Ketamine seems to be everywhere — from the nightclub to the psychiatric clinic. Among its growing number of users is Elon Musk, who says he takes ketamine every two weeks for depression as prescribed by a doctor. He’s far from alone: More and more Americans are turning to ketamine for relief for their mental health struggles.

But the New York Times reported recently that Musk was taking so much ketamine during last year’s presidential campaign, sometimes daily, that he reportedly told people it was causing him bladder problems, a known symptom of chronic ketamine use. Musk’s reported experience with the drug — from medical to possibly abusive — provides a window into ketamine’s growing popularity in the United States, and the paradox that popularity presents.

Ketamine, both an anesthetic and a hallucinogen, was first synthesized in the 1960s and has long been used for surgery and veterinary medicine. More recently, it has shown remarkable effectiveness in alleviating symptoms of depression, particularly in treatment-resistant populations. Clinics administering the drug — which legally must be licensed by the government to provide intravenous infusions — are becoming more popular. The Food and Drug Administration approved the first ketamine-derived nasal spray for depression in 2019.

On the other hand, as highlighted in the Times’ report alleging that Musk was mixing ketamine with other drugs, more Americans appear to be using ketamine recreationally and outside of medical supervision. Chronic misuse can put people at risk of serious physical and mental health consequences, from kidney and liver damage to memory loss and paranoia.

“There is absolutely a role for ketamine to help people with depression and suicidal ideation,” said Dr. Kevin Yang, a resident physician in psychiatry at the University of California-San Diego. “At the same time, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be safe and effective for everyone.”

According to a study co-authored by Yang and published earlier this year, the percentage of Americans who reported using ketamine within the past year grew by 82 percent from 2015 to 2019, took a brief dip in 2020 — possibly because of the pandemic complicating people’s access to the drug — and then rose another 40 percent from........

© Vox