Influencer Mitch Orval opens up on cocaine and alcohol addiction
Mitch Orval, the influencer son of viral sensation Angry Dad, has revealed his struggles with drugs and alcohol, saying his ‘absurd’ use of cocaine almost cost him his relationship.
Confidential
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Viral sensation Mitch Orval has opened up about his struggle with cocaine and alcohol addiction, proudly announcing he is almost five months sober.
Orval, who rose to fame posting videos of his “Angry Dad” Mark Orval, opened up in an honest YouTube video, saying he felt a “moral obligation” to do so.
“One way to help others be vulnerable is to be vulnerable yourself,” he said.
The 23-year-old, who is expecting a baby with his long-term girlfriend Chloe Szepanowski, said until five months ago, he was addicted to alcohol and doing an “absurd” amount of cocaine.
“Today is 150 days sober for me, almost five months, which I’m extremely proud of considering what my habits used to be,” he said.
“I know I’ve dodged this question a fair bit but no I was only not only not sober from alcohol, I was a frequent drug user too … especially cocaine.
“I used to use it weekly, if not twice, three times a week.
“When I would use it it wasn’t just a bit, it was an absurd amount.
“I was always that one person that was the last to leave and take it too far. I had no control.”
Orval spoke about the stress it put on his relationship with Szepanowski, 21, who is currently five months pregnant with the couple’s first child.
“I got to the point where I almost lost my partner, I was lying to her I was lying to my family I was lying to everyone around me,” he said.
“I wasn’t ready to stop, I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to keep my relationship because I was in love with my partner but I wasn’t ready to give up that side of my life.
“To me that was still more important than everything else I had.”
He said the turning point was realising that even though he thought he was doing what he wanted, he was desperately unhappy.
“Where it started for me was I got to the point where I knew it was affecting my life,” he said.
“It was affecting my mental health, my physical health, I was terribly, terribly unhappy in my mental state.
“I was always putting myself in positions where I knew I’d be able to drink or I’d be able to get on drugs and I thought something has to change.
“If you want to change, you have to do it for yourself and not someone else.
“If you’re not willing to change for yourself, you won’t succeed.”
He said the stigma around drinking, especially as a young adult, was part of the reason his problem became so bad, but now he has broken that cycle life is infinitely better.
“I feel like it’s far too common to fall into those bad habits, it’s just accepted,” he said.
“I thought that’s what everyone my age does – everyone drinks, everyone parties, why can’t I?
“But it wasn’t until I stopped that I found passion and love for new things again.
“Even as small as going on walks or waking up fresh. I actually am enjoying life again.”
Originally published as Influencer Mitch Orval opens up on cocaine and alcohol addiction
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