Actor Nicolas Cage poses during a promotional event for the film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" in Tokyo December 5, 2007. [Agencies]

American actor Nicolas Cage revealed how his life became a waking nightmare after he used drugs.

He first became addicted in his twenties, after he started experimenting with hard drugs. He described how his life was turned topsy turvy by the use of the illegal substance.

Cage, who is 44-years-old, started going through depression, however his desire for new experiences drove him to continue with his drug use.

"Drugs make every single nightmare you ever had come true. In my twenties I went through a period of drinking and drug-taking. It didn't make me happy but I wanted to experience them to know how they would make me feel," Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

"I never went to rehab, I never went through any form of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting. I went through years of experimenting and then hit the realisation that it just didn't work for me," he added.