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Doing a Set of Tasks Under the Influence
Ketamine
Citation:   Cheeky. "Doing a Set of Tasks Under the Influence: An Experience with Ketamine (exp109012)". Erowid.org. Aug 17, 2016. erowid.org/exp/109012

 
DOSE:
T+ 0:00
35 mg IV Ketamine (liquid)
  T+ 0:40 8 mg IV Ketamine (liquid)
  T+ 0:50 8 mg IV Ketamine (liquid)
BODY WEIGHT: 77 kg
Ketamine IV During Psychological Experiment

I have volunteered to undergo an authorized experiment under the influence of ketamine. The experiment included doing a set of tasks 6-8 weeks ago NOT on the influence of K, and then doing them again under influence.

Background:
------------
I am 29 years old, have had my share of drug experiences (mostly uppers and psychedelics) and I have tried Ketamine one time a few weeks before the described experiment while coming down from an LSD trip. I snorted it and it made dozy and had some small visuals, very nice. It was after a long 30 hours filled with all sorts of drugs and I went to bed right after that.

Physical and mental state of mind at the day
---------------------------------------------
I woke up at 8:00 AM after a good 6 hour sleep, after drinking a few Whiskeys and smoking a couple of joints the night before. I ate a small sandwich at 11:00 AM and was feeling very good, physically and mentally at 13:00 when I entered the hospital gates.

First dose
-----------
00:00 (13:30) - I am lying on a hospital bed in a good temperature room with a friend of mine (who was conducting the experiment) and the doctor next to me. I felt calm and we were talking. While we were talking, I got 35 mg IV. It took a few seconds to kick in and when it did I was out for a few seconds seconds dreaming away.

When I opened my eyes I could clearly feel the resemblance to the previous Ketamine experience I had, but it was far from being this intense. My whole visual world was shaky, I felt COMPLETE loss of time span and could not understand exactly what I am supposed to do and what is the situation I am in. I could remember vaguely that I am part of an experiment, but was very confused.
I could remember vaguely that I am part of an experiment, but was very confused.


00:05 - Confusion settles down and I am starting to enjoy the weird sensations in my body. Colors were not distorted but visible textures looked differently and made it hard for me to recognize items in the room. The visual shakiness continued along with the feeling of currents rushing through my body intensely.

00:10 - I get up from the bed and walk 2 steps to a chair in front of a desk to start filling the questionnaire about how I feel and do the experiment tasks. I could not measure distances correctly and every part of my body felt like it was super thin, as thin as a string. I needed slight support to walk these 2 simple steps and everything seemed to slow down. When I picked up a glass of water I found its touch to be different than what I expect. It felt very thick and I had to hold it in two hands just out of fear of dropping it. I could read the questionnaire but understanding the sentences was difficult at times.

I am enjoying this sensation, I am laughing about the questions (especially the one asking 'Does it feel like filling this form takes a long time?') and was in a good mood.

00:20 - I finish filling up the questionnaire and I am taken to a different room (10 meters away) for another part of the experiment, in front of a computer. This time I could walk by myself but I was not sure where I am and was not sure if walking barefooted was appropriate. I was confused regarding leaving my belongings in the first room but the experiment conductor made me feel safe. I am seated in front of a computer and the task I need to do is explained to me. I didn't really understand it (even though I've done it before) but I still went on with it.

This task included identifying if the object flashing in the center of the screen is B or 13 as quick as I can. I've done this task a few weeks before, not on Ketamine, but this time was much more confusing. While I am doing this task I feel the effect wearing off and after 15 minutes the task is done.

00:40 - I am given a second dose of 8 mg using infusion. The conductor asks me to let her know when I feel it strongly enough to go on with the next tasks. She gives me the questionnaire even though I inform her that I don't feel it intensely enough and according to the answers I write down she asks the doctor to give me another dose.

00:50 - I am given 8 mg IV directly and it kicks in full power. I immediately start the next task. The first part is the same questionnaire again, and this time the feeling is intense and the questions are hard to answer. I doze on and off a couple of times for a few seconds and the conductor is asking me if everything is alright since I am shaking a little bit. That question did not surprise me since my whole visual world is shaky but I felt fine physically.

This task included hearing recording of me and another man stating verbs (examples: I cleaned, he ran, we crawled, etc...). I had to state if the action is performed using the hands or not. THIS WAS NOT EASY. I kept losing focus and sometimes missing the words, not hearing them well, and sometimes simply not being able to translate the words into meaning and answer the question.
The second part was me hearing the same recording just having to say if its me or someone else.
When I did this task not on K I got it right 100% of the times. I am not sure how I did this time, but there is no chance it was 100%. The voices seemed much more similar, and it was hard for me to remember that I should be distinguishing between them.

After this experiment I was [asked] two questions and I found my answers to be quite weird:
A. From 1 to 5, how close were your own voice and the other man? I said 2.
B. From 1 to 5, how close is your own voice on recording and in real life? And I said 0.
That means that the other man's voice seemed closer to my recorded voice than my own. And it did feel that way.

At this point I am still under the influence but the experiment is done. I am being asked where do I want to spend the next two hours. I talk a bit about food but me and the experiment conductor agree I should wait it out a bit more. I am led to a different room and I sit there and wait it out. Feeling is good and I try to make a phone call to schedule something but that was clearly a bad idea :) From that point on, the effect was degrading slowly and only at +04:00 I could say clearly that the effect is gone. I found myself exhausted physically and mood was low. Could not communicate very well with others and social awkwardness was present.

04:30 - I leave the hospital, drive back home and continue my day normally.

+09:00 - I was sitting on my computer, it was 22:30 at night, and I was doing typing mistakes that I've never done before. I was confusing numbers with letters constantly (3 with d, for example). It was not a one time thing, I kept typing d instead of 3 three of four times in a row. It happened with other numbers as well. It might not have been related directly to K but since it was so not me, I think it is the K along with usual tiredness.

Exp Year: 2016ExpID: 109012
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: 29
Published: Aug 17, 2016Views: 1,639
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Ketamine (31) : General (1), Hospital (36)

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