10 Historical Facts They Don't Teach You At School

6. Sigmund Freud Was A Cocaine Addict

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Max Halberstadt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

When he wasn't busy revolutionising the world of mental health by developing psychoanalysis and growing a sweet hipster beard, Sigmund Freud was snorting a truck load of cocaine up his snout and writing about how brilliant it was.

One of the world's most amazing minds loved the white stuff, so much so that he even penned papers like 1884's 'On Coca' and tripped over himself to tell the world they should be taking the drug. Officially, he claimed this was for medical reasons, because Freud believed cocaine could cure any physical or mental ills.

If a trusted member of the psychiatric community came out with something like that today, they would be struck off in disgrace for pushing such muck. Freud didn't have to worry about PR back in his day however, and that meant he was free to peddle the virtues of coke like any high street dealer.

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