'It starts as a night out and can turn into addiction’ – rise in ketamine cases at Luton rehab clinic

Liberty House, which provides addiction treatment and clinical support in Luton, says it has treated people as young as 18 for ketamine addiction.

Staff say they see a connection between ketamine addiction, mental-health difficulties and trauma, while clients can have serious physical health problems linked to their drug use.

Natasha Bothwell, centre manager at Liberty House, said around 90 per cent of the centre's ketamine clients have experimented with the drug while still at school.

And she said the centre estimates around 90 per cent of its ketamine-addicted clients have ADHD, either diagnosed or undiagnosed.

Some clients are assessed for ADHD after arriving at the centre, while staff say trauma, anxiety and depression can also be factors in addiction.

Natasha said: “It is not something to deal with alone.

“A lot of people who come to us have experienced trauma; that is why they have some sort of addiction, to cope.”

One of Liberty House’s success stories is a 20-year-old university student who spent 28 days at the centre before overcoming their addiction and returning to university.

Taylor, a therapist at Liberty House, said: “We are big at the beginning of someone’s story and journey of addiction and turning their life around.”

She said addiction can have a major impact on people’s confidence, relationships and family lives.

“It really strips people of their confidence and affects their work and family dynamics,” she said.

Severe bladder damage, dissociation and nerve pain are among the most common symptoms among clients with ketamine addiction, Natasha explained.

She said: “Ketamine bladder is a major issue, especially for clients who want to stay at the house because they are constantly having to go to the toilet.”

Liberty House staff also report seeing anxiety, depression, dissociation, drug-induced psychosis, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and blackouts among some clients.

Natasha said: “Addiction can be an expression of mental health.”

She welcomed plans for new mental-health support centres in Luton as part of a £343 million investment across the East of England.

She said: “That will be fantastic for mental health. People need somewhere to go to receive mental-health support rather than relying on A&E.”

Ketamine’s low cost and accessibility can make it particularly attractive and often overlooked as risky by younger users because they do not necessarily experience immediate negative effects from the drug.

Natasha said: “Ketamine is cheap, it helps you forget and it is easily accessible.”

“It is always seen on social media, and it is seen as a festival drug. Addiction to ketamine is more common than you think.”

The clinic uses individual and group therapy, family sessions and workshops to help clients address the causes of their addiction as well as dependency itself.

Family therapy has proven to help repair relationships damaged by addiction between family and loved ones.

“We have family therapy where parents or loved ones can come in, and we help set up those conversations between former or reformed addicts and their loved ones,” Taylor said.

Treatment is followed by aftercare, with Liberty House helping clients prepare for life outside the clinic, including arranging GP appointments.

Natasha said: “It doesn’t stop when you leave.”

Liberty House says its approach is “heavily clinically driven”, with non-judgemental support aimed at helping clients rebuild their lives as well as overcome addiction.

New Government figures show 5,365 people started treatment for ketamine use in England in 2024/25, more than 12 times the figure recorded in 2014/15.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) found 20 to 24-year-olds are the age group most likely to use ketamine, while an estimated 120,000 people aged 16 to 24 reported using the drug in the year ending March 2025.

UKAT, which stands for UK Addiction Treatment Centres, also reports that 3.8 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds used ketamine in 2022/23, around three times the level recorded a decade earlier.

The ACMD says long-term ketamine use can damage the bladder, upper urinary tract, kidneys, abdomen, liver and bile ducts.

It has called for better support for people experiencing ketamine use disorders, particularly children and young adults, alongside treatment for the physical harms associated with prolonged use.

Liberty House has a dedicated guide covering the signs and symptoms of ketamine addiction and how to help yourself or a loved one.