Used as a medical anaesthetic for humans and other animals, ketamine is also an extremely addictive substance, often requiring in-depth and specialised ketamine rehab in Cambridge.
Ketamine, like many other substances, is addictive due to its associated short-term positive consequences, but long-term negative impacts.
Although many substances can have adverse short-term impacts when consumed, these are generally overlooked by the individual struggling with addiction due to the ‘positives’ that they associate as overcoming the adverse impacts.
In general, addiction is characterised by the continued consumption of substances despite the negative impacts that may arise as a result of this.
This web page will focus on the dangers of ketamine, the effects of this, and the process of rehab in Cambridge that may be required or undertaken to overcome these impacts.
As with most addictive substances, the physical impacts of ketamine are often linked to the way in which the individual consumes the substance.
The following list outlines some of the most common methods of ketamine consumption and how this may influence the differing effects that these methods may cause:
The most common methods of consumption are as follows: snorting, injecting, oral ingestion (1).
As well as the physical risks that ketamine consumption can cause, there are also many effects that can impact an individual’s mental health and the way that they perceive the world.
The majority of issues with ketamine consumption are often due to an individual’s inability to process the environment around them while they are under the influence of ketamine, leading to additional injury risk to the individual and those around them.
In addition, individuals may experience sensations such as confusion and dream-like episodes, as well as happiness, euphoria, and feeling ‘chilled out’.
However, these short-term and mental health impacts are often the reason why individuals seek more and more of the substance, especially because they are more likely to disregard the later negative consequences in favour of the short-term ‘benefits.
Though each individuals’ experience of ketamine rehab in Cambridge will be different depending on their specific and unique needs of care, there are a few features that are likely to and recommended to stay the same.
For example, Rehab 4 Addiction, as well as most research, suggests that the three key stages approach is the best way to progress through rehabilitation in a meaningful and effective way.
The three stages are as follows:
By following these three stages, individuals are likely to get the most out of their rehabilitation process, make effective coping mechanisms, and lower their risk of relapse going into the future.
The following three subheadings outline these stages in further detail, including how they may be approached in ketamine rehab in Cambridge, as well as why each stage is vital for ongoing and long-term care.
All effective rehabilitation programmes start with a detoxification programmes (also referred to as a detox session or detox clinic).
During a ketamine detox in Cambridge, an individual will withdraw from ketamine – either all of a sudden in one swift change or slowly over time, depending on the individual’s level of addiction and the withdrawal symptoms that they are experiencing.
This will prepare their body physically for the remainder of their addiction treatment programme, including the following two stages.
However, this is the stage at which an individual may experience the most adverse impacts of rehabilitation, meaning that it is always recommended to have medical support and supervision throughout the process.
After a ketamine detoxification session in Cambridge, all individuals are then recommended to follow this up with specialised and tailored treatments for each individual and specific case of ketamine addiction.
This is so that an individual can focus on their mental health and wellbeing, after their physical recovery.
There are many different treatment options in this stage of rehabilitation in Cambridge that an individual may opt for or be recommended, so no two recovery processes will be the same and every individual will have a unique approach to rehabilitation, including maintaining their own motivation and attitude toward recovery.
All individuals who partake in ketamine rehab in Cambridge should follow up their unique treatment programme with a strong aftercare programme.
This is so that they ensure that their progress during the majority of their rehabilitation programme is not lost once they leave supervised care.
During aftercare, an individual is encouraged to continue their ongoing learning about rehabilitation and addiction, while also applying this to their own recovery progress and attending checkups to ensure ongoing support.
Before an individual can begin attending ketamine rehab in Cambridge, they must first ensure that they have chosen the right rehab programme by enquiring with a medical professional or addiction referral service.
These sources of support will ensure that an individual is attending the right rehabilitation process for them by asking a number of questions – all of which must be answered completely honestly and openly referring to their experiences of addiction.
Examples of vital questions include the following:
For those for whom residential ketamine rehab in Cambridge may not be a viable option (there are many reasons for this), there are other alternatives that may be available.
For example, most treatments that an individual can attend in residential rehab are available outside of dedicated residential rehab centres, but instead on a part-time basis rather than full-time.
Both independent and group therapy, for example, are available on an outpatient basis, as well as some holistic treatment options, including art therapy, music therapy, equine therapy, addiction-based yoga, and meditation-facilitating services.
For any further information or support relating to addiction (whether this is to ketamine or other substances or behaviours), all individuals should reach out to Rehab 4 Addiction’s addiction support hotline on 0800 140 4690.
Through this service, we are able to offer free and confidential advice, as well as suggesting next steps and the most suitable rehab programmes for each individual’s case.
[1] Morgan, C.J., Curran, H.V. and Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD), 2012. Ketamine use: a review. Addiction, 107(1), pp.27-38.
