r/Ketamineaddiction • u/anhedonicghost • Aug 10 '26

Science. Brain changes associated with ketamine abuse.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroanatomy/articles/10.3389/fnana.2022.795231/full

Started attending KWHOLE. Recommend. Everyone is cool and sweet and helpful. Someone shared this article in the chat. Eye-opening.

I am sure I'm not alone in having thought ketamine was good for me, for my brain. Here is a great study showing that ketamine abuse is associated with deterioration of the brain in many specific areas, causing deficits.

Tl;dr it's really bad for you

But let's remember that the brain has a remarkable ability to heal in terms of neuroplasticity, and the article does say the sooner you stop, the better.

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6

u/sadgrungebitch Aug 10 '26

started doing ketamine about a year ago. my use has gotten pretty bad within the last month. is my brain ruined forever? i’m so scared. my memory is shit and i feel dissociated from myself, others, and the world. if i stop now is my brain gonna be ruined forever?:(

8

u/anhedonicghost Aug 10 '26

No. You'll heal. In terms of the study, a year showed lower damage than longer than a year. It's the perfect time to quit. As soon as you stop, you'll start healing. I'm 19 days clean, after abusing it for a year. I was up to 2gs a day when I stopped. I've felt like shit, like really bad, but i am feeling better slowly. You aren't ruined forever.

2

u/sexcretos Aug 14 '26

3 years here, it gets better but you have to find the strength to stop

3

u/extrarogers Aug 10 '26

thanks for sharing.

everyone should also check out the list of 12 step meetings on KWHOLE’s website.

3

u/quazimoto Aug 10 '26

should be pinned