Ketamine (K)

Ketamine, nicknamed K, is a dissociative anesthetic developed in the 1960s for human and veterinary surgery. In the last decade it has also drawn attention for rapid-acting effects on treatment-resistant depression in supervised clinical settings. It has a substantial illicit market too, and in some LGBTQ+ party and chemsex contexts people take it for feelings of detachment and altered perception. Low doses can feel euphoric, but higher doses cause a K-hole, a state of profound dissociation. Ketamine carries real risks: serious bladder damage with regular use, powerful dissociation that can lead to accidents or leave someone vulnerable, and psychological dependence. It comes up often in harm reduction conversations in queer communities.