A man who spent £400,000 on cocaine over a 10-year addiction has spoken out about his journey to getting clean. Watch him tell his story here:
Nathan King, from Cambridge, has shared his story on TikTok, in a bid to help other people who might be in the same position.
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He started taking cocaine when he was just 18, using it at parties and events to 'feel good' and to help boost his confidence.
But as time passed, the 36-year-old increased how much he was taking to r point where he couldn't breathe through his nose.
Nathan would use it from morning to night, every single day.
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He was addicted to coke for 10 years, but says he was taking it for two decades. However, Nathan has now announced that he's been completely clean for more than three months.
The full-time entertainer said: "I used cocaine as a feel-good drug.
"I have always been an outgoing, friendly and fun person to be around but I suppose I felt empty at times and I believed I needed coke to make me that much more outgoing and to boost my confidence.
"Over a couple of years of using, I got so used to that dopamine hit and the feeling of euphoria that when I felt low, sad, hurt or upset I started to use drugs to escape.
"After about five years, I lost control over it.
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"At this point, I was using once a week because that became my normal; it went hand in hand with a drink, so the more I went for drinks, the more cocaine I took.
"By this point, I would use until I couldn't breathe through my nose.
"Whatever plans I made, cocaine was always the one controlling them, that had to be in place first."
To fund his drug use, Nathan would lie to family and friends.
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He said: "I stole from family and friends over the years, lied, hid things, was dishonest about my using, and that made me dishonest around a lot of other things too.
"I was always bending the truth, people-pleasing and telling those in my life what I thought they wanted to hear.
"I will forever be sorry for how I treated my family."
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In September 2020, Nathan's drug use escalated. After suffering a personal tragedy, which he doesn't want to disclose the details of, he started to take it all day long, selling his things to buy more.
He hit rock bottom at the end of the year, and when a family member took him to rehab on 18 December, he had a 'spiritual awakening'.
Nathan explained: "After just speaking with my peers, I could relate to what everyone was saying. "In rehab, I learned to be honest, real, upfront and open - all these things that I hadn't done for years."
He says he finally feels like himself again, and is working on rebuilding relationships.
Nathan said: "I have hurt a lot of people over the years and I owe them everything.
"I owe everything to my family and my rehab, therapists and councillors - without any of these people I would be dead.
"I now wake up smiling. I'm open, I'm real, I'm me!"
Nathan added: "Anyone battling addiction, please talk about it.
"Being an addict is exhausting.
"It's such hard work, with often no one to talk to because you feel so alone, but please know, you're really not.
"The help is there and life is incredible without drugs and alcohol."