A 27-year-old British woman, Casey Innalls, has revealed the devastating consequences of her ketamine addiction, which left her hospitalised for 12 days and suffering from severe bladder damage.
Recalling her first encounter with the Class B drug at 16, she described feeling as though she was “walking on the moon.” What started as a recreational activity quickly spiralled into a crippling dependency, leading to excruciating pain and life-altering health issues.
Innalls is now one of a growing number of young adults entering rehabilitation due to ketamine abuse. According to Public Health data, ketamine use among 16- to 24-year-olds has seen a marked rise, tripling from 2% in 2005 to over 5% by 2020.
Experts attribute this surge to factors such as the cost of living crisis, which has driven users towards cheaper drugs compared to alcohol and cocaine.
Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT), confirmed an alarming 35% rise in under-30s seeking treatment for ketamine addiction.
He noted a surge in young women seeking help in the past year due to the drug’s severe side effects. “One in three of the young people we treat for ketamine addiction suffers from ‘k-bladder’—a condition that causes the bladder lining to shrink and deteriorate due to prolonged use,” Fernandes said.
Innalls’ battle with addiction reached its peak in 2022 when she found herself using ketamine regularly. “I was getting k-cramps, severe abdominal pain that was absolutely excruciating. It felt like my chest was being crushed,” she recounted.
In a desperate bid for relief, she would resort to taking multiple baths a day and using up to 60 hot water bottles. Eventually, her deteriorating health led to a 12-day hospital stay, where doctors discovered damage to her liver, bile duct, and bladder.
“My bladder was deteriorating, and I was passing bladder tissue in my urine along with protein and experiencing recurring kidney infections,” she said. “If I’d known what it would do to my body, I’d never have touched it.”
Dr Mohammed Belal, a consultant urologist representing the British Association of Urological Surgeons, warned that ketamine users often only become aware of the severe risks once the damage is irreversible, frequently necessitating major surgery.
He highlighted that ketamine’s dissociative and pain-relieving properties make users oblivious to the harm it causes. “People fail to connect the dots,” Dr Belal explained. “They suffer pain from ketamine use, but since it also numbs pain, they take more, worsening the damage.”
The rapid rise in ketamine addiction has been exacerbated by various social factors, including pandemic-induced isolation, delays in mental health services, and financial pressures.
Scott Ardley, senior treatment adviser at Rehabs UK, noted the increase in young people turning to ketamine: “It wasn’t a daily occurrence years ago, but now it’s comparable to alcohol as a dominant drug among youth.”
Fernandes raised concerns over the ease of access, revealing that ketamine is now being sold near schools at low prices. “This country is at a crisis point when it comes to ketamine,” he said.
For Innalls, her addiction nearly led her to give up hope. “I reached a point where I didn’t want to live anymore. I accepted that my addiction was going to kill me,” she shared.
After reaching out to her local drug and alcohol support service, she made the decision to enter a rehabilitation facility, where she is now over 50 days sober. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “Admitting you are powerless over your addiction and asking for help is the most significant step.”
