Ketamine and God
How does the drug ketamine bring on visions of God?
Ketamine (Wikipedia) is a veterinary anesthetic. It is also a well-known party drug, known as “Special-K”, related to angel dust. But the drug, developed in the ‘60s, can also send users into other worlds or gave them visions of God, as soldiers in Vietnam discovered when administered the drug as a battlefield anesthetic. Austin quotes one researcher who describes ketamine as yielding a model near-death experience. Some patients report hearing voices, having out-of-body experiences, or losing their sense of self and connection to reality. Large doses can send the users into a so-called K-hole where they perceive, deep inside the mind, ineffable other worlds and dimensions.
An article in the NYT caught my eye when I saw it talked about a study showing that ketamine was a quick-acting antidepressant as well. Scientists had known that it had antidepressant effects in animals (how do you tell a cat is depressed or not?), but had not tried it on humans until now. The study showed immediate (as little as two hours) antidepressive effects, which lasted a week, when the drug was given at sub-anesthetic doses. Apparently the subjects first went off on a little mini-trip, then found themselves undepressed when they got back. This research was done under the auspices of the NIMH; here is the press release
The neurological mechanisms underlying the effect of ketamine are relatively well-known. It is an NMDA receptor antagonist, meaning it blocks the NMDA receptors, found mainly in the hippocampus (which is why it affects memory; many ketamine users cannot remember their trips), and the prefrontal cortex (hence its profound impact on thought). Normally NMDA receptors receive signals of glutamate, the most common neurotransmitter. Irregularities in glutamate function are associated with epilepsy, among other disorders, and may also be responsible in part for depression.
What is missing is any overarching theory of how ketamine could simuiltaneously cause God-like hallucinations and assuage depression, or what the relationship, if any, between the two effects might be. Such a theory would be a key contribution to the biology of religion.
August 18th, 2006 at 7:28 am
That’s a great hypothesis: is religion a practice evolved into human behaviour through biological pressure (for fighting depression) ?
August 23rd, 2006 at 5:22 pm
The problem with taking a pill and seeing God (or whatever) is that you haven’t done the preparatory ground-work, so you’ll almost certainly misinterpret what you perceive.
You could place me in a Formula 1 racing car, but it wouldn’t make me a better driver.
On another note, I too wonder how researchers determine whether or not a cat is depressed. “Are you losing interest in chasing mice? Too sad to answer? I’ll put that down as a Yes, then.”
September 29th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Animal models for depression include something called “learned helplessness” where an animal is subjected to electric shock with no means of escape. They develop behavioral and chemical features of human depression as a result, but don’t talk about it much. I don’t know if they still use that to evaluate anti-depressants in animals, but it’s some model like that, not a questionnaire.
Ketamine is a dissociative agent. I’ve seen a patient having a wound debrided under its effects. The patient is conscious, but preoccupied with what’s going on in his or her mind instead of the wound. Why God shows up as part of that dissociation from one’s body or right mind is anyone’s guess. I guess ketamine opens up a space in our consciousness for us to look at instead of one’s damaged body. Maybe God doesn’t ordinarily get that much room to work with inside us and can’t pass up the chance for some people. I’m sure whatever truth there is to that is metaphorical, but what else do we have?
January 30th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I have K-Holed many times with the intention of exploration into Ketamine space. I have disembodied and been absorbed/unified with God Consciousness. One trip at a certain point the quote from the Bible “God Created The World In 7 Days” came to mind, and so I tried creating. In what seemed like fractions of a second “I” (using the term very loosely, as the ego-body is non-existant), created thousands of plants, down to the minscule details such as the color of the fibers on the plant leaves. The awesome power of that act irradicated any doubt I had with what Ketamine is actually doing and what it can connect the user to. Subsequent trips I have asked to experience pure love, see the future, understand the true nature of time… and every question is answered with mind-blowing power and clarity.
With sufficent understanding of what one is experiencing (I have several years of Buddhist training behind me), I know this to be a very powerful tool to see into the hidden nature of reality.
April 25th, 2007 at 9:56 am
I have used special K since the 80’s. I was introduced to this chemical while attending Columbia University. Much to my delight, I was able to transcend the boundaries of conciousness and enter a realm that enhanced perception. Unfortunately, I don’t remember anything. Thus, what a trip!
May 28th, 2007 at 6:36 am
i absolutely love ketamine. people say drugs open your mind and make you perceive things in another light. ketamine does exactly that. id love to be a vet.
June 6th, 2007 at 5:46 am
i think that ketamine is the worst drug ever and should have not been invented. i also think that u should put that if it is addictive and other stuff that arent good for you. u should not be saying good things bu8t things that can harm u
thank u
September 30th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Ketamine changed my life. Last night, not only was I the emerging christ caste into a body previously mine, but I had telepathic connections with all those sharing the experience. We all shared mutual matter-transmutation - Things recreated themselves before our very eyes with only the ‘will’ being given, and we witnessed several different ‘configurations’ of the room we were in - multiple chair setups, multiple non-verbal communication, as well as multiple furnishing re-arrangements.
I am the one who communicates with himself. I fear not the place of after-death, for I Await it arms-opened, willing it to configure itself around me.
April 11th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Hi
We all have beauty and incredible power for good inside us, to me this is god, we can touch this through meditation closeness and shared experience, K gives you a direct access to this stuff inside, it strips away the filters and puts you in direct contact with your inner self, this world needs that so badly just now, its like fast acting lsd but in some ways better, you can control your trip and explore the places that you want to…
All the best with your research, and drop me a line if you want any input…
Go there love it and bring back good stuff to share…
Cat Xx