Man who spent £2.2m on drugs reveals shocking physical effects that nearly killed him

Warning: This article contains discussion of drug addiction which some readers may find distressing.

A man who estimates he spent a staggering £2.2 million on cocaine over the years has revealed the horrific physical effects that addiction had on his body.

Shane Samler, from Essex, has bravely opened up about the years of cocaine use that took over his life and put him at serious risk.

While the amount of money he believes he spent on drugs is eye-watering enough, the physical toll of the addiction on his body is even more devastating.

The 38-year-old father of three has been documenting his battle with addition on his TikTok account, speaking candidly to his 122k followers about every aspect.

Shane Samler has shared the devastating effects that cocaine has had on his body. (Getty Images)

Samler says he first tried cocaine at just 15 years old, and became completely addicted by the age of 17.

What started out as monthly recreational drug use quickly spiralled into a habit that cost him thousands of pounds.

It wasn't long before Samler's body started paying the price for his regular cocaine binges.

Speaking to NeedToKnow, he revealed that the drug did life-threatening damage to his nose, leaving him looking drastically different.

"I thought I had a whitehead spot on my nose and went to pick it and felt it go through – it was like something out of a horror film," he told the outlet.

“It was excruciating. I used to blow out pieces of cartilage. I was always in and out of the hospital. I used to have to have ice on my face, and I was on copious amounts of painkillers. I could only sleep for an hour at a time.”

And it wasn't just physical implications he had to deal with.

“All the jewellery I had, all the cars I owned... I ended up giving them to drug dealers," he shared.

"I gave it all away for just a few hundred quid."

Samler estimates he may have spent around £2.2 million in his lifetime on his drug addiction. (Getty Images)

During some periods, he says he was spending as much as £1,500 a week on the drug.

Looking back, Samler estimates that his lifetime cocaine spending has probably reached around £2.2 million.

"I ended up getting into tens of thousands of pounds of debt with the people above me and my mum had to pay £20,000 to bail me out," he revealed.

"She almost lost her house."

The TikToker shared that he is on a mission to get clean and stay clean for good, but confessed that he often relapses in times of distress.

“During my last relapse, I ended up in hospital. I got a cyst in my head, couldn’t open my mouth, and my ears went totally deaf," he told the publication.

“I could barely stand up because the room was spinning so much. I called a friend who worked at A&E, and I went to the hospital. That was a turning point for me."

Currently, Samler says he's two months clean, and is 'optimistic' about the future.

“I have options now: go to different rehabs, do different talks in different rehabs and do a course on public speaking...

“I feel as though I could help so many people. The only thing that stopped me was myself."

Hoping to inspire others to seek help before it's too late, Samler shared: “I’m bored of relapsing, I really am.

“That’s why I share my story - just to help people, so no one has to get to where I’ve got to.”

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