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:

• blurred vision
• slurred speech
• disorientation and drowsiness
• feeling numb
• feeling uncoordinated
• loss of consciousness

Ketamine can also cause unwanted side effects like:

• sweating
• a raised temperature
• nausea
• vomiting
• feeling panicked, confused and anxious
• a fast and irregular heartbeat

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

A ketamine overdose can cause:

• seizures
• coma

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.

Can ketamine cause long-term problems?

People who use ketamine long-term can get:

• flashbacks
• mood and personality changes
• depression
• problems with memory and concentration
• stomach pain
• 'ketamine bladder syndrome’

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:

• amphetamines
• ecstasy
• cocaine

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.

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:

• support groups
• counselling and therapy
• referral to an addiction specialist
• detox and rehabilitation

Resources and support

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

• Visit the Alcohol and Drug Foundation website.
• Go to the Drug Help website or call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
• Try Turning Point — Australia’s leading national addiction treatment, training and research centre.
• The Touchbase website has drug information for Australians identifying as LGBTQI+.
• You can contact Narcotics Anonymous Australia on 1300 652 820.
• Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
• You can read 'What are the effects of taking drugs?' on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website for more information.

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

• Your Room has information for Aboriginal people in New South Wales who want to reduce harm from drug use.
• Turning Point has an Aboriginal alcohol and other drug support service based in Victoria.
• The Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre works to reduce harmful drug use.

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.