Musk reveals drug use

The SpaceX CEO has said he uses “a small amount” of ketamine to treat depression

Space travel tycoon Elon Musk has opened up about his struggle with depression, telling broadcaster Don Lemon that he uses ketamine to get out of a “negative frame of mind.” Musk’s critics have long accused him of abusing narcotics.

In an interview aired on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Lemon asked Musk whether he would ever consume drugs or alcohol before making “controversial” social media posts. Musk denied ever taking recreational drugs – except for a “puff” of marijuana with podcast host Joe Rogan in 2018 – but explained why he has been prescribed ketamine, which is a Schedule III controlled substance in the US.

“There are times when I have sort of a… negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I guess… depression that’s not linked to any negative news, and ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mind,” Musk told Lemon. 

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A growing body of scientific research suggests that ketamine – most commonly used as a veterinary anesthetic – could be effective at treating depression as an alternative to SSRIs like Escitalopram (Lexapro) and Fluoxetine (Prozac). The drug also shows promise in treating migraines, bipolar disorder, and Huntington’s disease, among other conditions.

Musk told Lemon that he uses “a small amount once every other week or something like that” and has a prescription from “an actual, real doctor.” 

Asked whether he abuses the substance, Musk said that he doesn’t. “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done,” he said. “I’m typically putting in 16-hour days… so I don’t really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time.” 

Citing Musk’s associates and business partners, the Wall Street Journal and New Yorker have both run articles accusing the tycoon of using a range of illicit drugs. According to a pair of Wall Street Journal reports earlier this year, Musk regularly binged on LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, and magic mushrooms, sometimes with Tesla and SpaceX executives. “People close to Musk,” the paper claimed in January, are “concerned [his drug use] could cause a health crisis” or jeopardize SpaceX’s government contracts.

Musk denied the claims, declaring that the newspaper is “not fit to line a parrot cage.” 

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Prior to the interview with Lemon, Musk had only briefly mentioned his ketamine use. In a tweet last year, the billionaire wrote that he had “serious concerns about SSRIs, as they tend to zombify people.” 

“Occasional use of Ketamine is a much better option,” he continued, adding: “I have a prescription for when my brain chemistry sometimes goes super negative.”