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COURTNEY Leggett was only 16 years old when she began using ketamine at illegal raves.
Within two years, the former social worker from Lincolnshire was using it “all day, every day.”
Courtney was just 16 when she first started taking ketamine at illegal ravesCredit: Kennedy News
Video footage of a dazed Courtney sitting in a bathtub, slurring her words while using the drugCredit: Kennedy News
“It completely dominated my life,” said the now 26-year-old mother.
“I would set alarms in the middle of the night just to have a line.”
At the peak of her addiction, Courtney was consuming up to 25 grams a day, spending her £2,000 salary on the drug.
In 2019, four years into her addiction, she began experiencing “excruciating” pain.
Initially, she thought the pain was due to a urinary tract infection (UTI), which affects the urinary system, including the bladder and kidneys.
However, as time passed, Courtney began losing control of her bladder and had to wear diapers.
“I felt so ashamed, especially becoming incontinent at such a young age in my early 20s,” she explained.
While working as a support worker, she had a realization when she found herself changing her own diapers while also changing the incontinence aids of residents.
“I thought, ‘These men and women are in their late 70s and 80s, and I'm only in my early 20s. What have I done to myself?’” she added.
She was relying on ketamine, also known as 'K' or 'ket', to numb her kidney and bladder pain during night shifts, which ultimately led to her dismissal after staff raised concerns.
Courtney's addiction left her bedridden for days.
“I would just lie in bed and wet myself,” she said.
“I’d remain in it for days. It’s disgusting, but I was in so much pain.”
When Courtney’s mother noticed a foul smell in her bedroom, she attributed it to their three cats.
Eventually, Courtney began using ketamine to alleviate her pain at night, setting alarms to ensure she woke up before the discomfort took hold.
It was only when she became pregnant with her 15-month-old son in November 2023 that she considered getting help.
However, she relapsed in April 2025 after the tragic loss of a second baby.
The mother, now 26, is finally sober and wants to raise awareness about the dangers of the drugCredit: Kennedy News
“Ketamine was the only thing that could numb my thoughts, feelings, and pain,” she explained.
However, when a concerned family member alerted the police, social services threatened to take her child away.
“The fear of losing my little boy terrified me and pushed me to seek help.”
‘Riddled with a Disease of Addiction’
Years of attending various appointments led her to be privately referred to a urologist, who informed her that she would likely need her bladder removed and a catheter bag fitted.
Courtney stated, “It was a huge shock. I had been preparing for that possibility for a long time, but hearing it was a real blow.”
Now sober, Courtney aims to raise awareness about the dangers of ketamine.
Courtney expressed, “I’m incredibly proud of myself. For the first time in 10 years, I’ve woken up without an obsession. There’s no way I’ll go back, and I won’t stop fighting.”
“I understand it’s not easy to quit, as many people will tell you. But reach out to someone, your local drug services, or a GP. If they dismiss you, seek a second opinion.”
She added, “We know as addicts that we are unwell. We may appear fine on the outside, but inside we are damaged, doomed, poisoned, and afflicted with a disease of addiction.
“If I can prevent even one person from reaching the point I did, that would mean everything to me.”
Courtney’s addiction left her in severe painCredit: Kennedy News
