Elon Musk defends Ketamine: Is the drug behind his unbalanced behaviour and what is it used for?
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk , known for his often erratic behavior, is under scrutiny following recent reports alleging drug use and its possible effects on his companies. In his recent interview with journalist Don Lemon, Musk defended his use of ketamine , a prescription anaesthetic and a hallucinogen, saying he takes only a small amount every week on advice of a doctor. "There are times when I have sort of a ... negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I guess, or depression that's not linked to any negative news, and ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mind," Musk told Lemon.
The billionaire entrepreneur said he used only "a small amount once every other week or something like that" under medical supervision and has a prescription from "an actual, real doctor."
Is Ketamine impacting Musk's behavior?A previous report in The Wall Street Journal speculated that Musk's use of the drug could be impacting his behavior. While the drug is prescribed to treat depression, its use has also been linked to hallucinogenic properties, distortion of reality, disassociation, paranoia, and cause short term memory loss.
Musk also said that he was “almost always” sober during his late-night or, in some cases, very early morning posting sessions on X. Musk didn’t specify whether he was talking about Ketamine or another substance when he talked about being sober during his X sessions.
What is Ketamine?Ketamine is a Schedule III non-narcotic approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a general anesthetic. It is also sometimes prescribed for 'off-label' uses, such as depression.
What are its uses?Its most recent use has been to treat severe depression or treatment resistant depression (TRD), according to Harvard Health. While in prescribed amounts, it can be therapeutic, its excessive use can be deadly. Friends star Matthew Perry died due to an overdose. Yet the drug's popularity sees no signs of abating with the expansion of ketamine clinics and online services giving easy prescription access to the drug, in addition to the growing illicit drug market.
Musk denies using Ketamine in excess. “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done. I have a lot of work, I’m typically putting in 16-hour days … so I don’t really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time,” he said.
Ketamine is safe to use for medicinal purposes under supervision of an expert. It is used to treat pain, inducing general anesthesia, treating seizures, anxiety and depression. However, its recreational use may lead to potentially life-threatening adverse effects.
What are its side effects?The administration of Ketamine can lead to various physiological and neurological effects. It may cause instability in heart and blood vessel function, resulting in temporary increases or decreases in blood pressure and heart rate, along with abnormal heart rhythms. Respiratory depression can occur, particularly in cases of overdose or rapid administration. Emergence reactions, such as agitation or confusion, may arise during the postoperative recovery period.
Additionally, Ketamine can increase intracranial pressure, requiring careful monitoring in individuals with preexisting conditions. Liver injury is another potential risk, as ketamine administration may cause liver dysfunction. Some studies also suggest that cognitive deficits, particularly affecting thinking abilities, can occur in children.
The billionaire entrepreneur said he used only "a small amount once every other week or something like that" under medical supervision and has a prescription from "an actual, real doctor."
Is Ketamine impacting Musk's behavior?A previous report in The Wall Street Journal speculated that Musk's use of the drug could be impacting his behavior. While the drug is prescribed to treat depression, its use has also been linked to hallucinogenic properties, distortion of reality, disassociation, paranoia, and cause short term memory loss.
Musk also said that he was “almost always” sober during his late-night or, in some cases, very early morning posting sessions on X. Musk didn’t specify whether he was talking about Ketamine or another substance when he talked about being sober during his X sessions.
What is Ketamine?Ketamine is a Schedule III non-narcotic approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a general anesthetic. It is also sometimes prescribed for 'off-label' uses, such as depression.
What are its uses?Its most recent use has been to treat severe depression or treatment resistant depression (TRD), according to Harvard Health. While in prescribed amounts, it can be therapeutic, its excessive use can be deadly. Friends star Matthew Perry died due to an overdose. Yet the drug's popularity sees no signs of abating with the expansion of ketamine clinics and online services giving easy prescription access to the drug, in addition to the growing illicit drug market.
Musk denies using Ketamine in excess. “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done. I have a lot of work, I’m typically putting in 16-hour days … so I don’t really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time,” he said.
Ketamine is safe to use for medicinal purposes under supervision of an expert. It is used to treat pain, inducing general anesthesia, treating seizures, anxiety and depression. However, its recreational use may lead to potentially life-threatening adverse effects.
What are its side effects?The administration of Ketamine can lead to various physiological and neurological effects. It may cause instability in heart and blood vessel function, resulting in temporary increases or decreases in blood pressure and heart rate, along with abnormal heart rhythms. Respiratory depression can occur, particularly in cases of overdose or rapid administration. Emergence reactions, such as agitation or confusion, may arise during the postoperative recovery period.
Additionally, Ketamine can increase intracranial pressure, requiring careful monitoring in individuals with preexisting conditions. Liver injury is another potential risk, as ketamine administration may cause liver dysfunction. Some studies also suggest that cognitive deficits, particularly affecting thinking abilities, can occur in children.
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