What do you think of when you think of ketamine? Is it an anesthetic? A treatment option for depression? A substance people use illicitly for its euphoric effects?
All of the above are true. Ketamine is a versatile substance that has useful, positive purposes. Unfortunately, ketamine addiction is also a possibility.
You’re probably on this page for the second reason. If you know someone taking ketamine illicitly, you definitely aren’t alone. The amount of illicit ketamine seized by law enforcement in the United States increased by 349% from 2019 to 2022, showing this is a growing concern in our country.
Thankfully, ketamine addiction treatment is available at Wolf Creek Recovery.
What We Treat: Ketamine Use Disorder
Maybe you were offered ketamine at a social event the first time you took it, and decided it wouldn’t hurt to try. Maybe, instead, you heard it could help with your painful mental health symptoms, and that it was easy enough to get for yourself, so you tried it.
No matter how you started taking ketamine illicitly, you can end up in the same place: a cycle of finding ketamine, taking it, recovering from it, and repeating. Ketamine use interferes with your opportunities, relationships, and health. It can have serious consequences in every area of your life.
There is a safe way out of that cycle, though. Wolf Creek is here to help you break it.
How We Treat: What to Expect From Ketamine Addiction Treatment With Wolf Creek
At Wolf Creek, we don’t want transportation or your home environment to hinder your recovery. That’s part of why we provide on-site housing to everyone in treatment with us. You’ll spend the day at our facility participating in therapy and other healing activities, then head back to on-site housing in the evening.
Some of those activities include classic therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and practices like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to help you heal from trauma.
The length of your stay and exactly what you participate in will depend on what suits you best, which we’ll decide together during your initial assessment. There, we’ll also determine if dual diagnosis treatment for mental health alongside your ketamine use disorder might be helpful.
One of the highlights of Wolf Creek’s programming is how much time we spend outside. We like to have fun here and get some fresh air and sunlight while we’re at it. We play team sports, camp, paddleboard, go hiking, and more, making the most of our beautiful location in Prescott, Arizona. We won’t force you to participate in anything you don’t want to, but you never know what fresh hobbies you’ll pick up and what exciting friendships you’ll build if you’re open to trying something new!
Understanding Ketamine Addiction and Its Dangers
Our understanding of ketamine is still growing. Every day more research is being done on how it impacts the body, both positively and negatively, and also how people develop ketamine use disorders. What we do know is that it impacts your brain’s reward system, which causes pleasurable effects, and the desire to continue taking it.
Some people develop ketamine use disorders when attempting to use it to self-medicate mental health conditions, and a lot of people get into it through social situations. When you’re in an environment that encourages ketamine use, it’s hard to stop taking it.
Long-term effects of ketamine addiction are also under-researched, but it’s associated with memory problems and other cognitive dysfunction, as well as anxiety, psychosis, and depression. It can also cause stomach and urinary tract pain and problems.
Ketamine’s dissociative effects can also put people in physical danger because they’re less aware of their surroundings. While overdosing on ketamine alone is relatively rare, mixing it with other substances increases the chance significantly.
Signs You or a Loved One Need Treatment for a Ketamine Use Disorder
It’s not always easy to recognize a substance use disorder, especially with a substance like ketamine that has plenty of safe and legal uses. If you or your loved one are managing a ketamine use disorder, these signs will be familiar:
- Continuing to take ketamine despite attempts to stop
- Taking more ketamine than you meant to
- Needing more ketamine to achieve the desired effects
- Dedicating a lot of time to obtaining, taking, and recovering from ketamine
- Continuing to use ketamine despite noticeable consequences on your life
- Using ketamine in physically dangerous situations
If this bullet list is reflected in your life, it’s time to consider treatment for a ketamine use disorder.
Find Ketamine Rehab in Arizona at Wolf Creek Recovery Today
Recovery isn’t easy. It does take commitment and hard work – and having support makes it infinitely easier. Wolf Creek is here to offer that support through evidence-based therapies and compassionate care. Treatment for ketamine use disorder is within reach. It’s up to you to get started.
Wolf Creek Recovery provides unique insight into what it takes to heal from substance use disorders – our staff is in recovery, too. We’ve been where you are, and have no problem meeting you there and walking alongside you, no matter the obstacles you face in your journey to overcoming your ketamine use disorder. If you’re ready to build a life you love, call us at 833-732-8202.
