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A Spiritual Journey

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< A Friend Through
Monday, November 3, 2003
Finding my way ba >
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
November 2003
The Brick Wall
Banned From The Air
Playing The Clubs
Almost On The Road with Toto
Another Sold Out Show
An Avalanche of Confidence
Finishing the Record
The Recording Sessions
The New Studio
Selecting The Songs for the New Record
The Material
An Avalanche of Momentum
Avalanche Sells out the Club
WCCC 106.9 FM and Avalanche
Thoughts After the Show
Avalanche Hits the Stage....Finally!
A New Day Dawns
The Final Rehearsal
Making the Choice
Patti Again
Annie and American Talent International
Taking Care of the Final Details
Trying to Keep A Perspective
The House on McCall Road
Avalanche Hits the Airwaves
The First Record is Released
The Seeds of Doom...A Side Project...The Shaboo All-Stars
The Recording Studio
The Essential Need for Momentum
Keeping the Band Happy
The Band's "Other Women"
The Politics with the Women
Our Crew
Keeping Things "Under Wraps"
Writing and Rehearsing
Avalanche is Born
Barry Easton Gets the Job..
The Responsibility of Leadership
The Relationship between Bass and Drums
Mark comes aboard
Mark Easton
Charles Calmese
Making It Happen
The Journey of Friendship
An Unconventional Plan
Finding my Musical Identity
Back on Course
Very close...but no cigar...
The Audition
A "Shot" at the "Big Time"
Annie... Sex and Drugs and Rock n'Roll
The Move to Boston...
Recuperating...
A Near Death Experience...
Finding my way back...
Clueless
A Friend Through Thick and Thin
Kilo's Sacrifice
« November 2003 Archive
Monday, November 3, 2003
2:58:00 AM EST
Feeling Quiet
Hearing My own music

Clueless


In 1976, most of the world was still clueless about the disease of addiction. A great deal of medical knowledge has come to light since then, but at that time, drug problems were associated more with specific substances. I think that came from the AA mentality. If you had a drinking problem..stop drinking. If you had a problem with heroin..stop using it. But the disease is really a physical and  spiritual condition..it is a chemical imbalance in the brain, a genetic predisposition to obsession, compulsion, low self-esteem, denial, negativity, and an general oversensitivity to all emotions and feelings, and when those things start interacting with each other, addicts seek relief anywhere they can find it. And it doesn't even have to be with a substance. It can be with food, money, sex, gambling, work,...it doesn't matter. Anything to try to change those feelings. But back in 1976, we were all clueless. I thought my problem was heroin. It was when I started using it that I noticed all the problems in my life getting worse. So when I stopped using heroin, I thought the problem was "solved". And of course, as far as I, and everybody else, was concerned, it was still OK to smoke pot, snort coke, do some Percodan or Tylox, after all, "they" hadn't been the problem. As I returned to my "older" ways... many of my friends came back to me, cautiously at first, until they were sure the "old" Michael was back, but once they were sure, all of them wanted me to get back into my business again...because they had always liked the quality of drugs I had, and  most all of my old local connections were glad to supply me again, after all, I had a large clientele. But I realized rather quickly that I also needed music in my life to feel whole..but getting back my skills and my confidence was going to take some time..I was still unsure of myself, but I was determined to try again, and so I began to play out. I played in bands that once upon a time, I wouldn't have considered joining.. but, because of everything that had happened, I was grateful they would even have me. It wasn't long before things began to happen for me that would soon take me to a level in the music business that seemed to prove that I was finally back on the right path..I had a dream that was taking shape..but this time it wasn't a nightmare.

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