hard to bear, and cravings might become overpowering. As Ketamine affects your brain function, you might begin to feel as though you are not able to function normally when you stop using the drug, and this might compel you to keep using.

What causes Ketamine withdrawal?

Ketamine is a hallucinogenic drug which causes a dissociative state, where users feel like they are detached from the external world and their body. This happens due to the drug’s interaction with chemicals in the brain. Prolonged presence of Ketamine in the brain leads of dependence, which leads to a need to take the drug to feel normal.

The body also stops responding to doses of Ketamine after it has been exposed to the drug over a certain period of time. This leads to users to take larger doses in shorter time-frames. Because of this, withdrawal symptoms occur.

Withdrawal symptoms from Ketamine

Ketamine withdrawal comes primarily with psychological symptoms. Physical withdrawal symptoms have, however, been reported by some very heavy users. Symptoms vary from user to user, depending on the length of time that Ketamine was taken for and how much Ketamine was taken. The most common symptoms of Ketamine withdrawal are nightmares, aggression, tremors, shakes, nausea, paranoia, depression, suicidal thoughts, extreme mood swings and cravings.

The manner in which you quit using Ketamine can also influence the severity of withdrawal symptoms. If you attempt to quit cold turkey, you can experience dangerous complications through withdrawal. If you go to a Tennessee detox, you will be tapered off gradually, and will be able to see your symptoms managed.

Timeline of Ketamine withdrawal

The timeline of Ketamine withdrawal is not the same for all users. However, symptoms usually progress in the following fashion.

Day 1-3: withdrawal symptoms start happening in the first day after you last used Ketamine, and intensify over the next couple of days. These symptoms include aggression, delusions, insomnia, double vision and hearing loss.

Day 4-14: On the fourth day, symptoms might be present and persist two weeks after they have started.

Days 15+: Most symptoms will have disappeared by this point, but changes in the brain can result in persistent symptoms, such as depression, cravings and mood swings. Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS) can mean that former users of Ketamine can experience some withdrawal symptoms months and sometimes even years into the last time they used the drug. It is important to note, though, that as time goes on, PAWS symptoms will gradually reduce. In this time you should make it your aim to work on a program of recovery, and not put yourself under any undue stress that could cause you to relapse.

This is a general timeline, and you might not experience all of these symptoms. You might not experience symptoms in this order. If you are concerned about ceasing your use of Ketamine and think that you might experience withdrawal symptoms, it is worth calling a few Tennessee detox centers, to find out what they can do to keep you as comfortable and safe as possible when you are going through detox.