Healthdirect Free Australian health advice you can count on.

Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately

healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.

beginning of content

Ketamine

9-minute read

Key facts

  • Doctors and vets use ketamine as a sedative, pain killer and occasionally to treat depression.
  • It’s also used illegally as a hallucinogen or dissociative.
  • Ketamine can make you feel happy and relaxed but it can also have unwanted effects on your body and emotions.
  • Ketamine overdose can be very dangerous.
  • Stopping ketamine can be hard and you should speak with your doctor if you need help to reduce your use.

What is ketamine?

Ketamine is a medicine used by doctors and vets as a sedative for short procedures. It changes how your brain gets messages of pain. A form of ketamine is occasionally used as an antidepressant at some specialist clinics.

Some other names for ketamine are:

  • horse trank
  • K
  • ket
  • kitkat
  • special K
  • super K

Ketamine is also sold illegally for its hallucinogenic ‘high’ effect. It usually looks like a white powder. The powder can be made into tablets or dissolved into a clear liquid.

Ketamine can be:

  • swallowed
  • snorted
  • injected
  • put in your anus (up your bottom)
  • smoked with cannabis or tobacco

It’s hard to know how much ketamine is in the powder you buy. It might be cut (mixed) with another substance.

Ecstasy sometimes contains ketamine. It can also be used to spike drinks.

What are the effects of taking ketamine?

Ketamine starts to work within 30 seconds to 20 minutes, depending on how it’s taken. The effects of the drug can last for 45 minutes to 3 hours and can include feeling happy and relaxed.

Ketamine users may experience ‘falling into a k-hole’, where you feel disassociated or unattached from your body.

People who take ketamine can also hallucinate. It changes your perception of reality. You might see, hear, smell or taste things that don’t exist. Or you may see things differently to how they really are.

Ketamine may cause:

Ketamine can also cause unwanted side effects like:

Ketamine affects people differently based on:

  • how much you take
  • how strong it is
  • your size, height and weight
  • whether you have taken it before
  • whether you take other drugs at the same time

What can go wrong with ketamine?

People coming off ketamine may have symptoms for 4 to 6 days, including:

  • depression
  • clumsiness
  • memory loss
  • disorientation
  • aches and pains
  • feeling anxious and restless

If you go into a ‘k-hole’ you might harm yourself.

Ketamine overdose

If you think someone has overdosed on ketamine, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. Ambulance officers don’t have to call the police.

A ketamine overdose can cause:

These can be fatal (cause death).

Signs that someone has overdosed on ketamine include:

  • they can’t move
  • they have rigid muscles
  • they are convulsing
  • they are unconscious
  • their blood pressure is high

Try healthdirect’s Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek help for symptoms and issues related drug use.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

Can ketamine cause long-term problems?

People who use ketamine long-term can get:

Regular users of ketamine are also more likely to have social, work and financial problems.

Find out more about how drugs and alcohol can impact your health.

Ketamine bladder syndrome

Ketamine bladder syndrome is a painful condition that causes ulcers in your bladder. This leads to incontinence and needs long term treatment. Ketamine bladder syndrome can lead to kidney problems.

What if I use other drugs or alcohol with ketamine?

Taking ketamine with alcohol, heroin or other opiates is dangerous. It can slow your nervous system and your breathing. This can be fatal (cause death).

Taking ketamine with other drugs also puts strain on your body and leads to a fast heart rate. These other drugs include:

Reducing harm from taking ketamine

If you buy ketamine from a new dealer, it may have different effects to what you expect. There’s no good way to know how strong it might be.

There are now pill testing or drug checking centres in some parts of Australia. These services can let you know if a drug is contaminated or very strong.

Injecting ketamine is more dangerous than swallowing it.

Support for injection behaviour

If you inject ketamine, you can reduce your risk of blood-borne disease by attending a Needle and Syringe Program (NSP).

An NSP service gives clean needles or syringes to people who inject drugs. It’s sometimes called a ‘needle exchange’.

Needle and syringe programs often operate from pharmacies.

You can also find a local needle and syringe program using the healthdirect Service Finder.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

Can I become dependent on ketamine?

People who regularly use ketamine can become tolerant. This means that you need more of the drug to get the same effects.

You can also develop an addiction to ketamine. This is when you spend a lot of time thinking about the next time you can use the drug and how to get more. Some users may feel like they need the drug just to get through the day.

Addiction or dependence can impact your life, work and relationships. You may find it difficult to stop using ketamine or to control how much you use.

If you stop using ketamine after regular use, you might crave the drug.

How can I stop using ketamine?

Stopping ketamine can be difficult. If you are having problems with quitting, talk to your doctor. They can help you find ways to manage withdrawal symptoms, and explain treatment options, such as:

Resources and support

For information and advice about ketamine you can try one of the support services below.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Other languages

Visit the Health Translations Victoria website. The ‘Where can I get help when alcohol or drugs are a problem?’ video is available in different languages.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: February 2025


Back To Top

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Top results

Ketamine - Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Explore the effects and usage of ketamine, a dissociative drug used for both medical treatment and illegally for the high it produces.

Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Ketamine Effects, Addiction, Overdose and FAQs | Your Room

Ketamine comes with many short and long term side effects. Find out what to do in the case of addiction, overdose and answers to other common questions.

Read more on NSW Health website

Can ketamine help treat depression? - Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Lately, it’s been making headlines for a different reason, as research continues into the effectiveness of ketamine for treating depression.

Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Methoxetamine - Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Methoxetamine (MXE) is a dissociative drug, which means it causes people to feel separated or detached from their body or physical environment.

Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

PMA and PMMA - Alcohol and Drug Foundation

The effects and risks of PMA and PMMA, substances often mistaken for MDMA, their impact on health, and the legal implications of their use in Australia.

Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Hallucinogens: what are they? - myDr.com.au

Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelic drugs, affect all the senses and cause hallucinations.

Read more on MyDoctor website

Drugs and Alcohol Information from A-Z on Positive Choices

A complete and up-to-date guide and glossary of all drug and alcohol information from A - Z. These are available as evidence-based factsheets in downloadable PDF. Learn about the effects and risks about particular drugs.

Read more on Positive Choices website

Dissociatives - Alcohol and Drug Foundation

Dissociatives: psychedelic drugs causing detachment and hallucinations. Understand their effects, risks, and safety measures.

Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Drug and alcohol Education: Student Booklet

This booklet covers the facts on illegal drugs, alcohol, tobacco, making choices and how to help someone who has taken a drug.

Read more on Positive Choices website

Drug and Alcohol Education: Parent Booklet

This booklet provides evidence-based information on illegal drugs, alcohol and e-cigarettes and ways that parents can protect against drug use and related harms

Read more on Positive Choices website

Healthdirect 24hr 7 days a week hotline

24 hour health advice you can count on

1800 022 222

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Australian Government, health department logo ACT Government logo New South Wales government, health department logo Northen Territory Government logo Queensland Government logo Government of South Australia, health department logo Tasmanian government logo Victorian government logo Government of Western Australia, health department logo

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.