Los Angeles, Aug 30 (IANS): Actor Pete Davidson reportedly has told his audience at Madison Square Garden, where he was warming up for Dave Chappelle, 50, he's been using the horse tranquiliser - prompting speculation it is part of his treatments for depression.

A friend of Pete's, when they were checked by 'Page Six', confirmed he has not just been using "a bit" of the drug, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The party substance was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a nasal spray - which 'Page Six' says is the way Pete is taking it - in 2019, and it's increasingly common as a way to treat serious depression that hasn't been improved with more typical drugs.

Pete has regularly opened up about his mental health battles, and told Charlamagne tha God, 45, in a 2022 YouTube interview, "I'm always depressed, all the time. I have to constantly bring myself out of it. I wake up depressed. My rock bottom is when people are scared for my life and I have to go away, and then I have to bring myself back up again. I think I've hit it a few times."

Ketamine is notorious for plunging abusers into a zombie-like "K-hole" state, and is used in veterinary medicine as well as a human anaesthetic. But its use as an antidepressant has been hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of mental health disorders by experts.

Pete - who is said to have just split up with actress Chase Sui Wonders, 27, after they were dating for nine months - recently finished a stint in rehab as he was reportedly dealing with PTSD and borderline personality issues.

He is set to start his new tour on September 5 at Connecticut's Ridgefield Playhouse, and will be joined on some of his dates by friends John Mulaney, 41, and 60-year-old Jon Stewart.