Is ketamine effective as a treatment option for young people with substance use and depression concerns?

Dear Reader, 

Traditionally used as an anesthetic and now commonly associated with nightclub or street use, ketamine is a promising new field of treatment for both depression and addiction. Depression and addiction are closely related, and clinical trials have shown that ketamine can be effective in reducing symptoms of both. However, while the research is promising it’s still in its early stages. There’s a lot to be confirmed (or dispelled) about the exact use cases of ketamine as a treatment for depression and addiction—especially in vulnerable populations like adolescents.  

What’s known about ketamine treatment in young people?  

Research about ketamine treatment is limited for young people but so far has had positive results. Based on limited studies, ketamine treatment was shown to lead to a quick and significant decrease in depressive symptoms. Plus, based on current research, there aren’t any known negative side effects in the short term. That said, more long-term studies need to be conducted to determine whether there are any long-lasting side effects. 

How is ketamine used to treat depression?  

Ketamine, in small doses, is being explored as an option to decrease depressive symptoms in cases where they might not respond to other treatments. It’s also being tested as a short-term ‘bridge’ response to severe depressive episodes, allowing more time for patients and their health care providers to find effective long-term solutions.   

How is ketamine used to treat addiction?  

Drug addiction is closely related to depression—they share many symptoms, and commonly occur together—which may be why ketamine is also being considered for combatting addiction. However, since ketamine itself can be addictive, there’s still a stigma around its use clinically. Ketamine treatment is currently being explored in combination with talk therapy to decrease drug cravings and delay (or altogether stop) relapse in drug users.  

What are the risks of ketamine treatment? 

Like all other treatments for depression and addiction, ketamine does have risks. For example, it can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which is dangerous for people with pre-existing cardiovascular issues. As a result of its addictive nature, it’s also important that ketamine is used in supervised medical settings. Since the dosing needs are specific, individual or self-administered ketamine usage is risky--too much ketamine and you might experience more of its anesthetic or psychedelic effects. Trying to self-medicate with ketamine can also leave room for a much higher risk of overdose or addiction. 

All this to say, the limited research that exists about ketamine use for depression and addiction is promising. However, more long-term studies need to be conducted to understand its true impact on these conditions.