My daughter was killed at 25 by her secret ketamine addiction. These are the horrific symptoms she kept hidden from me – and why I’m furious at the lack of support she got from the NHS

A heartbroken mother has revealed her devastation after her daughter died aged 25 while on the waiting list to get help for her ‘hidden’ ketamine addiction.

Beth Ashton form Skelmersdale, Lancashire started using the class B drug to help cope after she lost her baby Roman in a traumatic stillbirth at 38 weeks.

But the pharmacy worker, who was ‘vibrant’ and known for her ‘sharp humour and selfless spirit’ kept her addiction hidden from those around her, with her mother believing she was ‘coping brilliantly’ from the devastating loss of baby Roman. 

She kept her weight loss hidden by wearing baggy clothes and it wasn’t until months later her mother discovered the truth – Beth was spending £60 a day on the drug.

Her mother Natalie Ashton, 44,  only grew concerned when her daughter began complaining of stomach cramps in August 2024 – but she believed the pain was related to her pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy. 

But over the next three months, Beth dropped to just five stone and became fully incontinent – a side-effect of chronic ketamine usage is that it can affect the lining of the bladder. 

‘Ketamine destroyed my life and my family. It robbed me of my baby’ Natalie said.  

‘I feel so angry that there isn’t more awareness about this drug.

Beth Ashton (pictured) died due to complications associated with ketamine use after a six-year battle with the class-B party drug 

‘Ketamine is so cheap and so available. It’s a slow killer, it’s destroying the body before people even know they have a problem.  

‘She had to have triage meetings to get her referrals. She was just waiting for them to get in touch and say what the next step was [when she died].

‘She was no further forward. There needs to be some access to a quick rehab centre.

Natalie said her daughter took the substance, which gave her a ‘boost’ on nights out with friends, as a coping mechanism after the death of her baby Roman while 38 weeks pregnant in 2018.  

Despite being admitted to hospital that month and her mother ‘fighting to get her support’ through September and October, Beth remained on a waiting list for addiction services.

However, by November she was ‘no further on’ in getting the support she needed.

On November 9 her father found her dead at home.

‘Her little body just gave out,’ Natalie said. 

Natalie now wants to warn other parents about the dangers of this ‘killer’ drug.

Beth’s mother, Natalie Ashton (left), was shocked when her daughter confided in her about her addiction when she was admitted to hospital with stomach cramps in August 2024

‘The pain is unbearable. 

‘I’ve spoken to other mums and people are waiting 18 months to get their kids into a rehab centre.

‘She was admitted to hospital in August. I was fighting to get support in place for her in September. But by November, just weeks later, Beth was gone.

‘The system was too slow, too complicated, and too unprepared to deal with ketamine addiction. The support was simply not good enough.’

Natalie says that she believes ketamine initially helped Beth get a ‘positive mindspace’ after the loss of her baby at 38 weeks pregnant.

‘It was Beth’s dream to be a mum. It would’ve been my first grandchild. 

‘I knew Beth would’ve been a really good mum.

‘That was taken away from her and I think that’s where it all started to go wrong.

‘I think initially ketamine helped her get into a positive mindspace. 

‘She wasn’t using it before having Roman as far as I’m aware.

‘I think she started going out with her friends and it started as a recreational thing, then she realised it helped her with her mental health.

Beth started taking the drug as a ‘way to cope’ after losing her baby at 38 weeks, her mother said 

‘It made her feel good before creeping into daily use. It gave her this boost before she became reliant on it.

‘Then she started having bouts of serious pains, which we now know would’ve been ketamine cramps.

‘But we didn’t know she was using. We thought the cramps were lasting damage from the pre-eclampsia [she had while pregnant].

‘The horrible thing about ketamine is it causes this severe pain and the only thing that gets rid of that pain is to use again. It’s a vicious cycle.’

As Beth’s health began deteriorating, she confided in Natalie about her long-term addiction to ketamine.

Natalie said the drug ‘sucked the life’ out of her daughter, which left her ‘extremely thin and frail’ before her sudden death in November last year.

Natalie said: ‘She was so high-functioning, I just didn’t know. I was shocked she was able to hide it from people for so long.

‘Last summer, she went extremely thin. In August, she was in the hospital and just broke down and told me she had an addiction.

Beth was left incontinent and weighing just five stone due to her ketamine use 

‘She couldn’t hide it at this point, she was so thin. My four-year-old weighed more than her.

‘It just sucked the life out of her. It got to the point where I think she knew she was going to die.

‘I didn’t know anything about ketamine. I’d heard of it but I didn’t know anything.

‘She was incontinent, wearing adult diapers. She told me it had taken over her life and she just needed more and more.

‘She’d have a dealer just leave it in her letterbox and she’d transfer the money.

‘She hid her addiction from everyone. She withdrew from everyone. She was so frail, she couldn’t walk in the last few months.

‘My world just shattered the day she died. It’s like her little body gave up.’

Natalie is now determined on raising awareness of the dangers of ketamine after the drug ‘destroyed’ her family.

Natalie said: ‘Beth was my best friend. We’ve got such similar personalities. She was the life and soul of the party and loved by so many. She’s left a massive hole.

‘I thought I was on the ball and would know straight away, but I didn’t see it.

‘Parents should be looking out for are signs of frequent urination, cramps, and check for powder on their [child’s] nose. They can be strong tell-tale signs.

‘If something isn’t done, there’s going to be a wave of grieving parents all over the world from this.

‘I want to create a hub for young people who have a safe space to talk and I can help advocate for referrals for treatment in my local community. That’s my goal.’

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust declined to comment.