Leon’s story: Hope, recovery and life beyond ketamine

Leon, 25, is sharing his journey of recovery from ketamine addiction through the ‘Forget The Ket’ campaign, hoping to inspire others who may be struggling with ketamine use to reach out for support.

Leon was first introduced to ketamine at university by other people. Over time, his use changed from recreational to problematic, driven by past trauma and mental health challenges.

To Leon, ketamine felt like stepping into a world of confusion and paranoia:

“As a tranquilliser, you‘re very powerless, very vulnerable when on it. It’s very unpredictable. You never really know how it's going to turn out.

“My experience was it's like sort of the walls were closing in, whatever room I was in was like a small sort of claustrophobic box. The walls would shift. It made me very paranoid. I'd be confused about what was going on.

"I very quickly had sort of a physical dependence on it. I'd get withdrawals, sweating, shaking, headaches. Also I'd get nosebleeds, it's quite harsh on your nostrils."

Once Leon recognised that his ketamine use was causing him harm and that he was struggling with addiction, he made the decision to seek help and begin his recovery. He said:

“Since stopping, I don't have that emotional distress, that constant thinking about it, planning, stressing about how I'm going to get more or how I'm going to function. I don't show up to work still on the effects of it. I'm able to function, have mental clarity and be present.”

He found support through 12‑step programmes, particularly Narcotics Anonymous:

"I found my recovery through 12 steps support groups, and that was the best decision I've made. For me it's been Narcotics Anonymous and that's completely changed my life. That's been what's kept me clean and has given me a reason to want to live, to strive to live and to work on myself and to connect with others and be a part of society."

Recovery has transformed Leon’s life in ways he never imagined, helping him rebuild and strengthen relationships:

“I’ve made amends and I've reformed close friendships and they’re stronger than they ever were. I'm able to communicate better and accept support more.”

He added: “My life now, it's beyond anything I could have imagined. I'm not a millionaire, I don't have a car or have a crazy, extravagant life, but I have everything I need. I'm stable, I've got a roof over my head. I'm now on the road, I have a driving license, I can work, I can volunteer. I’m trusted, I'm reliable and less emotionally unstable. It's still an ongoing journey, but I'm looking forward to a future of continuing to be a better version of myself.”

Looking back, Leon wishes he had known more about ketamine and associated risks:

“In hindsight, I wish I knew how addictive ketamine was and how badly it would combine with other substances. I was told by someone that it wasn't addictive in their opinion and so I had nothing to worry about, but that very much wasn't the case. It's very addictive. It's very widespread.”

He now volunteers with Clarity, Dorset’s Lived Experience Recovery Organisation (LERO), helping others on their recovery journey:

“I’ve joined Clarity. I was given the details by someone I know also in recovery and basically sounded ideal, the exact kind of thing I wanted to do. I wanted to get into helping people in addiction, recovering from addiction. And I loved the sound of the personal touch, the lived experience side of it, focusing on stigma, things like that just struck a chord with me. I was very enthusiastic about being a part of it.”

Hear more of Leon’s story on our YouTube channel.

Support for ketamine use

If you're worried about someone's ketamine or other drug use, free and confidential support is available.

• If you live in the Dorset Council area, contact Reach on 0800 043 4656
• If you live in the BCP Council area, contact WithYou on 01202 558855

Both services offer tailored support around ketamine use, including advice for individuals as well as friends and family affected by someone’s drug use. If speaking to someone feels difficult right now, you can complete an online form and someone will contact you confidentially.