# Ketamine

12 Hacker News commenters recommended Ketamine and 5 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend ketamine for rapid relief from depression, often calling it better than SSRIs. Critics say it is costly, helps only some people, and causes bladder damage and addiction.

## Why people recommend it

- Fast, noticeable relief from symptoms (3 comments): "clinical ketamine use has been borderline magical in readily perceptible improvements" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48972122)) "IV Ketamine can yield not only immediate relief in a chemical sense" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47081796)) "ketamin and legal meth can return you to being a functional and happy human" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48325535))
- Useful bridge or alternative to SSRIs (2 comments): "They're not good long-term options though, so they're best used to start treatment as a bridge to SSRI efficacy." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49473302)) "are all significantly better than handing someone an SSRI" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49475569))
- Low side effects when used responsibly (2 comments): "previous promising success with what I understand to be low risk side effects" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48209975)) "Ketamine is a pretty safe drug when used responsibly and occasionally" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48810001))

## What people warn about

- Bladder damage and incontinence (3 comments): "not as destructive to every cell in the body. Except your bladder." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46897795)) "Most Ketamine users are unaware that even occasional usage causes untreatable ulcerative cystitis" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49233294)) "also can give you chronic incontinence" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47245523))
- Addiction and overdose risks (2 comments): "Ketamine treats symptoms and is more like a bandaid from what I see, and comes with its own problems (addiction)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48971219)) "without stating its OD dangers giving it the appearance of a safe alternative" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48808946))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Prozac](https://hackerapproved.com/p/prozac.md): 12 recommend
- [Bupropion](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bupropion.md): 12 recommend
- [Lexapro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lexapro.md): 8 recommend
- [Fluoxetine](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fluoxetine.md): 6 recommend
- [Wellbutrin](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wellbutrin.md): 6 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Ketamine", https://hackerapproved.com/p/ketamine/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).