Irreversible damage caused by ketamine as mum records son, 19, coming home high as warning to others
Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing
A young lad who was forced into rehab after his drug habit spiralled out of control has urged others to 'reach out for help' amid the so-called ketamine crisis that is gripping the UK.
Daniel Davies, 19, has opened up about how he was hooked on the Class B drug throughout his teenage years, which saw him snort five grams of the stuff a day.
His distraught mother, Julie Williams, documented one of the occasions he came home high on camera, recording some harrowing footage of her son struggling to stand up and speaking incoherently.
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Now he has finally escaped the 'cycle' of addiction after a stint in rehab, Daniel is urging others in the same boat to seek help, while warning of the irreversible damage ketamine can inflict on the body.
"There’s a lot more people than you think going through the same thing," the lad from Warrington, Cheshire, said. "When I was doing it I thought I was the only one, I thought I was on my own - but you’re not. Reach out for help."
The UK government are currently considering reclassifying the popular party drug as a Class A substance after use of the substance reached record highs.
The Home Office say that the prevalence of the drug in England and Wales has 'risen significantly in recent years', despite the devastating impacts it can have on a person's health.
"It can cause serious health problems, such as irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys, and is one of the most detected drugs in incidents of spiking," a report announcing the possible reclassification explained.
Daniel explained that his ketamine habit - which cost him £40 a day - first began when he was 16, a year after he had first tried the substance.
Following the suicide of a close friend, he began using the drug all the time, despite his mum Julie 'trying everything' she could to help him.
Discussing the height of his addiction, Daniel said: "When I was off the drugs, it made me feel like s**t, I hated it, but I couldn’t stop doing it. For everyone else, it was awful – I was just a liability, they always had their eyes on me 24/7."
He recalled how his parent started sleeping on the landing outside of his bedroom door to keep an eye on him, but Julie eventually kicked her son out in the hopes he would get clean.
"She started becoming ill from what I was doing, thinking I was going to kill myself," Daniel said. "I’d tell her I was going to stop, then I’d stop it for like two days and then I’d be back on it again, the cycle just kept going."
His mother wasn't the only one whose health was suffering, though - as the 19-year-old experienced some unfortunate side effects as a result of his excessive ketamine usage.
Daniel explained: "I didn’t get to the point where I was weeing blood, but my wee felt like razor blades on the end of my penis. I would often get constipated, I was doing regular hospital visits – but the hospital can’t really do anything.
"I had stomach cramps, so if I had an extra mouthful when I ate, I’d throw up."
He was even sneaking off to portaloo's while working on construction sites to get his ketamine fix while completing an electrical apprenticeship, which he now realises 'put himself in danger, and other people.'
"I just could not stop using no matter what," Daniel added, revealing he even sold is PlayStation 5 console in exchange for four ounces (113 grams) of the drug at one point.
He finally sought professional help and is now nearly 90 days clean, with Daniel saying he feels '10 times better', while he's also gone from weighing under nine stone to now pushing 11.
Reflecting on his time in rehab, the teenager said: "[My family] kicked me out for a week, and then I thought ‘I can’t do this any more’. I came back and now I think I’m 86 days clean.
"I couldn’t get four days out there, so I had to be taken away, it had to be done.
"I’ve learnt it’s OK to talk, there’s a lot more people going through the same thing you’re going through. Just reach out for help."
Experts have long warned of the havoc ketamine abuse can wreak on the body, with a report from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) warning of damage 'which may be irreversible.'
It explains that long-term use can be 'associated with irreversible damage to the urinary tract, which can lead to renal failure, and cognitive dysfunction.'
Abusing the drug can damage the nasal passageways and sinus cavities for those who ingest it via the nose, impair your sense of smell and destroying the structure of your nose.
The kidney and liver also take a serious beating during chronic ketamine use, which can also lead to urinary tract and bladder problems, such as ketamine-associated cystitis - which causes frequent urination, bladder pain, and in extreme cases, irreversible shrinkage requiring surgical intervention.
It also takes a huge toll on a user's mental health, with people reporting dissociation, memory loss, confusion, paranoia, mood swings and a shorter attention span, among other problems.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week
Topics: UK News, News, Health, Drugs, Mental Health
Olivia Burke