Sunday, February 2, 2014 5:24am ET by  
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Matt Cardle: "I was so out of it"

Matt Cardle has revealed that his diet of the prescription drug, valium, and alcohol, left him weeks away from death. 

In a bid to warn others about the dangers of prescription drugs, the X Factor winner has been speaking out about his addiction.

The 30-year-old, who has just been discharged from a month in rehab, began mixing the drugs and only realised he needed help after collapsing in public, stripping off on a train and nearly choking to death after throwing up in his sleep. 

He told The Sun: "I was so out of it - I was like a zombie."

Cardle checked into The Priory in Chelmsford on Boxing Day, after breaking down in front of his family over Christmas. He said:

"The doctor said to me if I'd been left to my own devices for another three or four weeks, I might not be here now."

Cardle began lying about the amount of valium he was taking, saying that they were antibiotics. Cardle said that he was asking other people how many pills they'd seen him swallow, and that he would take the deadly combination any time he felt stressed. 

After the Boxing Day break-down, his brother begged him to get help, and has since praised the support of his family and friends, One Direction's Harry Styles and Niall Horan.

He added that things became worse when he split up with his girlfriend of 18 months, Sarah Robinson (see below). 

While in The Priory he even played a gig for patients on New Year's Eve, which he said was the "weirdest gig I've ever done".

Matt first took valium simply to ease the stress of travelling by airplane to Los Angeles, but sometimes took four times the dose, along with alcohol.

After four weeks in The Priory, he managed to curb his alcohol and drug addiction and is now ready for his nationwide tour in April. 

His new single, 'Hit My Heart' is scheduled for release on March 31.

 

   

 

 

Listen to 'Hit My Heart' below: