Owen Bowden-Jones noted a significant rise in young people using ketamine, indicating a troubling trend of self-medication for emotional distress being tied to difficulties accessing mental health services.
The statistics show a noteworthy increase in young individuals seeking treatment for ketamine addiction, doubling from 1,140 in 2019 to 2,211 in 2023 at NHS drug and alcohol services.
Bowden-Jones highlighted a distinct group of young patients who turn to ketamine, often following traumatic experiences, due to its dissociative qualities which serve as effective emotional anesthetics.
The rise in inquiries about ketamine addiction reflects a broader issue, with reports indicating that private rehabs have seen a substantial percentage of cases tied to this drug.
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