K-hole is the feeling of getting a high enough dose of

ketamine Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. It is also used as a recreational drug. It is one of the safest anesthetics, as, in contrast with opiates, ether, and propofol, it suppresses ...

to experience a state of

dissociation Dissociation, in the wide sense of the word, is an act of disuniting or separating a complex object into parts. Dissociation may also refer to: * Dissociation (chemistry), general process in which molecules or ionic compounds (complexes, or salts ...

. This intense detachment from reality is often a consequence of accidental overconsumption of ketamine; however, some users consciously seek out the k-hole as they find the powerful dissociative effects to be quite pleasurable and enlightening. Regardless of the subjective experiences of k-holing, there are many psychological and physical risks associated with such high levels of ketamine consumption.

Recreational usage

Ketamine is an

NMDA receptor antagonist NMDA receptor antagonists are a class of drugs that work to antagonize, or inhibit the action of, the ''N''-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor ( NMDAR). They are commonly used as anesthetics for animals and humans; the state of anesthesia they induce ...

, developed in the 1960s to induce anesthesia in patients but recreational users have found great appeal in its antidepressant, dissociative and hallucinatory effects that are characteristic of the k-hole experience. Whereas the common

recreational Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...

dose of ketamine is roughly 30–75 mg, a dose of more than 150 mg is required to enter the k-hole.

Experiences

The experience of k-hole varies greatly for each individual. The intensity and length are influenced by the users' current

mental state A mental state, or a mental property, is a state of mind of a person. Mental states comprise a diverse class, including perception, pain experience, belief, desire, intention, emotion, and memory. There is controversy concerning the exact definiti ...

, previous experience and drug dosage. Ketamine induces dose-related effects that include distortion of time and space, hallucinations and mild dissociative effects. During k-hole, users experience an enhanced detachment from the environment, resulting in an inability to respond to surroundings and move their bodies functionally. During these states,

perception Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous system ...

seems to lie deep within

consciousness Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...

so that the

reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...

of the "outside" world appears to reside in the distance. A high number of recreational users report that the most appealing effects of this experience are "melting into surroundings", "visual hallucinations", "out of body experience" and "giggliness". By contrast, the least frequent and most negative effects include near-death experiences, astral travel and alien phenomena. Physical health problems, like the so-called "K-cramps" and gastric pain, and unappealing mental side-effects, like "

memory loss Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use o ...

" and "decreased sociability" are also reported post-k-hole. Despite its addictive risks, ketamine is considered by many to be "harmless" and thus a "drug of choice". Recreational users seem to be in discord about the k-hole. Many individuals describe it as a fascinating life-changing experience and a spiritual journey resulting in some form of enlightenment. They state that this experience provided

clairvoyance Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...

and assisted them to get through

mental disorder A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitt ...

s like depression and

social anxiety Social anxiety is the anxiety and fear specifically linked to being in social settings (i.e., interacting with others). Some categories of disorders associated with social anxiety include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum disor ...

. About half of the recreational users describe the k-hole as a positive experience, as it provides "a short escape from their daily problems". Even though some people seem to enjoy and actively look for the k-hole, for many it is still an unwanted side effect of an

overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

of ketamine.

Risks

Frequent k-hole experiences can also result in episodic and

semantic memory Semantic memory refers to general world knowledge that humans have accumulated throughout their lives. This general knowledge (word meanings, concepts, facts, and ideas) is intertwined in experience and dependent on culture. We can learn about n ...

impairments. Depending on how long this state lasts,

hallucination A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the qualities of a real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are perceived to be located in external objective space. Hallucination is a combinati ...

s and symptoms of

psychosis Psychosis is a condition of the mind that results in difficulties determining what is real and what is not real. Symptoms may include delusions and hallucinations, among other features. Additional symptoms are incoherent speech and behavior ...

can develop. The k-hole experience can produce physical risks. For instance,

bladder The urinary bladder, or simply bladder, is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine enters ...

damage can be an indication of ketamine-induced (ulcerative) interstitial

cystitis A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a bladder infection (cystitis) and when it affects the upper urinary tract it is known as a kidney ...

. {{reflist Slang Drug culture Psychological concepts