American Journal of Psychiatry
January 11, 2022
Meryem Grabski, Amy Mcandrew, Will Lawn et al.
169 citations
Three weekly infusions of ketamine (0.8 mg/kg) helped people with severe alcohol use disorder stay abstinent more days over six months than placebo infusions did. The ketamine group averaged 10.1% more days abstinent than the placebo group. Combining ketamine with mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy produced the largest improvement, with 15.9% more abstinent days compared with placebo plus alcohol education. No serious adverse events occurred. Relapse rates did not differ significantly between ketamine and placebo groups. The findings suggest ketamine is safe and may support abstinence, especially when paired with psychological therapy.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2021
O Merve Mollaahmetoglu, Johanna Keeler, Katherine J Ashbullby et al.
62 citations
Ketamine treatment, provided in a supportive clinical setting, led to a significant change in participants' relationship with alcohol. Interviews with 12 people who received up to three ketamine infusions (0.8 mg/kg) as part of a Phase II randomized controlled trial revealed six key themes: multifaceted motivations for joining the trial; the influence of set and setting on the acute experience; inherent contradictions such as dissociation versus feelings of connection; rapidly fluctuating experiences; meaningful, mystical, and spiritual experiences; and transformational effects of the infusions. Participants reported that ego dissolution and dissociation were linked to these transformative changes. The authors suggest that the acute psychoactive effects of ketamine transcend its traditional label as a dissociative anesthetic and recommend developing new measures to capture the full spectrum of these effects.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
January 19, 2023
Koen Ponnet, Bert Hauspie, Nicky Dirkx et al.
21 citations
Attendees of electronic dance music events are a high-risk group for substance use. A survey of 1345 Belgian attendees found that ecstasy/MDMA/Molly (52.28%), other synthetic hallucinogens (53.68%), ketamine (42.13%), amphetamines (40.45%), and alkyl nitrites (32.76%) were most used at festivals, outdoor parties, and raves. Cocaine was prevalent in nightclubs (32.29%), while cannabis (68.88%) and magic mushrooms (66.44%) were most used at private events. Overall enjoyment was the key motive for attendance, followed by music and socialization. Users rated many motives (dance, exploration, escapism, excitement, alcohol, drugs) as more important than non-users. Substance use prevalence depended on the event setting, and a three-dimensional classification of attendance motives was supported.
European addiction research
January 1, 2024
Ruben Johannes Jacob Van Beek, Matthijs Blankers, Marloes Kleinjan et al.
3 citations
Young adults who use ecstasy in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands show three similar patterns of polydrug use: traditional polydrug use (UK 28%, NL 40%), stimulant and ketamine use (UK 48%, NL 52%), and extensive polydrug use involving stimulants, depressants, and psychedelics (UK 24%, NL 8%). UK users more often consume MDMA as powder/crystalline at higher doses, while Dutch users prefer tablets. Most respondents in both countries intend to reduce but not quit their use. The patterns are structurally similar across countries, though individual substance frequencies and preferred MDMA form differ.
Addiction
February 16, 2026
Cassie Bloy, Ananya Sarma, Bethan Marsh et al.
1 citation
People with alcohol use disorder experience changes in consciousness from 0.8 mg/kg intravenous ketamine administration. Ketamine's effects remain broadly consistent across three repeated infusions. Reductions in alcohol consumption linked to ketamine do not appear to be caused by the acute psychoactive effects of the drug.
Drug and alcohol dependence
September 12, 2025
Matthijs Blankers, Ruben Van Beek, Desirée Spronk et al.
1 citation
In the three days after using ecstasy/MDMA, young adults who regularly use the drug report a small but significant drop in mental well-being, even after accounting for other substance use, sleep, and baseline depression or anxiety. Cocaine co-use and poor sleep further worsened the effect. No similar drop was seen after use of other common substances. The findings suggest the post-acute mood decline is specifically linked to ecstasy/MDMA, not just party or lifestyle factors.