Elon Musk defended his use of ketamine in a newly released interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, arguing that from an investor standpoint, “If there’s something I’m taking, I should keep taking it.”
In the interview, Lemon confirmed with Musk that he is prescribed ketamine by a doctor, asking what the drug is used for by the billionaire.
“I mean, it’s pretty private to ask somebody about a medical prescription,” Musk replied.
However, the billionaire then explained that he suffers from a “negative chemical state in my in my brain, like depression,” which ketamine is used to treat.
“Ketamine is helpful for getting one outside out of a negative frame of mind,” Musk added. “I’m not a doctor, but I would say if someone has depression issues, they should consider talking to the doctors about ketamine instead of SSRIs.”
“Do you feel like you ever abuse it?” Lemon questioned.
Musk denied abusing the drug and said, “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done… I don’t really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time.”
When asked if he suffers from bouts of depression, Musk said, “I wouldn’t say I have a case of extended depression. It’s just once in a while I get into a negative sort of chemical mindset, once in a while. It’s not a common thing.”
Lemon then asked whether Musk was concerned that his ketamine use may prevent government contracts or worry Wall Street.
“Well, from a standpoint of Wall Street, what matters is execution. Are you building value for investors?” Musk responded. “Tesla is worth about as much as the rest of the car industry combined, from nothing, so that’s pretty good.”
The billionaire continued, “From an investor’s standpoint, if there’s something I’m taking, I should keep taking it,” referencing Tesla’s continued success.
Musk also noted that the reason he revealed his ketamine prescription on X was the prospect of helping others become more familiar with treatments for depression outside the realm of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
