TV Personality and recovering addict James Argent shares his story with
The Cabin’s Addiction Recovery Podcast
Recovering drug addict, Hunter Michael Shepard, 28, works internationally raising awareness and helping aid recovery for struggling addicts. His passion is to show others that there is a way out of addiction, and he is proud to be able to use his experience to help others. He hosts The Cabin’s Addiction Recovery Podcast, The Cabin is Asia’s most respected rehab and has successfully treated over 5,000 inpatients. He recently interviewed TV Personality and recovering addict James Argent.
Growing up in the epicentre of the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, Hunter started using drugs at 12. Firstly, alcohol and cannabis which manifested, and by the time he was 16 he was using heroin and by 18 he was using anything he could get his hands on heroin, meth, LSD, ketamine, etc. In February 2018, Hunter’s 10-year addiction finally came to an end. He had witnessed people around him dying and felt genuinely blessed to be alive. He decided to start a new life and moved to Arizona to work as a digital creator. During lockdown he became part of an online recovery community, where he met a lovely English lady from Essex who soon became wife. At this time, he also started to video document his own and others’ stories of addiction and recovery and launched his social media platforms.
Highlights from the podcast include James discussing:
James's drug addiction, despite a happy upbringing he tried drugs (cocaine) around 18 years of age. In the early TOWIE days, James would do nightclub appearances 6/7 times a week, his habit started as recreational and went through stages but became dark when he started using by himself indoors. His addiction made him experience feelings of isolation, loneliness, paranoia, and psychosis.
When experiencing psychosis due to his addiction, he had visions that his nose would cave in and would sit with mobile videoing himself waiting for his nose to collapse he was also paranoid that people were in his room, trying to climb in his windows and that his floorboards would cave in. He was never suicidal but at one point felt 'I'm done, take me'. One birthday at a low point an ambulance took him to hospital where he spent the day on a drip and being monitored after an overdose.
One Christmas Eve James called his dealer and gave in, spending Christmas Day alone – he didn't give or receive any presents, had no food in fridge or cupboards and sat there alone, shivering, shaking, and sweating. He ended up with a kebab on his own.
At the height of his addiction, he passed out after 4 days using, hit his head and woke up at the bottom of the staircase with blood pouring down his face not knowing where he was, screaming for help, he was in a very bad physical condition that couldn't stand up as hadn't eaten and just using, no strength.
Admits that he has always had an unhealthy relationship between food and exercise, but his drug addiction fuelled eating problems and weight gain as he would binge on fast food, sweets, sugary drinks, ice cream etc after taking drugs. When in treatment James was treated for an eating disorder (binge eating) alongside drink/drugs addiction.
Understand that when he was using, he needed to hit rock bottom to know he couldn't live this life anymore, needed a detox, rehab and to get away to be in a good place mentally and physically.
He still has flashbacks to when in deep addiction which gives him great anxiety and fear. Grateful for this as easy to get complacent in recovery and is aware of the healthy fears he has now. He now has a healthy balance with food and exercise and how he feels. Over last 1.5 years things have turned around – now a wedding singer, has girlfriend and his family are all in good health. Loves playing tennis, swimming, boxing, gym, going to see live music and out for – no more bars, nightclubs. Feels much happier inside as he is healthier now, has helped him be well, clean, and sober.
He has been through several residential rehab stints but found when in UK treatment and still in the prime of TOWIE he was uncomfortable with sharing, he couldn't be entirely honest and open as scared that people would sell stories on him and didn't feel safe. At The Cabin in Thailand, he felt getting away from England helped and was the best chance of getting clean and sober, plus more affordable than London options. He felt more relaxed and could take away the mask of Arg and be James Argent. Has been to The Cabin twice for treatment (once for 3 months and second time for shorter stay).
He has seen the effect his addiction had on his family and close ones, especially his mum Patricia and whilst he didn't think it would affect his family, he realises now how much it has. His mum had to have counselling and therapy as a result. As a recovering addict James feels deep sympathy and concern for the addict's loved ones and familiesThe Cabin’s Addiction Recovery Podcast with Hunter and TV Personality TOWIE and recovering addict James Argent can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/fNtS_gR-u_A
For more further information about Hunter and The Cabin or James’s story, please contact Natalie Clarke at Love PR, 07796675950 or
natalie@loveprlondon.com