“My father taught me to not fear anything. Having said that, much of my addiction to alcohol and drugs was tied to fear: fear of flying, fear of talking to women, etc. I conquered those fears years ago.” YearsSaidFatherTalkingTaughtDrugYears AgoAddictionAlcoholFlyingEtcTiedFear Of Flying Author:Derek Sanderson
“When I started acting in the film industry when I was 16 years old, in 1980, I was going to all the revival theaters in Los Angeles. They were playing mostly films from the '60s and '70s, some from the early '20s and '30s, before that Hays commission. Those films did question things a lot, and there definitely was a switch in 1934. You can see very distinctly in 1934, it's harder to understand what the real culture was. Films made before 1934, you can really kind of see the racism, sexism, drug use, etc. that was going on at that time. And then it was all stopped.” YearsKindMadeRealUseFilmCultureActingIndustryDrugRacismHarderTheaterEtcLos AngelesSexismRevivalFilm IndustryHayDrug UseEarly 20s Author:Crispin Glover
“Most people you'd tell "I'm gonna be a musician," they'd say, "you're crazy, you're gonna starve, you're gonna be poor, a drug addict, go to jail, you'll never make it, there's too much competition, it's a terrible business," etc. But my chorus teacher in high school said, "you've got what it takes to be a really good professional musician, you should consider it." That was an epiphany for me. So I thought, well, maybe I can help somebody, too.” PeopleShouldWellsSaidI CanHelpingSchoolPoorToo MuchTeacherCrazyTerribleDrugMusicianHigh SchoolCompetitionEtcJailAddictEpiphanyChorusDrug Addict Author:Billy Joel
“Addictive behavior is kind of the inverse of procrastination: procrastination is about not being able to do what you want to do, addiction about not being able to not do what you don't want to do (drink, use drugs, etc.)” WantKindUseAbleDrinkDrugBehaviorAddictionWhat You WantEtcProcrastinationInverse Author:James Surowiecki
“The Great Recession is not imaginary, and the effects loom large. There was an article in the NYT about the galloping death rate among white men in middle age. Higher than among any other demographic, etc. Mostly death by drugs, alcohol, or suicide. Many of them rural. My feeling is that it's many people who haven't been able to get back into the work force. Reg Morse is an example of the problem.” PeopleMenFeelingsProblemAgeAbleForceWhiteMiddleEffectsHavensExampleHigherDrugSuicideRateAlcoholEtcGet BackArticlesImaginaryWhite ManMiddle AgesRecessionsDemographicsGallopingGreat Recession Author:Rick Moody
“David Simon [the creator of The Wire] and I have a running controversy for years. It all stems from a telephone call I made to KPFA [Pacifica radio] when he was a guest there in the 90's on Chris Welche's show. He was going around the country with a Black kid from the Ghetto to promote something called The Corner - it was all about Blacks as degenerates selling drugs, etc.” YearsMadeCountryShowsRunningKidsBlackDrugRadioCreatorCornersSellingEtcGuestsStemTelephonesControversyWireGhettoDegeneratesSelling Drugs Author:Ishmael Reed
“From personal experience, I completely agree that it is often easier to go for monotone sadness. When I was starting out, I wrote a gazillion short stories that ran the gamut of human suffering - drug addiction, child abuse, terminal illness, loved ones dying by all manner of misfortune, etc. In hindsight, it's clear that I mistook the power of the situation for the power of the story.” HumansChildrenStoriesSufferingSituationClearSadnessDyingEasierDrugAbuseAgreeAddictionStartingIllnessRanEtcMisfortunesShort StoryLoved OnesChild AbusePersonal ExperiencesDrug AddictionHindsightDrug AddictStarting OutTerminalHuman SufferingTerminal IllnessLoved One Dying Author:Anthony Marra
“So you grow up with those messages, "You're a failure, you embarrass me, that's why I dress you in dark colors etc." or even when parents commit suicide, the child may think they were a failure as a child causing that. The majority of those people who weren't loved turn to drugs and alcohol and suicide.” PeopleThinkingMayChildrenTurnsGrowsParentDarkGrowing UpColorDrugMessagesDressesSuicideMajorityAlcoholCommitEtcDrugs And AlcoholDark Colors Author:Bernie Siegel
“My kids have to maintain good grades. They have to be involved in activities. They have to report to me how thing are going. I watch for any activity that would steer them wrong - drinking, drugs, etc. So their skin in the game is knowing the money won't be there if they don't do their part.” IfsKidsGamesWatchesKnowingInvolvedDrugActivitySkinsDrinkingReportsGradesEtcSteersGood Grades Author:Michelle Singletary