Entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and Twitter Elon Musk takes ketamine in small doses daily to treat his depression occasionally taking full doses of the popular club drug Special K when attending parties and events, according to a recent report.
These claims shed light on a growing trend among Silicon Valley executives who engage in the recreational use of psychedelics, purportedly to boost business performance and creativity, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Ketamine, a tranquilizer with hallucinogenic properties often prescribed by veterinarians, has gained popularity as an alternative treatment for depression.
Musk, who microdoses ketamine for depression, reportedly endorses his beliefs. In a tweet, he stated that “Depression is overdiagnosed in the US, but for some people, it really is a brain chemistry issue. But zombifying people with SSRIs for sure happens way too much. From what I’ve seen with friends, ketamine taken occasionally is a better option.”
Depression is overdiagnosed in the US, but for some people it really is a brain chemistry issue.But zombifying people with SSRIs for sure happens way too much. From what I’ve seen with friends, ketamine taken occasionally is a better option.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 27, 2023
The alleged use of ketamine by Musk has sparked a conversation about the potential benefits of psychedelic substances in treating mental health issues.
Other entrepreneurs take ketamine
Wall Street executives are said to pay substantial amounts to receive ketamine injections at a high-end Manhattan clinic, indicating the growing interest in these unconventional treatments.
The report also revealed that Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and a close friend of Musk, has experimented with magic mushrooms, which contain the hallucinogenic compound psilocybin. Clinical trials have shown that psilocybin and LSD may offer therapeutic benefits for depression and other mental health conditions.
The Wall Street Journal’s investigation further highlighted the existence of an underground culture within the tech industry, where chemists are employed and drugs such as ecstasy and hallucinogens are obtained from dealers for social gatherings and parties.
Founders Fund, a prominent San Francisco-based venture capital firm co-founder Peter Theil, was reportedly involved in organizing exclusive parties that included psychedelic drug use.
A spokesperson for the firm expressed support for making these drugs legally available, citing research that indicates significant mental health benefits associated with psychedelics.
While some individuals, like Spencer Shulem, CEO of BuildBetter.ai, credit substances like LSD for enhancing concentration and creative thinking, it is important to note that these executives do not actively encourage drug use among their employees.
“They don’t want a normal person, a normal company,” Shulem said about VC firms. “They want something extraordinary. You’re not born extraordinary.”
