Pete Davidson Reveals He's Tried Ketamine To Cope With Depression

News of psychedelics and who is using them keeps making headlines. From athletes and Silicon Valley executives to next-door neighbors, an increasing number of people are trying these substances in the hopes of getting relief from unendurable mental health conditions. 

Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes is home to some great suffering as well (see recent reveal by one of Charlie’s Angels.) The latest to come out is SNL star Pete Davidson. On his opening set at Dave Chappelle’s 50th-anniversary party, Davidson announced he was using ketamine to treat his depression.

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Before dropping this news to the Madison Square Garden audience on August 26, Davidson had already been vocal about his struggles with depression and addictions. 

The witty comedian apparently engaged in self-medicating with ketamine following a recent time in rehab while struggling with PTSD and borderline personality disorder, according to Page Six, which contacted Davidson’s publicist, who said he “is not on ketamine.”

Nonetheless, a friend of Davidson later confirmed the fact. 

Ketamine And Depression

Ketamine’s inclusion within the “psychedelic” category is somewhat arguable, as the substance provokes similar yet distinct effects from “classical” psychedelic substances like MDMA, psilocybin or LSD. 

Further, ketamine currently holds a legal status and is quite extensively prescribed off-label for treating major depression and anxiety, among other conditions. Its FDA-approved format to date is Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ nasal spray, Spravato. 

In countries like Brazil, the clinical data emerging from treatments is “overwhelming” according to Beneva Clinics CEO, Marco Algorta.

“Patients seeking ketamine treatments come from at least two years of conventional treatments without improvement,” Algorta told Benzinga. “Of this universe of patients, 56% achieve a total remission of their depression and 76%, evidenced by the depression scales applied to patients before and after treatments, have a significant improvement.”

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