Elon Musk 'takes ketamine to deal with depression'

According to the report, Musk told people he was «microdosing» the stuff. According to the report, Musk has told friends that he takes ketamine to cope with depression.

The richest man in the world also takes doses of a psychedelic-like substance at parties, witnesses told the Wall Street Journal.< /p>

Musk has previously called for the promotion of psychedelics and ketamine as alternatives to prescribed antidepressants, along with many of the drug's supporters in Silicon Valley.

Ketamine is a controlled substance in the US and can only be legally administered by injection at a doctor's office or in clinic, mainly as an anesthetic.

Mr Musk previously faced scrutiny after smoking marijuana on a podcast in 2018. The drug is legal in California but illegal federally, raising questions about his rocket company SpaceX's contracts with NASA.

Mr. Musk and SpaceX employees have been subjected to regular drug tests since the incident, he said.

Ketamine, commonly known as a party drug, has exploded in use in recent years, with more people using the substance to treat depression, and clinics popping up in US cities.

Mr. Musk told people he «microdoses» the substance, according to the report. Microdosing—taking small amounts of substances such as ketamine or LSD—is regularly touted in Silicon Valley as a way to increase productivity or creativity, or cure depression and anxiety.

Steve Jobs is open about using LSD. , and Justin Zhu, co-founder of marketing startup Iterable, was fired as CEO in 2021 for microdosing at work.

Mr. Musk has supported the benefits of ketamine in the past. Last year he tweeted: “I have spoken to many other people who have been helped by psychedelics & ketamine than SSRIs and amphetamines,” he tweeted last year.

He also said that “people should be open to psychedelics,” and his longtime friend David Marglin said he was on «soft exploration journey» with a billionaire.

On Tuesday, Musk tweeted: “People are being brainwashed with SSRIs for sure too often. From what I've seen from friends, taking ketamine from time to time is the best option.» Mr Musk did not directly respond to the Wall Street Journal report or request for comment.

There is growing clinical interest in using ketamine to treat depression and several private providers in the UK are offering it, although this may not be prescribed in the NHS. The National Institute of Health and Excellence, which approves drugs for use in the NHS, phased out ketamine nasal spray last year.