On August 17, 1995, Gahan allegedly "attempted suicide" with a razor blade -- he later stated that this was more of a "cry for help", rather than a suicide attempt. At one point during this episode Gahan was known to spend 12 hours a day inside his wardrobe, watching The Weather Channel and talking to 'The Tin Man', a doll he was convinced could talk (later on and after recovery, he would refer to these "conversations" in his solo single Dirty Sticky Floors).

He was then admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Hills, California and released shortly after. On May 28, 1996, Gahan overdosed on a heroin and cocaine 'speedball' in a Los Angeles hotel room. On the way to the hospital, he was pronounced clinically dead for two minutes, but was revived by paramedics, then again taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He was arrested upon his release two days later, and ordered by the court to complete a 9 month rehabilitation. The drug charges against Gahan were eventually dro