Rizzle Kicks star explains that he was accidentally overdosing on drug for '18 months' straight before being stopped
Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.
Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens has opened up on his relationship with drugs, revealing he had 'overdosed for like 18 months' after self-medicating.
Stephens, 32, shot to fame as one half of the hip hop duo alongside Harley Alexander-Sule.
Best known for songs such as 'Down With the Trumpets' and 'Name in Lights', the pair have sold millions of singles throughout the duration of their career.
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However, the singer and presenter has now opened up on the difficulties of finding fame so young, revealing the moment he discovered he had been accidentally overdosing with medication he'd purchased for ADHD during an episode of Matt Willis’ podcast, On the Mend.
Stephens explained that he had been diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, however, he had done 'nothing about it' at the time.
He would later begin taking a medication called Modafinil unprescribed after being able to purchase it through a friend.
Modafinil is a stimulant drug which can sometimes be prescribed to treat symptoms of ADHD.
After disclosing the diagnosis and the medication during an examination for a TV show he was referred to a psychiatrist, where he discovered that he'd been taking a much higher dose than recommended.
After being asked what dose he was taking by the psychiatrist, he revealed that he took 200mg pills 'sometimes two pills a day', and after getting a prescription for a lower dose, Stephens consulted the pamphlet and discovered that he'd actually been overdosing after reading the symptoms.
"So by those metrics, I'd basically been overdosing on Modafinil for like 18 months," he added.
Elsewhere in the interview, the singer admitted to struggling with a cocaine addiction and explained how he had initially begun taking it as a 'coping mechanism' for the intensity of his newfound fame.
Explaining how it had been 'surreal' for himself and Alexander-Sule to shoot to fame so quickly, Stephens admitted he'd found the whole process overwhelming.
"You've got like Jimmy Carr's knocking about or like, I'll be playing FIFA and then like, Daniel Sturridge is just like stood in the event looking at me going like, oh, I love your new song," he recalled.
Forming in 2008, Rizzle Kicks went on hiatus after eight years, explaining they had stopped making music due to addiction and mental health. The pair reunited earlier this year with new single 'Javelin', explaining how they had wanted to 'grow up' away from the spotlight.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week.
Brenna Cooper