Ketamine to treat mental health & addiction?

A recent article brought to light the risks of self-medication to address mental health issues. While most people know that benzodiazepines like Xanax purchased on “the street” may contain fentanyl, I was surprised to learn that people are injecting themselves with compounded versions of ketamine for a non-FDA approved indication that has FDA-listed risks. (CLICK HERE for FDA alert.)

The recent trend for trying ketamine to treat depression and other mental health–and addiction–issues is gaining traction, but I have my doubts. The people who have gotten into this field don’t have a good explanation for why actor Matthew Perry died. While Matthew may have been sold a bad “batch”, what made him resort to using ketamine in the first place? There is only one FDA-approved version of ketamine approved for depression, a low-dose nasal spray called Spravato. It is rumored he had a ketamine infusion about 10 days before his death, and that would’ve been using a non-FDA approved “compounded” version under medical supervision.

Whatever is the exact truth about Matthew Perry’s death, when there are competitors selling an addictive drug, there is the temptation to sell more of it despite the potential side effects. This holds for both the legitimate marketplace and the black market, where ketamine is “compounded” into stronger versions that can be taken orally, nasally, through injection or infusion. Please read this recent Wall Street Journal article to learn how people can order ketamine versions online and be instructed virtually on how to inject the product. (CLICK HERE for the article.)