Grayken lessons: a multidisciplinary approach to care for a patient with severe ketamine use disorder.
Addiction science & clinical practice – February 04, 2026
Source: PubMed
Summary
A young woman with severe ketamine use disorder, linked to PTSD, developed two serious complications: gastrointestinal toxicity and uropathy. Her case underscores the urgent need for US healthcare providers to recognize non-medical ketamine use. Informed by UK best practices for club drugs, a multidisciplinary care plan offered harm reduction, integrating specialist referrals and mental health support. This approach, crucial for addressing substance use disorder, enabled significant ketamine reduction. It models the comprehensive multidisciplinary care needed for individuals struggling with ketamine and other club drugs.
Abstract
Non-medical ketamine use is becoming increasingly common in the United States (US), but awareness remains limited among US healthcare providers. Here we present the case of a young woman who developed severe ketamine use disorder in the setting of an acute exacerbation of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She also demonstrated symptoms concerning for two known complications of chronic ketamine use: gastrointestinal toxicity and ketamine-induced uropathy. Informed by best practices established by specialists in club drug use from the United Kingdom (UK), a multidisciplinary care plan was implemented. The plan included specialist referrals for suspected physical complications and connection with a psychiatrist and psychologist to address underlying mental health conditions driving ketamine use. With individualized, multidisciplinary support, she was able to significantly reduce ketamine use, for a period of time. US healthcare providers must be aware of non-medical ketamine use and associated harms, including ketamine use disorder, in order to provide effective counseling and treatment to increasing numbers of people using ketamine. In the UK, a multidisciplinary clinic was established to serve people struggling with ketamine and other club drug use, providing a model for effective, patient-centered care that can inform our approach to building systems of care for people who use ketamine and other club drugs in the US.