Artists and Addiction

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over nine percent of American workers abuse alcohol or drugs. Substance abuse leads to productivity losses, avoidable accidents, injuries, and higher episodes of sickness. The economic loss accumulates to billions of dollars. 

Some industries and professions have a relatively higher incidence of alcohol and drug abuse. Here is a list of 4 respected  professions in society where high rates of substance abuse problems are reported.

Health Care Professionals

As surprising as it may sound, 10 to 14% of doctors and medical professionals have a substance abuse issues. These occupations are among the most high-stress and demanding jobs in the world. They stress of being responsible for the lives of others can take its toll on the health care professionals. 

In addition to the stress, another reason that doctors and those in the medical profession may develop substance abuse problems is the easy access to prescription drugs and their need to relieve stress and emotional or physical pain.

Arts and Entertainment Professionals

Creativity and substance use have a long-standing connection. Creative people such as artists, musicians and performers are used to taking risks and thinking differently than others. They drink or use drugs to live with their own thoughts. Also, the creative freedom these careers have in terms of working hours and schedules could also contribute to the higher percentage of substance abuse reported among these kinds of professionals.

Lawyers and Legal Professionals

A study by the American Bar Association found that 20% of lawyers have alcohol abuse problems. This percentage is significantly more than in other professionals with a similar level of higher education. Among the legal professionals, younger lawyers with less than ten years experience seem to have the highest rates of substance abuse and mental health problems. This points to the possibility that the substance abuse might be a way to cope with the high expectation on the young lawyers for billable hours.

Management Professionals

Management professionals are also among those that show high rates of substance abuse. Though management is a broad term, it is generally referred to people who lead or supervise other people and could range from a supervisor of a small team to a CEO of a corporation. In a survey on substance use behaviors, 12.1% of management professionals studied said they’d used illegal drugs in the past month and 11.4% reported a substance use disorder within the past year.

Several treatment options including luxury and high-end facilities are available tailored to the busy high-ranking professionals. Many facilities also offer video conference services, so executives can continue to work as they undergo treatment.

It is recognized that some professions have a higher incidence of alcohol and drug abuse. This is particularly true for the arts and entertainment industry. Professionals such as actors and musicians show higher rates of drinking and drug usage than the general population with nearly 14% reporting past month drug use and 11.5% of reporting heavy drinking.  

Performing artists who are drawn into drug use are often young and their immaturity could be clouding their decisions without first considering the consequences. Because of this drug dealers also target the rich and famous artists by making their way into their inner circle and enticing them with the temporary pleasures of alcohol and drugs.  

A number of lifestyle factors could be the backdrop for addiction problems reported among rock stars and other creative individuals. The freedom around scheduling and working hours among the artists may contribute to the rates and types of substance use. In addition, artists generally have their performances during night times when many people are drunk or high on drugs. 

A few other factors include: 

Stress and anxiety: In the news, we hear of musicians and other popular performers drink themselves to untimely deaths due to stress associated with their profession. 

Stage fright: Public appearance is a cause for panic for most people. Many musicians who succumbed to addiction report having panic attacks about playing in public. The artists who resort to alcohol and drugs to control their performance anxiety struggle to come down after their stage performance is over. They then drink more to relax, which turns into a habit difficult to get out of. Almost like a vicious cycle.

Lack of confidence: Studies show link between low self-esteem and substance abuse. People, including entertainment professionals who have low self-esteem often use drugs or alcohol to feel better about themselves, if only temporarily.

Peer pressure: Entertainment professionals face peer pressure to appear fearless and cool. Usually, artists such as musicians, work in bands consisting of more than 10 people traveling and practically doing everything together. Often this puts a lot of pressure to indulge in irresponsible behavior to please others in the group. 

Recently, perhaps after many tragic deaths among famous artists, things seem to slowly change for the better. The new generation of players appear to be more conscious about mental and physical wellbeing.

Nowadays many artists take part in physical activities such as running, cycling, and yoga. There is an increasing recognition that the best way to handle the stress of performance stress is to address the problem by being physically fit.

PERFORMING ARTISTS

Performing artists are public individuals that usually or occasionally perform on stage or via media platforms. When showcasing their skills and talent, their major aim is to express their feelings and emotions, thereby entertaining and lecturing the audience. There are a number of performing arts and they vary in skill and how their talent is being displayed, they perform in large theatres, stages, opera houses, open air, circuses amongst others. Artists may include dancers, comedians, singers, actors etc.

The nature of these professions demand a high level of creative ability to harness public attention and promote individual skill.

REASONS WHY ARTISTS OFTEN GET ADDICTED

DESIRE FOR ATTENTION

It is normal for every human being to desire attention and interest. Artists are liable to coming in contact with noble and famous men in the course of their performances, and such an experience is what most people look forward to achieving. For artists that are yet to get to the top, all they need do is to be good at what they do, to achieve such aim.

Most artists feel pleasure and ease when performing if they take drugs before going on stage, and as such, most of them get addicted to drugs just to satisfy the requirement of the industry.

QUICK NEED TO BECOME RICH AND FAMOUS

No man desires to be poor, everyone aspires to see themselves in top places and in positions which are meant for the wealthy. Recently, most movies that people often like to watch are about money, sex, war, drugs and the likes.
Such movies do require artists that are very skilled and will also require the vulnerability of artists to taking drugs and drinks, having public sex etc. The rate at which the movie sells determine how much the artists will be paid.

PRESSURE AND LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE

The pressure of being in front of a large audience is quite massive. Artists performing on stage could find it difficult to face a large crowd, some are too shy to face the audience, and some are afraid of messing up the whole performance. Artists commonly abuse unlawful substances to overcome such pressure and enhance confidence. The drugs help them to evade the reality that makes them incapacitated, and creates an artificial morale in them that helps to exhibit their talent.

When there is a persistent reason for them to keep taking those substances and partake in those acts, they end up getting addicted to them.

Quite a number of artists that we see in movies and on stage, are dependent on chemicals to do their acting, dancing, and singing. Artists who are struggling with addiction are usually faced with a number of difficulties, which causes them to encounter descent in their career.

To help an artist who is struggling with addiction, the first step is being able to identify and prove to such a person that he or she is an addict, this would be after it has been confirmed from your findings. Addicts tend to live their life with addiction as if it is their normal day-to-day activity.

SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION

In identifying addiction, there are some possible symptoms which serves as a pointer to detecting addiction, they include:

1. When the act is being kept secret from other persons
2. Deep thoughts, pale skin, and other adverse health conditions
3. Persistent practice of the act even when it becomes unaffordable
4. Anxiety and depression

CAUSES OF OBSERVABLE SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION

Causes of such pointers and symptoms are important for effective treatment of addiction. Some possible causes of addiction are:

1. Pressure created at the sight of a large crowd before performance: Performing in front of a large crowd can be very tasking, due to the fear of being ridiculed and scoffed at in the event of experiencing lapses of any kind. A lot of artists prefer to use illicit drugs to get over the tension and build confidence to face the crowd.
2. Need for inspiration for creativity: For an artist to thrive in the entertainment industry, the level of creativity must be topnotch and outstanding. Artists finds it easier to forget all distractions, think fast, and maximize their creative ability when they take some substances, such as heroin, cocaine, opium etc.
3. Stress relief: The rigor involved in public performance is quite enormous to start with, so artists find it refreshing to use alcohol and other substances to relieve stress and regain energy. However, when such is being repeated persistently, it would result to addiction, because the body system will adapt to it and accept it as a norm or habit.

THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ADDICTED ARTISTS

Artists are people with brilliant and astounding talents, such people are not to be left without help. The entertainment industry at large is commonly faced with the problem of addiction. To assist these people, advise them on visiting special rehabilitation programs on how they can overcome addiction.

They could also visit experienced therapists who have vast intellectual understanding as regards addictions. They offer personalized and confidentiality care in order to keep the artist’s image private and provide cure for addiction.

A BRIEF EXPOSITION INTO WHO AN ARTIST IS

The word “artist” could be used to mean a person that is engaged in the activity of practicing and creating an art, usually visual arts such as, drawing, painting and sketching. The word could also be used to refer to a public stage performer, who has a creative capability and is skilled in drama, music, dance and other public performance skills.

The aspect of performing arts will be the point of emphasis for this discussion. Artists who partake in performing arts are usually referred to as “public performers”. They include dancers, actors, musicians, comedians, magicians, singers and circus artists.

ADDICTION

Addiction is a psychological disorder that is commonly characterized by obsessive and compulsive attraction in order to engage in a particular activity, whether that outcome be good or bad. It could be both physical and imaginary. Some common addiction in our today’s society are substance addition, sex, gambling, fantasizing, partying, sleeping, gossip etc.

To be clear, these activities could be practiced without being addicted to them, the addiction only comes in when people do them often till it becomes a habit. Addiction does not necessarily have to be “negative” as the society paints it to be, everyone is addicted to one thing or the other; with the end-result being a negative or positive consequence.

HOW DO ARTISTS GET ADDICTED?

Artists often get addicted to a number of things due to the nature of their job. Public performers like actors and actresses, may often get addicted to taking alcohol, sniffing cocaine, taking tobacco probably due to the role they have to take in a movie or for personal pleasure. They can also get exposed to having unprotected sex in some of their films, not necessarily because they want to, but they have to do it to play that particular role.

If you are a music artist, getting drunk at night shows is not really avoidable. Friends and fans want you to hit the street and show the people what you can offer, you could feel that taking some alcohol and a little cigarette will do. Truly, it will work and you will end up impressing your fans, however in the long-run, you may become addicted to drinking and smoking because you have to please your people.

Dancers often feel that when they take some hot drinks, they will become very hyperactive and develop a kind of energy boost that will help them perform some stunts and some dance steps. Most times, the addicted artist does not just get addicted for just no reason, they often have to do them to please their audience and thrive as an artist.

Abuse of substance is commonly known as drug abuse. Drug abuse is the act of taking drugs without the required recommendation or prescription for a medical specialist (usually a doctor). When drugs are purchased from pharmacies or other stores that offer the sale of drugs, and such drug is taken without the proper description on how it is to be used, such act is referred to as drug abuse.

Substance abuse could also be in form of taking illegal drugs. Illegal drugs are medications that are not registered and certified by the relevant regulatory bodies, and as such, it is dangerous to take such drugs because they could be harmful to the body. Illegal drugs could also not be harmful depending on the manufacturer’s intent, but it is not advisable to make use of them, because they are not tested and trusted by the health regulatory bodies of the country.

THE NATURE OF PERFORMING ARTS

Artists are public performers, talented and proficient in different skills which they utilize in making money. They are individuals who partake in performing arts such as comedy, acting, singing, dancing, spoken words and the likes.

Artists are often creative in their activities in order to ensure that they catch the attention of their audience and also make them impressed and happy. Recently, some artists usually go as far as taking drugs and alcohol in the quest of seeking inspiration and motivation for creativity.

WHY DO ARTISTS ABUSE SUBSTANCES?

The profession deals with creative work and as such, it is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. A lot of artists turn to cocaine, alcohol, marijuana and other substances to deal with keeping up with the world’s standard of the entertainment and coming up with other creative performances to wow their viewers. In the real sense, drugs do not directly foster creativity or trigger the creative ability in a person, it only affects some factors that promotes creativity.

Neuroscientists, in their findings discover that there is no direct linkage between substance addiction and creativity, creativity is only propelled by some factors that could also be triggered by drugs. These factors that promotes creativity are called neurotransmitters, they are signals that detects pleasure and reward.

They observed and believe that addicts usually suffer weak pleasure, which leads them to seek more pleasure via non-natural means such as taking drugs that will make them psychoactive. Substance abuse for artists could also be due to the cliques they find themselves with, considering the nature of their job.

Addiction is a serious problem that does not discriminate and does not happen with respect to age, income, looks, social standing or other factors. Addiction is an abnormal reconfiguration of the human mental capacity, which occurs as a result of regular reoccurrence of a particular activity. It is a state of being physically or psychologically attracted to a continuous practice of a particular act.

It might be quite difficult to detect when a person has an addiction, because addicts often make it secret especially when it is a shameful one. Sometimes, people also do have addictions that they do not know about, they only do them as if they are the normal daily activities that are expected to be done.

FACTORS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADDICTION AMONG ARTISTS

Artists are professional individuals that are skilled in performing arts such as dancing, singing, acting and the likes. Addictions that are common among artists are sex, drugs, alcohol and others, for different reasons as the profession may require. The profession of an artist requires rapt creative capability and a lot of self-confidence, which could be gotten from drugs and alcohol when taking.

Substances like heroin, tobacco, cocaine that actors take for personal and professional reasons, some take them to cool off stress after a tedious day at work, others take them to get over anxiety, pressure and low self-esteem. Artists often abuse illegal drugs by making use of them to enhance their mental support, reduce stress and pressure, and also to boost confidence to aid performance.

HAZARDOUS REPERCUSSION FOR ADDICTED ARTISTS

Psychoactive substances are made up of some chemical substances that are meant for overstimulation of the brain’s reward system, which will lead to hyperactive effects that will disrupt the individual’s normal inspiration, emotions, pleasure, and motivation.

Artists are ordinarily addicted to some commonly abused illicit drugs such as tobacco, cocaine, heroin, opium, ecstasy, and abuse of some prescription drugs also occurs. Addiction to these drugs have caused artists some side effects which includes:

1. Erectile dysfunction in men, usually due to heart diseases
2. Kidney and liver diseases
3. Menstrual problems in women
4. Weakness in the muscular and skeletal system
5. Immense difficulty in breathing, which usually leads to asthma
6. Incessant sweating, itching and constipation
7. Heart failure

A lot of artists have died being addicted to some of these substances which could be avoided only if artists can go natural with their performances.