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Danny Dyer says substance abuse brought him close to death but there's still one addiction he can't shake

Danny Dyer has opened up about his battle with substance abuse which led to him entering rehab ten years ago - He says he's worked hard to discover the root of his issues but admits there's one addiction that he can't shake

[Danny Dyer in a grey suit.]

Danny Dyer opens up about addiction troubles (Image: Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Actor Danny Dyer has spoken openly about his battle with addiction, citing fame and his father walking out on his family when he was young as the reasons he started taking drugs. However, he turned his life around in 2016 when he had a frightening realisation that his lifestyle would eventually kill him.

The 48-year-old revealed: "I went to rehab in 2016, it had all just became too much for me, I had just lost the sense of who I was.

"I just knew I needed to change something in my life drastically and so I took it upon myself, and I think that most people that do go to rehab need to take it upon themselves to go I need a shift because if youre forced into it or theres an intervention, it doesnt necessarily work.

[Danny Dyer ]

Danny Dyer entered rehab in 2016(Image: Getty Images)

"If youre forced to go into a place, and be committed to a place, a psychiatric unit essentially, you need to be there on your own will. "Otherwise youll just go back to doing what youre doing really, and I think that was a big moment for me.

"It was me taking ownership of my life and going youre gonna f***ing die, what the f*** are you doing? Youre doing stupid things."

However, Danny admitted that he's still desperate to break one lasting bad habit - Smoking - Admitting that he smokes around 15 cigarettes a day.

He told How To Fail podcast: "Every time I light one up I go 'what the f*** are you doing?' Do you know what I mean? 'You're killing yourself."

Asked how many he smokes daily, he added: "I reckon about 15 a day."

Danny added: "I tried to replace it with vaping but then as soon as the vape broke I went and bough cigarettes immediately.

"It is so frustrating to me, I have lived a life, I've took a lot of drugs, I've drunk a lot, I have really lived a life and I really f***ing lived it to the full."

Danny added that after "lot of therapy" he discovered that "abandonment issues from strong male figures" played a huge role in his issues.

[Danny Dyer with his daughters Sunni and Dani]

Danny Dyer with his daughters Sunni and Dani(Image: Getty Images)

When he finally accepted he needed help the star refused to enter celebrity favourite The Priory: "I went somewhere in South Africa as I needed to get away from this country because I was too famous and I didn't wanna go to The Priory, Im not knocking The Priory Ive never been there but I know that it is all fresh bed linen and little candles on your bed.

"I needed to sit in a f***ing dorm, with other addicts and scrub toilets. They break you down completely and got rid of all my ego bo****ks that I had going on at the time because of fame."

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