Mason Ross, a 27-year-old former drug addict, has successfully turned his life around after a childhood marked by trauma and years of substance abuse. Ross, who once earned up to £4,200 a week working as an escort, said he used all of his earnings to fund a cocaine addiction that consumed much of his adult life.

Ross’s struggles with mental health began in his mid-teens, following the death of his father and a subsequent sexual assault. At the age of 16, he began working as an escort for both women and men. Concurrently, he developed heavy drinking habits and started using approximately 2 grams of cocaine daily. His addiction extended beyond spending on drugs for himself; he also paid friends to skip work so they could consume drugs and alcohol together.

After approximately 12 years of substance dependence, Ross experienced a severe psychotic episode while on a family holiday. During this incident, he inflicted serious injuries on himself in front of his young relatives, an event that prompted him to seek help and commit to recovery.

Currently based in Leicester, Ross is employed as a refuse collector and has maintained sobriety from both drugs and alcohol for over a year. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed gratitude for the lessons learned from his personal trauma and now aims to support others facing similar challenges.