Andy Manston – ADHD, DJ Culture, Ibiza, And C*c*in*

Undiagnosed ADHD. DJ culture. Ibiza. And decades of cocaine use hidden behind success. In this episode of Coming Clean With Me, addiction specialist Elliott Wald sits down with Andy Manston, co-founder of Clockwork Orange, to unpack how a childhood shaped by undiagnosed ADHD and a lifelong relationship with music quietly evolved into decades of alcohol, speed, and cocaine use. Andy grew up in Walthamstow, East London, an only child who struggled at school with concentration, impulsivity, and constant disruption — issues that were never recognised as ADHD at the time. Music became the one place his mind settled. From his father’s vinyl collection to learning guitar, mixing tapes on an Amstrad stereo, pirate radio, and early raves, music gave Andy structure long before it became a career. Andy explains how alcohol and stimulant use — which began socially in rave culture — became embedded in DJ life, escalating as success and access increased. Chapter Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: ADHD, DJ culture, Ibiza, and cocaine 00:21 – Growing up in Walthamstow as an only child 01:00 – Undiagnosed ADHD and school disruption 02:07 – Concentration, impulsivity, and struggling to learn 02:58 – Leaving school and working at NatWest 03:52 – Music as regulation: vinyl, guitar, and early focus 04:47 – Discovering mixing on an Amstrad tape deck 05:47 – Pirate radio, hip hop, and rave culture 06:48 – Alcohol use in teenage years 07:15 – First raves and exposure to speed and ecstasy 08:21 – Early drug use as a social activity 09:50 – First experiences with cocaine 10:05 – Cocaine increasing with Clockwork’s success 10:30 – Ibiza 1994: early years and limited money 11:00 – Growth to 3,000+ people weekly 11:50 – Ibiza Uncovered and national exposure 12:36 – Excess, money, and escalation 13:18 – Group use vs. later isolated use 14:30 – Clockwork’s decline and loss of identity 15:05 – From success to financial stress 16:22 – Returning to the UK and working construction 17:21 – Weekend binge cycles explained 18:27 – Using alone at home 19:31 – Monday–Friday crash, weekend relapse loop 20:08 – “Greedy” use and excess patterns 21:36 – Clockwork relaunch while still using 22:53 – Relationship strain with Danny 24:18 – Early relationship breakdowns 25:13 – Lockdown: boredom, wine, cocaine, isolation 26:40 – Living alone and using freely 28:18 – Night-time binges before work 29:09 – Cocaine paranoia begins 29:38 – Scanning rooms, cupboards, and noises 32:04 – Driving around the block for hours 33:01 – Paranoia accelerating with tolerance 34:08 – Addiction as a “bad relationship” 36:13 – Family Christmas while secretly using 37:01 – Sneaking extra bags 38:19 – New Year’s Eve relapse 39:31 – Vodka, cocaine, and relationship explosion 40:17 – Rock bottom moment 40:48 – Two years clean 41:01 – Wanting recovery for himself 42:12 – Reaching out for help 42:33 – Call to Brandon Block 42:45 – Meeting Sean McNicholas 43:46 – Understanding ADHD and defensiveness 45:03 – ADHD, dopamine, and cocaine explained 47:21 – What meetings gave him — and when he moved on 48:46 – Life now: work, structure, awareness 50:21 – Two years clean on New Year’s Day 50:44 – Closing reflections Elliott Wald is a British psychologist, hypnosis expert, and behavioural analyst with over 30 years of clinical experience. He specialises exclusively in the treatment of cocaine addiction via nasal use (snorting) — a form of stimulant addiction that is frequently misunderstood and poorly treated by generic recovery models. Alongside his formal clinical training, Elliott also brings direct lived experience. He maintained a daily cocaine addiction for 15 years, when he was publicly visible and appearing as an expert on national television. This combination of clinical expertise and first-hand experience allows Elliott to understand stimulant addiction from both a neuropsychological and human perspective — without ideology, moral judgement, or surface-level explanations. Elliott’s work focuses on the psychological, behavioural, and neurobiological mechanisms that drive cocaine addiction, including dopamine dysregulation, compulsive habit loops, impulsivity, identity reinforcement, and relapse conditioning. His approach is highly individualised, evidence-informed, and fundamentally different from generic coaching, peer-led advice, or one-size-fits-all recovery programmes based on someone else’s story. He has appeared as an addiction expert across major UK broadcasters including ITV, BBC, Sky News, and Sky Living, and is a published author in the field of addiction. Over 90% of Elliott’s patients work with him online, meaning private, one-to-one treatment is accessible to clients across the United States and worldwide, without the need for travel. If you’d like to watch a video explaining how Elliott’s one-to-one programme works, or to enquire about private treatment, send a WhatsApp: UK: 07875 751960 International: +44 7875 751960