Profiling the psychotic, depressive and anxiety symptoms in chronic ketamine users

Abstract

Objective: Although concern about chronic ketamine abuse has grown, the characteristic symptomatology of chronic ketamine users has yet to be examined. This study aims to measure the psychotic, depressive and anxiety symptoms in chronic ketamine users.

Methods: A group of chronic ketamine users in Guangzhou, China were evaluated. The socio-demographic and drug use characteristics of subjects were documented. Symptoms of psychosis, depression, anxiety were evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The severity of the symptoms was identified by standard severity cutoffs.

Results: The PANSS total score, positive symptom, negative symptom, general psychopathology subscale score were 45.3±8.4, 8.0±1.7, 13.2± 3.9 and 24.2± 4.9 respectively. BDI and BAI score was 13.1±6.5 and 15.7±9.6 respectively. 77.5% and 46.0% of the subjects showed moderate to severe depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms respectively. The BDI score was positively correlated with ketamine use frequency. The BAI score was positively correlated with ketamine use frequency.

Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were commonly presented in chronic ketamine users. The higher ketamine use frequency and dosage were associated with more severe depressive symptoms.

Keywords: Depression; Ketamine; Psychosis; Symptoms.