Substance Use Disorder

As per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 20.4 million people, or 7% of all Americans in the United States 12 or older, had a substance use disorder in 2019. Research and clinical trials have shown that ketamine may be effective in treating substance use disorders such as Alcohol Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder1.

How can Ketamine help with addiction?

  • Ketamine increases neuroplasticity, which can lead to reduced cravings: Ketamine increases neuroplasticity of the brain, which can help break the cycle of addiction with newer patterns of thinking and can help reduce feelings of cravings for addictive substances2.
  • Ketamine can build psychological insights: Ketamine can facilitate profound psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs, which can be crucial for individuals working through the underlying causes of their addiction.
  • Withdrawal Symptoms: Some studies suggest that ketamine can help manage withdrawal symptoms, making the detoxification process more tolerable3.
  • Antidepressant Effects: Many individuals with addiction also suffer from depression. Ketamine’s rapid antidepressant effects can alleviate depressive symptoms, which in turn can help reduce the likelihood of relapse.

However, while promising, the use of ketamine for addiction treatment is still being studied, and it should only be administered by qualified professionals in a controlled clinical environment where care can be coordinated among healthcare teams.

1https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00277/full

2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6879579/

3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5105239/

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