Self-treatment of psychiatric conditions using ketamine: Patterns, characteristics, and retrospective insights.
Gabrielle Smith, Timothy Piatkowski, Jason Ferris, Benjamin Bonenti, Emma Davies, Monica J Barratt, Celia J. A. Morgan, Adam Winstock, Cheneal Puljević
Journal of Psychopharmacology June 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/02698811251378509 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5,831 |
| Population | People who self-treat diagnosed psychiatric conditions with unregulated drugs |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Drugs Harm reduction Mental health Self-treatment |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | People who used both ketamine and other psychedelics used ketamine more frequently, while those using only non-ketamine psychedelics showed a significant reduction in ketamine use. |
Abstract
While research on novel therapeutic applications of ketamine is expanding, particularly in controlled settings, there is limited exploration of its consumption related to self-treatment of psychiatric conditions. This study investigated the characteristics of people who use ketamine and psychedelics for self-treatment of psychiatric conditions, providing insight into patterns of use within this population. Utilising the 2020 Global Drug Survey, the analysis incorporates data from 5831 respondents who reported self-treating with unregulated drugs to treat diagnosed psychiatric conditions. We compare three groups: those self-treating with only ketamine (n = 242), ketamine and other psychedelics (n = 1072), and non-ketamine psychedelic only substances (n = 4517). Negative binomial regression was conducted to assess the impact of self-treating psychiatric conditions with ketamine and other psychedelics on the volume of recreational ketamine use. A high proportion (>60%) had prior psychiatric diagnoses, with depression and anxiety being the most common. People who used both ketamine and other substances reported higher festival and clubbing attendance than the other two groups. People who used ketamine and combined it with other psychedelics used it more frequently (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.729, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.336-1.581), while those using non-ketamine psychedelics only showed a significant reduction in ketamine usage volume (IRR: 0.160, 95% CI: 0.079-0.322) compared to other groups. Almost half of the respondents sought online advice before starting ketamine self-treatment. This study extends knowledge about various populations using ketamine for self-treatment purposes, proposes areas for future research and suggests online platforms as the most effective place for harm reduction resources relating to ketamine use.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Year Trends in Use of Hallucinogens and Other Adjunct Drugs among UK Dance Drug Users People who use drugs in dance contexts | 2006 | Repeated-measures cross-sectional survey | |
| Preliminary analysis of positive and negative syndrome scale in ketamine-associated psychosis in comparison with schizophrenia Healthy subjects, ketamine abusers, and schizophrenia patients | 2014 | Cross-sectional study | n = 998 |
| Ketamine as a primary predictor of out-of-body experiences associated with multiple substance use Online survey respondents | 2011 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 192 |
| Self-reported prevalence of dependence of MDMA compared to cocaine, mephedrone and ketamine among a sample of recreational poly-drug users Global non-treatment-seeking sample of last year users of MDMA, cocaine, mephedrone,... | 2014 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| Near-Death States Reported in a Sample of 50 Misusers Previous ketamine misusers who reported a ketamine-related near-death experience | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 50 |
Citations in the library
Cites 43
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Efficacy and Safety of Flexibly Dosed Esketamine Nasal Spray Combined With a Newly Initiated Oral Antidepressant in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Active-Controlled Study American Journal of Psychiatry May 21, 2019
- Efficacy of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant Treatment for Relapse Prevention in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry June 5, 2019
- Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 15, 2018
- Ketamine use: a review Addiction July 21, 2011
and 38 more in the library