Ketamine

Ketamine is a powerful drug that’s mainly used in hospitals for surgeries and medical treatments. It’s also being studied as a possible treatment for depression when other methods haven’t worked.

But some people misuse ketamine because of its strange, dream-like effects. It can make you feel disconnected from reality, confused, and even see things that aren’t there. This is very unsafe and against the law.

Ketamine is a controlled drug, which means it’s illegal to have, share, or sell. If you’re caught with it, you could go to prison for up to 5 years, get a big fine, or both. If you share it with anyone, even your friends, the penalty could be up to 14 years in prison, a fine, or both. It’s important to understand the risks and stay safe.

Ketamine usually looks like a powdery substance that's white or slightly off-white. Sometimes, in hospitals, it can be a clear liquid. When it's pure, it's a fine white powder that people might snort, swallow, or inject into their bodies.

Ketamine sold on the streets might not be pure and could have other stuff mixed in. This can change how it looks and make it risky to use. Remember, getting and using ketamine is against the law and can be bad for your physical and mental health.

If you see strange substances or think someone's using ketamine illegally, it's important to tell the right people or talk to a healthcare expert. Stay safe, and never use drugs that a doctor hasn't prescribed for you.

Ketamine can make you feel different in various ways, depending on how much you take and how your body reacts. Here are some things that people have said about how ketamine affects them:

Feeling Relaxed: Ketamine is a strong anesthetic, which means it can make you very relaxed and calm.

Feeling Disconnected: One of the things ketamine is known for is making people feel like they're not quite in their own bodies. It's like feeling "out of body" or like you're floating.

Feeling Really Happy: Some people might feel super happy and like everything is amazing when they use ketamine.

Seeing or Hearing Things: Ketamine can make you see or hear things that aren't real. Sometimes it's nice stuff, but sometimes it can be kind of scary.

Time Feeling Weird: It might seem like time is going really slowly or getting all mixed up.

Feeling Numb: Ketamine can make your body feel heavy and numb, like you're not really in touch with your senses.

Messing with Your Brain: It can make your thinking all jumbled, make it hard to make good choices, and make it tough to talk to people.

Side Effects: Using ketamine can also give you yucky feelings like feeling sick, throwing up, having a fast heartbeat, or high blood pressure. Long term misue of Ketmine can be extremely harmful to your body and can have cause serious illness and overdose can lead to death.

But remember, how ketamine affects you can be different from how it affects someone else. Using ketamine without a doctor's help or taking too much of it can be really dangerous and not good for your health. Using ketamine for fun when it's not supposed to be is against the law in many places and can hurt your health. If you or someone you know is having trouble with drugs, it's important to get help from a professional.

Using ketamine can be extremely risky and can cause serious problems for your body and mind. Here are some things to be aware of:

Physical Health Risks: Ketamine can make your heart beat faster, raise your blood pressure, and make you feel sick or throw up. It can also make it hard to move properly. If you take a lot or use it for a long time, it can be really bad for your heart.

Problems with Thinking: Ketamine can make your thinking confused, make it tough to make good choices, and mess with how you talk and remember things. This can also lead to putting yourself into even riskier situations.

Feeling Disconnected: Some people might like how ketamine makes them feel like they're not really in their own body or like they're in a different world. But if this feeling goes on for a long time or gets too strong, it can make you feel weird and like you're not in touch with reality. This can also make you much more vulnerable.

Accidents and Injuries: Using ketamine can make it hard to move and think straight, so you might get hurt or fall down more easily.

Emotional Effects: Some people might feel anxious, have panic attacks, or see things that aren't real when they use a lot of ketamine.

Getting Hooked: If you use ketamine a lot, your body can get used to it, and you might need more to feel the same way. This can lead to becoming addicted, where you can't stop using it even if you want to.

Problems with Your Bladder and Peeing: If you use ketamine for a long time, it can mess up your bladder and make it hurt when you pee. This can even cause lasting damage to your bladder.

Breathing Issues: Taking a lot of ketamine can slow down your breathing, which can be really dangerous, especially if you're also using other drugs that affect how you breathe.

Remember, it's not safe to use ketamine unless a doctor says it's okay, and only for the reasons they say it's okay. Using ketamine for fun when you're not supposed to is against the law in many places and can be really bad for your health.

For support and advice speak to your GP.

If you, or someone you know is having problems with drug and/or alcohol misuse Response can provide help and support.

Response offers a wide range of support for young people, aged 13 - 19 including drugs & alcohol, counselling and lifestyle support.

To contact the team call 0151 666 4123 or email response@wirral.gov.uk

For people over 19 support is available from Wirral Ways. Wirral Ways is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service. We provide a non-judgemental service, with qualified, experienced staff and volunteers who offer support in health and wellbeing and substance misuse. We can talk to you in several supportive environments, all of which have a friendly atmosphere and provide you with information to help you reduce your substance misuse or become abstinent.

Telephone: 0151 556 1335

Email: wirral.services@cgl.org.uk