- Requests for ketamine addiction treatment at Priory have increased by more than 500%
- New report by the BMJ confirms rise
- Dr Omair Ahmed, consultant psychiatrist at Priory Hospital Woodbourne, calls for ‘urgent measures to improve public awareness’
A Priory consultant psychiatrist has issued an urgent call for action to improve public awareness of the harms of ketamine use.
The appeal follows a new report by the British Medical Journal which confirms that non-prescribed ketamine use is rising in the UK.
Dr Omair Ahmed, a Priory consultant psychiatrist who supports addiction patients at Priory Hospital Woodbourne in Birmingham, said: “Ketamine misuse is increasing at an alarming rate.
At Priory, we have seen a 500% increase in people seeking support for ketamine addiction since 2019.
Dr Ahmed warned of the dangers of taking ketamine, which is a highly addictive substance.
He said: “Typically, people seeking support for ketamine use are younger than with other substances such as alcohol or cocaine, partly because it tends to be more affordable.
“The long-term effects, both physically and psychologically, can be catastrophic, including permanent bladder damage as well as anxiety and mood disorders.
“Nationally, measures to improve public awareness are critical and urgent.”
Priory provides a free addiction assessment for people seeking support for ketamine mis-use.