Ketamine for creativity - risks?

[paradiseengineering]

Hey:) 

I am interested in ketamine for creative exploration. It seems to break down the rigid mind patterns and allow me to think out of the box. Combine things in new ways, put sounds or words in a context together that seems so fresh, original and stylish. I dont have that many/deep experiences, its mostly been small amounts given to me from people at raves. A lot of my favorite musicians have used it, one of them even said it publicly and recommended it if you are stuck creatively. 

I also struggle with a restless mind, complex trauma and depression. My therapist mentioned ketamine therapy to me (along with a vipassana retreat) as things that could potentially help me. Years of talk therapy and conceptually "understanding" might have diminishing returns for me. Im saving up for a treatment now. That makes the substance even more appealing, its the creativity part and the mental health healing in one.

I have been addicted to weed and have been using it to enhance creativity for many years (with little returns in the long run). Im only 5 weeks sober so im a bit cautious of finding something potentially addictive to fill the void. Its weird because in one way I feel it could really help me and in another way it has addiction potential. The ketamine therapy is pretty expensive and im considering experimenting before, more for the creativity part.

My long term goal is to somatically release the demons that keep me stuck. I can conceptually understand things about myself (that im worthy of love and reaching my potential for example), but it just dosent sit in the body. I have this intense fear of rejection, even if people are very positive towards me. And I wanna reach my creative potential and get it into the world, dare to share my work and ideas more instead of just thinking about it all the time. I have had some success with my music/art but I feel like I have stagnated for a long time. 

I am also open to other practices and/ or substances for this if anything else might be worth considering. Or maybe questions I can ask myself to get to the answer. 

Peace<3

[Yimpa]

If you have a history of addiction and dependence you need to be doing it under medical supervision. 

[vibv]

Ketamine can be quite addictive, watch out.

[PenguinPablo]

I like the idea of this conceptually lol  

I would be wary of depending on ket for this purpose but achieving similar results even if more gradually is a great idea.

[paradiseengineering]

8 hours ago, PenguinPablo said:

I like the idea of this conceptually lol  

I would be wary of depending on ket for this purpose but achieving similar results even if more gradually is a great idea.

What do you mean by the last sentence?

 

10 hours ago, vibv said:

Ketamine can be quite addictive, watch out.

Yeah I can understand why people get hooked on it for sure.

[Leo Gura]

Only if you use it rarely, not daily or weekly.

Ketamine is not healthy.

[Schizophonia]

12 hours ago, vibv said:

Ketamine can be quite addictive

I never tried something that bring me more pleasure. I was like being on the couch close to the chimney at Christmas but X10.

After that I had craving for about one week; it was like going all day without eating and knowing there was a Kinder Bueno in the cupboard.

Edited Saturday at 09:08 AM by Schizophonia

[Cubbage]

I am a recovering ketamine addict and I highly suggest people who are nerurodivergent psychonauts to be extremely careful and disciplined with their use of ketamine, as it can easily lead into addiction. One traumatic event in your life could plummet you into a K addiction, because it is such an "effective" form of escapism (temporarily). Often times neurodivergent people get addicted to K cause it silences their dysfunctional thought processes. I've been there and it took a long time to rewire my own mind. Be very careful if you are prone to depression and anxiety, ketamine will be too alluring not to habitually use as "medicine".

[paradiseengineering]

2 hours ago, Cubbage said:

I am a recovering ketamine addict and I highly suggest people who are nerurodivergent psychonauts to be extremely careful and disciplined with their use of ketamine, as it can easily lead into addiction. One traumatic event in your life could plummet you into a K addiction, because it is such an "effective" form of escapism (temporarily). Often times neurodivergent people get addicted to K cause it silences their dysfunctional thought processes. I've been there and it took a long time to rewire my own mind. Be very careful if you are prone to depression and anxiety, ketamine will be too alluring not to habitually use as "medicine".

Thank you for the words of caution. Im diagnosed mild/moderate ADD and also struggle with anxiety and depression form time to time. So for me home use could be pretty risky. Still considering doing it therapeutically some time in the future for childhood trauma, with medical supervision in one of the clinics here in Oslo. But lets see.

Hope you dont mind me sharing, but I absolutely love your Youtube channel (I assume its you from the link in your bio). I have been watching it for a couple of years, and have also heard you share your experiences with K addiction. It definitely made me be extra cautious. Thanks for being so open and keep on making those awesome videos!

11 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Only if you use it rarely, not daily or weekly.

Ketamine is not healthy.

Would you say that a regular meditation practice over time can have similar positive effects to ketamine? Like ketamine elevates suffering by shutting down the conceptual mind. Seems like a pretty identical end point to deep meditation.

Edited Saturday at 08:08 PM by paradiseengineering

[integration journey]

23 hours ago, Cubbage said:

I am a recovering ketamine addict and I highly suggest people who are nerurodivergent psychonauts to be extremely careful and disciplined with their use of ketamine, as it can easily lead into addiction. One traumatic event in your life could plummet you into a K addiction, because it is such an "effective" form of escapism (temporarily). Often times neurodivergent people get addicted to K cause it silences their dysfunctional thought processes. I've been there and it took a long time to rewire my own mind. Be very careful if you are prone to depression and anxiety, ketamine will be too alluring not to habitually use as "medicine".

So it’s like weed? 

[Rilles]

Too risky, what field are you creative in? The best way to be creative is to deeply understand what creativity is at its core, that requires contemplation, a hint is true creativity has to do with how you make distinctions.

 

Edit: I just saw you said music/art, which one of these is your One Thing?

Edited yesterday at 12:47 PM by Rilles

[paradiseengineering]

2 hours ago, Rilles said:

Too risky, what field are you creative in? The best way to be creative is to deeply understand what creativity is at its core, that requires contemplation, a hint is true creativity has to do with how you make distinctions.

 

Edit: I just saw you said music/art, which one of these is your One Thing?

Music is my main thing. But I also paint/draw and make most of the artworks for my music myself. 

I also agree that it seems too risky. As a former weed addict, ketamine is just a bit too similar for me and could easily "replace" it. I used to smoke a lot and make music/art, but the only thing it gave me was confidence in what I was making. Ironically, there is a CLEAR difference of what I make on weed and what I make without it. Without it I have so much more emotional range and I have the cognitive capability to bring my ideas to life when they are fresh.

I am still considering doing a expensive legal ketamine therapy for trauma in the future, with medical supervision. Havent fully decided yet, depends if there is any risk. But doing K at home and making music...I think that would make my work worse, but would lead me down a much, much darker path. 

Thanks for the contemplation tip as well. I will do that:)) Contemplate "What is creativity at its core?"

2 hours ago, Rilles said:

Too risky, what field are you creative in? The best way to be creative is to deeply understand what creativity is at its core, that requires contemplation, a hint is true creativity has to do with how you make distinctions.

 

Edit: I just saw you said music/art, which one of these is your One Thing?

22 hours ago, integration journey said:

So it’s like weed? 

Personally its the closest thing i´ve experienced to weed. But K to me feels like being in a cold laboratory and weed feels like being in a warm garden. 

Edited yesterday at 03:14 PM by paradiseengineering

[paradiseengineering]

One of the main artists that gave me the idea to even consider this topic was the singer from Bassvictim (I am a big fan), from their 2025 pitchfork interview:

"Manow says, “silence, vibrations and ketamine”—adding that some of her songs have been freestyled off K. “Make ketamine great again,” she chirps. “I think everyone should know that if they are struggling artistically, they should take ketamine.” Clateman looks uncomfortable. “I don’t want to endorse that,” she self-corrects. “Maybe I want to endorse that. If some people die as a result of that, so be it.”

https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/a-messy-evening-with-bassvictim/ 

Note that she was doing K in the the beginning of this interview and also has BPD.

Drugs can sometimes short-term bring down certain mental barriers, especially when you are struggling with a mental condition. And because of this she seems to think that her creative genius is attributed to drug, and it will work the same way for everyone. As I see it, the creativity was within her all the time, it was not from the drug itself. Ketamine just was a temporary thing that brought the walls down to let her inner creativity come out. But this could come from a lot of diffrent things, meditation, therapy, spending time in nature etc. 

This is just my interpretation, I also dont know her personally. I am a big fan of her music, and hope she can sustainably find a way to continue doing what she love for the rest of her life, whatever it might be. 

Edited yesterday at 03:32 PM by paradiseengineering