Rick Keane was known as the fixer in Ibiza. If you needed a comedy act booked for Ibiza Rocks, a luxury yacht arranged or almost anything else sorted, Rick was the man who could make it happen. But behind the scenes, his life was slowly falling apart. Ketamine addiction, criminality, secrecy and denial eventually led him into residential rehab — twice.

After six months in treatment, a period of recovery and a five month relapse, Rick had to start again. Now approaching 18 months in recovery, he's a barber, works in a homeless project and gives back at the rehab that helped save his life.

Rick opens up about the reality of ketamine addiction and what life looked like when he could no longer control his use. He talks honestly about secrecy, lies, control, ego and losing control through drugs.

Rick explains how ketamine initially gave him an escape from his thoughts and relief from emotional pain. We explore how his use progressed, the culture surrounding ketamine in Ibiza, tolerance, K-holes and why what initially felt like freedom became another form of captivity.

Rick describes the physical consequences of ketamine, including severe ketamine cramps, bladder problems and a large hole in his nose. We discuss ketamine-induced bladder damage, why symptoms can develop quickly for some people and how people can continue taking the drug even after being warned about potentially permanent consequences.

We go back to Rick's childhood and explore control, confrontation, people pleasing, seeking excitement, criminality, abandonment and the need for validation. We discuss why recovery isn't simply about stopping the substance — it's also about understanding the person underneath the addiction.

Rick talks about his six months in residential treatment, initially entering rehab without really wanting recovery, and the moment something began to change. He explains how treatment helped him discover a different life, retrain as a barber and find purpose through helping others.

We also talk about publicly funded drug and alcohol treatment in the UK, asking for help, residential treatment and aftercare, and why you don't necessarily have to feel completely ready before entering treatment.

Rick is incredibly honest about relapse. He explains how a relationship became part of a much bigger build-up, why he initially wanted to blame somebody else, and what he discovered when he looked honestly at the months leading up to his relapse.

Rick shares what the 12-step programme has given him, including the importance of Step Five, honesty, accountability and being able to speak openly about the things that previously crippled his life.

Rick's story shows that recovery isn't about becoming perfect. It's about understanding yourself, taking responsibility and continuing to move forward when things don't go according to plan.

Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK, support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e

Sponsor - www.gavinsisters.co.uk and promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off!

Support us:

PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal

Topics -

0:00 Trailer & Intro

3:00 A rock bottom moment

5:30 Rock bottoms in recovery?

7:30 HARD life lessons in treatment centre

10:30 Excitement & control

12:15 Stealing

14:00 Rick's life is a contradiction

16:00 Sobriety leads to clarity

18:00 Getting addicted to ketamine

22:30 The consequences of ketamine

28:20 Why is ketamine use on the rise?

31:30 How addiction is progressive

33:15 The K Hole stopped

34:15 Doing a geographical

36:15 NHS alcohol and drug treatment

40:00 Emotions in early recovery

45:15 Dating in early recovery

48:16 Coming back from relapse

51:00 Finding purpose and a new direction

53:15 Step 5 & relapse

Follow Rick

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rick_keane27

Follow Oliver - https://linktr.ee/olivermason

YouTube -https://tinyurl.com/3u2aftj6

Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/ycxywcby

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3

#KetamineAddiction #AddictionRecovery #Recovery