'I was using ketamine every day at height of addiction - I'm still in pain today'

A woman from Aberdeenshire is raising funds for local support groups following a battle with ketamine addiction.

Ellie Wight from Drumoak started using ketamine recreationally during Covid, but began to develop a daily habit of using the Class-B drug.

The 23-year-old had also smoked cannabis daily for a period, but says she found ketamine was “very cheap” and easy to access.

Ketamine is passed out of the body through urine and can damage the bladder, making it sore and stiff.

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Ketamine use can block the tubes that go from the kidneys to the bladder, and can lead to kidney failure.

In 2023, Ellie started her road to recovery but has suffered relapses. She has been clean for almost eight months.

She told STV News: “I wasn’t aware of the damage it does to your bladder. When I first started going to the GP for issues I was having, they didn’t know what to do,”

“The pain is unimaginable that you get from it at the point when you’re not able to get your ‘fix’ as they say, because you’re in so much pain.

“I was going to the loo every two to five minutes. It’s like ‘What am I even doing this for?”

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She started a support group called SSKR (Safe Space Ketamine Recovery), aimed at helping young adults who are struggling with addiction.

She says the people coming to the support group are “getting younger”.

She added: “It’s a safe space. I’ve been through it, back and forth with it, and for people to be walking through the door they are admitting they’ve got an issue.

“It’s about community. It’s important to have an ear – someone who has been through it to listen to your experience.

“It can be quite embarrassing when you’ve got bladder issues from it. To not feel judged and have a safe space is important.”

Ellie is fundraising for both SSKR and AIR (Aberdeen in Recovery), including taking on a 96-mile walk of the West Highland Way with her boyfriend in July.

She said: “I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am right now, the struggle I’ve had with it.

“I drove home from group a few weeks ago and it was the first time I actually felt proud of myself.

“I want to get as much awareness out there for young people struggling with addiction, not just ketamine, to let them know they’re not alone.”

You can view Ellie’s fundraiser here and support is available through SSKR here.

You can also visit Aberdeen In Recovery’s website to learn more here.

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