I

Waving a chainsaw, performing a Nazi salute, and landing on Mars. Are these the illusions of Elon Musk after taking ketamine?

In February this year, when Musk held a chainsaw high and appeared in a rock - star style at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he stammered and questioned whether there was really gold in the US Treasury. This scene made netizens on X start discussing whether he had taken ketamine before the event. And earlier, he made a controversial Nazi - like salute gesture at a Trump rally, which further intensified people's speculation about his drug use.

This is not the first time that Musk's strange behavior has raised public concerns about his mental state. He once took a flamethrower to an interview with Joe Rogan, the king of podcasts, and the two smoked marijuana together. But that was in 2018, when Musk was just the world's richest man.

In response to these strange actions, The Atlantic published an article in its latest issue in March this year about Musk, who currently serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and holds great power in the Trump administration, regarding his excessive use of ketamine. It said that "drug abuse may give people the illusion of ruling the world." On March 22, the magazine reposted the article on X, triggering a controversy about Musk's excessive use of ketamine.

In fact, this is not the first time that Musk has been reported to have taken ketamine.

In January last year, media such as The Wall Street Journal reported that his use of ketamine had led to a health crisis. And the illegal use of drugs may endanger SpaceX's multi - billion - dollar contracts with the US government.

Not long ago, Musk's biographer, Abramson, wrote in a post on X: "I fully believe that Musk may be crazy." He claimed that Musk's mental health and decision - making ability have been declining.

"Given his admission of mental illness, heavy drug use, and severe stress, there is now reason to worry about his serious condition."

He also claimed that Musk's personal problems could have serious consequences for the public.

Musk's increasingly strange behaviors, such as late - night posts on X, mass emails sent to federal employees, and incoherent remarks on TV, have all raised questions: Is this Musk's true nature, or is it related to his use of ketamine? Over the past few years, the public has been speculating about how much ketamine he has taken, whether he is under the influence of the drug, and how this drug may affect his behavior.

The Atlantic even hinted that the most prominent characteristic of ketamine is that it can make people detached from the surrounding real world. Could Musk's behavior be a side effect of this drug?

II

Musk is reported to have Asperger's syndrome and depression. What is ketamine, and how did it become "K - powder"?

What exactly is wrong with Musk?

On May 8, 2021, Musk publicly announced on Saturday Night Live that he had Asperger's syndrome. He also self - mocked his posts on social media: "I know I sometimes make strange remarks, but that's how my brain works."

In psychiatry, Asperger's syndrome is a special type of "autism spectrum disorder." And what is commonly known as autism is what the public calls "autism."

Asperger's syndrome itself does not directly cause depression, but the problems it brings, such as social difficulties, emotional regulation, and stress - coping challenges, may increase the risk of depression. For an individual like Musk who is in a high - pressure environment, this risk may be even higher.

On June 27 last year, Musk responded in a tweet that he took ketamine only to treat his depression. In an interview with CNN host Don Lemon, Musk said that he had a prescription for ketamine from a practicing doctor and used it about once a week to help relieve his depressive symptoms. When Lemon asked him if he had ever abused ketamine, Musk replied, "I don't think so. If you take too much ketamine, you simply can't get any work done."

Musk said that his condition may be hereditary and not necessarily related to external negative events.

Why does the ketamine that Musk takes arouse wide - spread controversy? Is ketamine a drug?

Ketamine, with the full name of 2 - (2 - chlorophenyl) - 2 - (methylamino) cyclohexanone, is a derivative of phencyclidine (PCP). Since its physical form is usually a white powder and the first letter of its English name is K, it is commonly known as K - powder. In 1970, the United States first used ketamine as a battlefield anesthetic.

In the 1990s, it became a street drug called "Special K," helping people at rave parties enter a state of euphoria. In entertainment venues, K - powder is often mixed with ecstasy. According to users, "ecstasy" containing K - powder has a longer - lasting effect and stronger hallucinogenic ability. Users will shake their heads wildly. Excessive use of K - powder has triggered a drug crisis in the United States. Subsequently, countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have listed it as a controlled drug.

On March 5, 2019, the US FDA approved a drug called Spravato (esketamine hydrochloride nasal spray) for the treatment of treatment - resistant depression, allowing the nasal spray to be used in combination with oral antidepressants.

Long - term use of ketamine will bring the same side effects as K - powder. This is why there has always been a controversy about Musk's use of ketamine.

The clinical applications of ketamine are mainly in three aspects: traditional anesthetic use, emerging antidepressant treatment, and pain management.

As an intravenous anesthetic, ketamine is mainly used for surgical anesthesia or anesthesia induction, especially for pre - operative sedation of children (such as to avoid crying). It is characterized by rapid onset, retaining some spontaneous breathing function, and can be used directly without a ventilator. It has good anesthetic effects, high safety, and wide application.

In recent years, studies have found that low - dose ketamine can quickly relieve the symptoms of treatment - resistant depression, especially in patients with acute suicidal ideation. Low - dose ketamine is also used in postoperative analgesia and chronic pain treatment. However, it may also cause side effects such as dissociative symptoms (such as a sense of reality distortion and hallucinations), loss of behavioral control (such as emotional agitation, decreased judgment, limb incoordination, language confusion, or impulsive aggressive behavior), nightmares, excessive salivation, and increased intracranial pressure.

III

Is ketamine related to delusional thinking? Some suggestions from doctors for Musk

Musk claims that he was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in childhood and revealed that he uses ketamine to treat his depression. His growth experience (such as domestic violence and school bullying) may also have exacerbated his psychological trauma and increased the risk of depression. His personal behavior also seems to have some abnormal manifestations, such as large mood swings, a workaholic tendency, and abnormal actions and remarks, which may be similar to "bipolar disorder," "depression with agitation," or personality abnormalities.

However, there is currently a lack of direct evidence for the medical interpretation of his behavior. There is no public medical report or test to prove that Musk's behavior is directly related to ketamine. His "crazy actions" may involve multiple factors (such as stress, personality traits, other health problems, etc.). Even if Musk uses ketamine to treat his depression, it cannot be simply attributed to the effect of the drug.

The common characteristics of genius entrepreneurs (such as sleep deprivation and the outburst of creativity in a high - pressure environment) may be confounding factors with abnormal behavior. It is also necessary to distinguish the difference between "medical dosage" and "abuse dosage." His behavior needs to be interpreted carefully, and malicious speculation should be avoided.

Speculating on the relationship between an individual's behavior and drugs without testing lacks scientific basis. Media reports should avoid misleading the public into stigmatizing psychiatric drugs.

Long - term abuse of ketamine may lead to cognitive function impairment, personality changes, and mental symptoms, such as paranoia, aggressiveness, and urinary system damage, such as ketamine - related urinary tract disease, bladder contracture, hematuria, and addiction. Strict supervision is required.