James Argent has candidly shared his terrifying experience with cocaine induced psychosis, after he opened up about his addiction battle after finally ditching drugs for good.
The 35 year old former The Only Way Is Essex star, who is currently taking part in Channel 4 endurance challenge Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, has overhauled his life in recent years in an attempt to live a far healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.
At the height of his fame, James was a frequent drug user, with his habit sadly having ruined several previous relationships and at his lowest point, his addiction almost cost him his life after he overdosed on narcotics twice.
But now, after being several years sober, James has opened up about his experience in the hopes of offering solidarity and comfort to other people struggling to overcome their own drug battles.
Speaking to The Cabin Recovery podcast, the reality star said: “I remember waking up at the bottom of my staircase, with blood pouring down my face, like where am I? What am I doing? Screaming for help, but there was nobody around. I was in such a bad physical condition that I couldn't really stand up. I hadn't eaten for days on end.”
It was at this point in particular, that James realised he had hit rock bottom and needed to take action to get some help to quit the toxic habit that was taking over his life.
He explained: “Over two years ago, it got that bad when I was literally having, I was picking up and I was continually picking up and using, and I didn't have a wink of sleep for four days straight. In my house, doors locked, barricading myself in my room, ultimate paranoia and psychosis. I used to think that the walls in my house were caving in.”
Arg then added: “I’ll be honest with you, I've never really told anyone this, but for days I'd be holding my head like this in my room, crying and screaming, thinking the ceilings were going to cave in on me.”
During his eight year tenure on TOWIE, Arg kept his drug addiction hidden from his loved ones by only taking drugs at home alone.
However, this didn’t always go to plan, as back in 2020 his then-girlfriend, fellow TOWIE star Gemma Collins had called the police after failing to get in touch with him, prompting the authorities to break into his home where they found him in the grips of his addiction.
Recalling the deeply personal moment on This Morning, James previously told viewers: “The first incident happened around the end of October. I was the biggest I’d ever been, I was 23 and a half stone, I hated everything about myself. I was at an all-time low. Around that period, I was using drugs for two or three days straight in my house. I’d locked myself in my house, the house was pitch black.
"I’d bolted all my doors, I turned my phone off. People tried to call me for days, they were slamming on the door and screaming to open up, I wouldn't,… Gemma felt the need to call the ambulance, and the ambulance, alongside the police put the door through and they did tests and they sat with me for a good few hours and they decided that I could have been left, that I was okay to be at home."
“I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, police are outside, ambulance, paparazzi.’ I was absolutely freaking out."
Arg then continued: ”When I use, it’s never rock and roll… it’s always extremely lonely, isolated, me having awful paranoia, psychosis, shivering, shaking, blood coming down my nose. I’m sweating, it’s just a horrific place to be in. I said after that I’ll never use again, two days later, I'm using again because it’s just crazy.”
The real turning point in his life however, came when fellow TOWIE stars Mark and Elliot Wright urged him to seek help and check into rehab, shortly after he revealed he had spent "Christmas Day by myself, indoors, feeling ill and horrific and alone.”
Thankfully, with professional help, James now lives a happy and healthy life away from the grip of his former addiction.
Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email [email protected] , message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.
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