Potential effect of ketamine in treatment for dextromethorphan use disorder exploding in Japanese young population.
Asian journal of psychiatry – September 01, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
Young Japanese adults seeking relief from depression and trauma are increasingly misusing dextromethorphan, a common over-the-counter medication. Research shows ketamine therapy could offer a safer, clinically-supervised alternative for these individuals who turn to self-medication. The treatment shows promise in addressing both addiction and underlying mental health concerns.
Abstract
In Japan, the landscape of clinical practice for substance use disorder is changing significantly, primarily due to an increase in patients using over-the-counter drugs. A major concern is the rising number of patients misusing dextromethorphan (DXM). These patients with DXM use disorders often have severe trauma-related and mood symptoms, and therefore try to cope with those symptoms by self-medicating with DXM. In this article, we propose that ketamine, which has similar psychopharmacological effects to DXM, may be a useful alternative pharmacological treatment for these patients.