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Ketamine Dangers and Therapy Support in Leeds
Hi , Its Mark here from Start Recovery in Leeds, UK.
Please take 5 mins to reflect on this fact - the fact that ketamine usage in our young ones is becoming an unavoidable topic that everyone is talking about. Ketamine users entering treatment in 2023-24 was over eight times higher than just 9 years previously. (UK GOVT statistics Nov 24). No other substance of misuse has ever risen in prevalance that quickly in this country.
I have been working with ketamine users in Leeds for the last 10 years and there is another “wave” of ketamine misuse at the moment with many 14-25 year olds being affected. 7 to 10 years ago I may have seen a handful of ketamine users in proportion to the percentage of drug and alcohol users that I saw as clients. Over the last 5 years this has increased dramatically with probably around 30 percent of my clients that I see now on a day-to-day basis are experiencing ketamine addiction. The choice of ketamine over cocaine and other substances by young people is mainly due to the low price point this particular drug holds at the present time.
I see a large number of 35 to 45 year old ketamine clients, (mainly male), and also a lot of 18 to 25 year old people who are struggling with ketamine use in the Leeds and Yorkshire area. A whole generation seems to have dodged ketamine in the main, and in it's place M-Cat was the drug of choice for a lot of young people in West Yorkshire for a decade. Maybe that's where the correlation lies? A strong similarity with the constant cyclical nature of popular culture and youth culture, music and fashions….synths for 10 years, guitars for 10 years, synths for 10 years etc.
Why Is Ketamine Spreading So Fast?
A decade ago, ketamine was largely associated with festivals and niche club culture. Today it is being used in parks, at house parties, and even in school toilets across West Yorkshire. Several factors are driving this:
Price. At around £10 a gram — and sometimes as little as £3 when bought in bulk — it is cheaper than many weekend drinking sessions.
Perception of safety. Because ketamine has genuine medical uses as an anaesthetic, many young people assume it carries less risk than drugs like heroin or cocaine. This is a dangerous misconception.
Mental health self-medication. A 2025 study found that 58.8% of people with ketamine use disorder also had a diagnosed mental health condition, with many using it to temporarily numb anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma.
Availability. It is widely accessible across Leeds city centre, the university areas, and surrounding towns — obtainable through social networks rather than traditional street dealing.
Usually a ketamine habit starts as occasional weekend use but can quite quickly turn into an all weekend long depedency. Tolerance quickly builds up as users need more and more ketamine which can lead to physical damage in the body (probably a lot more damage than we currently report on), and in some cases can lead to bladder removal. Ketamine is sticky, it is crystalline and it clings to the inside of your nose, your sinuses and your internal cartilage and all other inner workings, especially your bladder and urinary tract.
If you are worried about ketamine use in your family, contact me now for advice
Here Mark Franklin from Start Recovery in Leeds Talks about ketamine misuse and some of the dangers with Rima Ahmed on BBC Radio Leeds.
Ketamine - Some Of The Risks, Physical & Psychological
Ketamine, often associated with the rave scene, is a powerful anesthetic with dissociative properties. While it can produce euphoric effects, it's crucial to understand the significant risks associated with its use.
Dangers of Ketamine Use:
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Bladder Problems: One of the most serious long-term risks is bladder damage. Ketamine can cause inflammation and even bladder necrosis (tissue death). Symptoms include frequent urination, pain, and blood in the urine. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
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Cognitive Impairment: Ketamine can impair cognitive function, including memory, learning, and concentration. These effects can be long-lasting and even permanent.
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Psychological Risks: Ketamine can induce intense and disturbing hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, and distorted perceptions of reality. These effects can be frightening and may trigger underlying mental health conditions.
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Overdose: Overdosing on ketamine can lead to respiratory depression, coma, and even death.
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Addiction: Ketamine is highly addictive, and withdrawal symptoms can be severe, including anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
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Physical Risks: * Increased heart rate and blood pressure
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Difficulty breathing
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Nausea and vomiting
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Seizures
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Remember: * The safest course of action is to avoid ketamine altogether.
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If you choose to use ketamine, do so with extreme caution and in a safe and controlled environment.
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Be aware of the potential risks and have a plan in case of an emergency.
Leeds is one of the UK's largest cities and home to two major universities with a combined student population of over 60,000. Its vibrant nightlife, combined with the pressures of student life, financial stress, and post-pandemic mental health challenges, have created conditions in which ketamine use has flourished.
Treatment providers across West Yorkshire have reported rising referrals specifically linked to ketamine. The pattern we see at Start Recovery mirrors the national picture: young people aged 16–28 are the primary demographic, often presenting not because of the drug use itself but because of the emotional pain that preceded it.
The government reclassified ketamine from Class C to Class B in 2014, and in January 2025 the Home Office announced it was seeking expert advice on whether a further reclassification to Class A was warranted. Whatever the legal outcome, the clinical reality in Leeds is already serious.
The Leeds Picture
The Trauma Connection
At Start Recovery, our integrative approach means we look beyond the substance to the person holding it. In our experience, ketamine is rarely the presenting problem — it is almost always a solution to something else.
The drug's dissociative properties make it particularly compelling for people carrying trauma, chronic anxiety, or depression. The temporary relief it offers — that feeling of being 'outside' of painful thoughts and sensations — is not chosen randomly. It is chosen because it works, in the short term, in a way that nothing else has.
This is why confronting ketamine use without addressing the underlying emotional landscape rarely leads to sustained recovery. Our approach draws on trauma-informed practice, including the work of Dr Gabor Maté and Polyvagal theory, to help clients understand the 'why' behind their use — and to find safer, more sustainable ways to regulate."