Chemsex is when people consensually use stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine or mephedrone and Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate (GHB) during sex. While less common, some people choose to use Ketamine or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to enhance their sexual experience.
This article will explain the effects of ketamine on sex, its advantages, and disadvantages, as well as its potential dangers.
Introducing Ketamine
Ketamine is a chemical substance that can be used medically to treat anxiety, PTSD, depression, or pain, as well as for pleasure by recreational users. It acts as a short-acting dissociative anesthetic distorting a person’s sight and sound sensation. This dissociation can induce hallucinogenic effects, pain relief, as well as calm and relaxation. The subjective effects of ketamine use are feelings of weightlessness, floating and distortion of body parts, and a lack of sense of time.
Ketamine can dissociate and disconnect you from your environment. It is in the same category as laughing gas, hallucinogens, phencyclidine (PCP), and dextromethorphan (DXM). Vets use it as an anesthetic, and it is also used occasionally for surgical procedures in humans. As an anesthetic, it can be used in areas where there is no electricity or oxygen. It can be administered by a general practitioner or vet rather than an anesthetist.
Sex on Ketamine: Science and Anecdotal Evidence
Aside from a widely published study on the effects of ketamine on the sexual behavior of rats, most of the information about chemsex and ketamine are anecdotal. First, let’s look at what science says.
Sex on Ketamine: The Science
The 2018 Study on the Effects of Ketamine on Sexual Behavior, Anxiety, and Locomotion in Female Rats is the most well-known study on the effect of Ketamine on sex. In the study, three experiments were conducted to uncover the impact of ketamine on sexual behavior and anxiety in female rats as follows:
- Experiment 1: Female rats received a 10.0 mg/kg injection of ketamine or saline 30 minutes before a sexual partner-preference test.
- Experiment 2: Female rats received a 10.0 mg/kg injection of ketamine or saline daily for ten days.
- Experiment 3: Female rats received a 10.0 mg/kg injection of ketamine or saline and then were tested for anxiety.
The study’s key findings showed that a 10.0 mg/kg dose did not disrupt sexual behavior, and the dose increased the time spent with the male during the partner-preference test. The female rats given a daily dose for ten days did not display disruption in sexual behavior in female rats and increased the time with the male stimulus during the test.
Sex on Ketamine: The Anecdotal Evidence
According to a UK-based drug and addiction expert (UKAT), the experience of ketamine on sex will depend on the quantity consumed, your state of mind, and whether or not you’ve consumed other substances along with ketamine. Ketamine may cause people to experience a complete high with euphoric feelings, increasing the desire to have sex. In comparison, other people report having anxiety with this euphoria, which diminishes sexual appetite.
As a quick reminder, when taken in larger amounts, Ketamine feels more like an individual activity rather than a mutual trip with friends. For example, falling into a K hole isn’t something you do with your friends. It is a personal experience, and no matter how many people are in the room with you. So if we’re talking about the same scale of dosages that will cause you to fall into the K-hole, in most cases, sexual activity isn’t really relevant.
What Does Sex on Ketamine Feel Like?
Ketamine and sex can be positive experiences. Some people report that lower doses of ketamine boost their sex drive, relax muscles, and increase their energy during sex play. Ketamine can lead to a high tolerance for pain because users become dissociated and tranquilized.
A qualitative study found high doses (200-300 mg depending on the individual) of ketamine combined with sex are not a good mixture because judgment is impaired and functioning impeded. There is a potential risk of harming yourself or your partner using ketamine. However, lower doses (as a rough guide, a low dose may be 75-125 mg, although this will differ from person to person) of ketamine may increase sexual desire.
What Do Users Say?
As mentioned above, there are limited studies on the effect of sex and ketamine. However, here are a few things users said about sex on Ketamine:
Allen, aged 32, from Brooklyn, reports it “relaxes muscles, which makes anal play easier for those interested in that, too. Counterintuitively it also tends to boost my energy, which I appreciate during play.”
Quinn found that ketamine “makes me less focussed on us cumming, which means I can totally immerse in the sex. I wouldn’t really 69 for hours with no return to penetrative sex in sight unless I was on ketamine.” She adds, “I like how, while your minds disassociate on sometimes hilariously disparate tracks, your bodies are still doing intimate things.”
On the other hand, one user said, “I absolutely cannot imagine how someone could have sex while using it. It would be like standing in the corner of the room watching yourself having sex with someone, assuming you could get your body to cooperate.”
Both Allen and Quinn report that the dissociative effects of ketamine paradoxically help them to feel more involved and be more intimate. However, interestingly, it’s this exact feeling that our last user reported as a negative to having sex. Like with many drugs, it’s clear that the experience of ketamine on sex is highly subjective and depended on personal biology and the right dosages.
Dangers of Using Ketamine on Sex
Consuming ketamine does not come without risks. The same is true for ketamine usage during sex. Users of ketamine, especially in high doses, may experience vivid hallucinations, depersonalization, temporary memory loss, and even catatonic schizophrenia.
The side effects listed above increase the risk of inadvertently experiencing painful sex, sex without consent, panic attacks, or numbing effects. Furthermore, ketamine may cause muscle tension or dryness in the mouth, vagina, or anus, leading to open sores and an additional risk of injury or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Do’s and Don’ts for Couples Trying Ketamine for Sex
If you’re in a caring relationship, you may be tempted to try ketamine to spice up your sex life. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you get the most out of the experience:
- Start with small doses, and don’t consume too much too soon.
- Be aware of your partner’s responses. If they become uncommunicative and unresponsive, stop sexual activities.
- Increase your electrolyte intake by drinking plenty of water.
- Use a lubricant and condoms as an extra precaution.
Sex While Mixing Drugs With Ketamine
Whether or not you are having sex, the Global Drug Survey found mixing ketamine with other drugs exacerbates gastrointestinal problems and urinary problems. The survey showed that 9 out of 10 people who consumed alcohol when using ketamine had unpredictable and unpleasant side effects. It’s also recommended that you never mix ketamine with antidepressants or unknown street drugs.
If you want to try having sex while on ketamine and other drugs, you should be aware of additional risks. Mixing drugs and sex can be potentially harmful, and potential side effects might include paranoia, anxiety, aggression, psychosis, and increased sexual health risks due to the absence of condoms.
Ketamine, Trauma, and Sex
If you have trouble expressing yourself sexually due to past trauma or depression, ketamine can be beneficial. Some specialist clinics offer ketamine infusions, combined with therapy and counseling, as an alternative to anti-depressants for sexual assault or PTSD sufferers.
Dylan Beynon, the founder of Mindbloom, says that it’s important to remember that the mind is the biggest sexual organ. Individuals suffering from treatment-resistant depression or trauma from sexual assault may struggle to enjoy sex. People with depression or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find their feelings and enjoyment of sex normalized using small doses of ketamine.
A small dose of ketamine has been found to impact the brain’s chemistry, breaking the loop of negative thoughts associated with anxiety and depression. However, the results of ketamine on the body can vary from person to person, and finding the correct dosage isn’t easy.
Conclusion
For some people, sex on ketamine can be a memorable experience that is certainly worth trying while for others it can become the opposite. If you decide to experiment with Ketamine for sex, try to have realistic expectations about the experience. Be careful with the dose and have a conversation about consent before attempting sex. It may also be a smart idea to avoid experimenting with potentially dangerous and pain-related kinks because ketamine is a known pain reliever.
