Ketamine addiction treatment | body and mind

Ketamine addiction treatment looks at your ketamine use and at the reasons it became part of your life. You may have started using ketamine at parties or festivals. Over time, the detached, dreamy feeling can become a way to switch off from stress, low mood or feelings that are hard to face. That can make stopping difficult, even when you want to. At Connection Mental Healthcare, we treat both the addiction and the problems behind it.

There is no set amount of ketamine at which treatment for ketamine addiction becomes the right step. What matters is the role ketamine plays in your life. Treatment may help if you:

• need more ketamine than before to feel the same effect
• have tried to cut down or stop, but keep going back to it
• use ketamine to cope with stress, depression or difficult memories
• keep using even though you have bladder pain, stomach cramps or memory problems
• find that your work, studies or relationships suffer because of ketamine

Acting on the signs early

Ketamine addiction can develop gradually, so the first signs are easy to explain away. Needing the toilet more often, a blocked nose or forgetting things may seem minor on their own. The longer your use goes on, the more ketamine can affect your bladder, memory and mood. An overview of ketamine symptoms, from physical signs to changes in mood and behaviour, can help you see where you stand. If you are looking for ketamine addiction help, have questions or would like to talk through what you have been noticing, you can call our team on +27 21 541 0643.

Treatment of ketamine addiction starts with an addiction assessment, in which we build a full picture of your ketamine use, your health and your personal situation. Our team then draws up your treatment plan with you. You stay at our rehabilitation centre in South Africa for an average of 28 days. Your programme combines individual sessions with group therapy. Because you stay with us, you can focus fully on your recovery.

Individual sessions and group therapy

In individual sessions, you work with a therapist on the situations and feelings that led you to use ketamine. In group therapy, you and other clients talk about what you are each going through. Hearing from others with similar problems can make your own situation easier to talk about, and you can learn from how they handle them. Being part of a group also means you do not have to face this on your own. Our addiction treatment draws on evidence-based methods such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which helps you recognise the thoughts that come before you use and respond to them differently. Several members of our team are peer recovery mentors with their own lived experience of addiction.

Ketamine addiction and your mental health

Ketamine addiction can occur alongside depression, anxiety, trauma, autism or ADHD. The detached feeling ketamine causes can become a way to escape low mood or an environment that feels overwhelming. Without the right treatment or support for these, the urge to use ketamine can keep coming back. When an addiction and a mental health condition occur together, this is known as a dual diagnosis. We specialise in dual diagnosis, which means we treat your addiction and any mental health condition at the same time.

Regular ketamine use can damage your bladder and, over time, your kidneys. You may notice pain when you urinate, a constant need to go to the toilet or blood in your urine. Because ketamine also works as a painkiller, you may find yourself using it to dull the bladder pain it causes. While you are with us, physical health problems like these need not stop you from getting treatment. Our team plans your treatment around them, whether you need to use the toilet often or need ongoing medical care during your stay. When a health condition occurs alongside an addiction, this is known as comorbidity, which is one of our specialisms.

Ketamine withdrawal symptoms are mainly psychological, including strong cravings, anxiety, low mood and poor sleep. They can make the time right after you stop hard to get through on your own. Detox with us gives you a safe, structured setting for that period, with professional care around the clock. At your addiction assessment, we look at whether you would benefit from detox. Once you are no longer under the influence of ketamine, you can give your full attention to treatment.

Ketamine use is often tied to particular situations, such as weekends with certain friends or evenings when you feel low. In treatment, you learn to spot these triggers early and to respond to them without ketamine. Relapse prevention is part of your programme, so you have a clear plan for the situations that carry the most risk for you. Being away from the places and people linked to your use makes it easier to look at these patterns honestly.

While you are still with us, we arrange your aftercare, so it is ready when you get home. Depending on what you need, this could include outpatient treatment, practical help with housing, money or work, or an introduction to peer support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Cravings for ketamine can return in the months after treatment, so continuing care at home makes it easier to keep going without ketamine.

Ketamine addiction also affects partners, parents and friends. If your partner, child or friend uses ketamine, you are welcome to call us on +27 21 541 0643 with your questions, even before they are ready for treatment. We give you advice tailored to your situation, while always respecting our clients' privacy. Our family programme also includes a family meeting during treatment and information for relatives, such as how to set boundaries.

Our multidisciplinary team offers help for ketamine addiction that covers the addiction itself and the mental and physical health problems that come with it. Because you pay for treatment yourself, there is no insurer approval to wait for, so you can usually start ketamine rehab very soon after your first call. Whether you are looking into ketamine addiction treatment for yourself or for someone close to you, you can call our team on +27 21 541 0643 for advice or to ask any questions.