Duff McKagan wrote a book about his addiction.
The founding member of Guns N Roses talked about his drug and alcohol addiction on Dr. Phil today. The title of Duff McKagan’s Book “It’s so Easy: and other lies” explains his journey into drug addiction.
He tells Dr. Phil that he drank 1 gallon of vodka a day. Then when he decided that he wanted to cut back he made a deal with himself that he would stop when life slows down. In the process of slowing down Duff McKagan switched to wine and ended up consuming 10 bottles a day.
Duff started drinking at age nine.
Duff states that in the 70’s it was easy to get pot in the 4th grade. In the 6th grade Duff tasted LSD for the first time. In the7th grade he did cocaine, Quaaludes and Valium.
Duff McKagan’s panic attacks
Duff recalls that during his first panic attack it felt like the bottom of the shower stall dropped and he went to his knees and could not breathe. He came out of the shower naked and crying that he could not breathe. Duff’s mom rushed him to hospital and he talked to a psychiatrists. Duff thought it was the mushrooms and LSD that caused this first panic attack. When Duff realized that he actually was having panic attacks it freaked him out more. Instead of getting the help he needed he drank to calm himself down.
The reason for Duff McKagan’s panic attacks
When Duff caught his father cheating on his mom it was hard for him to deal with. Dr. Phil asks Duff. “Did keeping a secret from your Mom weigh in on this?” Duff feels that his first panic attacks were the result of keeping things hidden from his Mom.
Duff McKagan’s first Gig was in 1985.
His panic attacks seemed to lesson with the drugs and alcohol. The band that Duff was in helped him to find “safe people” who kept him from over dosing. Duff states that later as he became popular and felt he was in a fish bowl his drug addiction got worse. When Duff was high on drugs he climbed over a fence at Niagara Falls.
Duff reached a point where he stopped caring
Duff said that there was a point where he just stopped caring. Dr. Phil states! “The average age of death of a rock star is 42. The average age of an American is 77.” Duff quotes from his book that he saw a stamp on his pass port that he had been in Czechoslovakia. When he found a check in payment for a gig in Czechoslovakia, he did not remember playing there.
A family Intervention gone wrong!
Duff’s family tried to stage an intervention. He was terrified and ran, ending up in closet with a shot gun. After that he alienated himself from his family. Duff states! “One morning I found myself in a closet with a loaded shot gun and thought about my water skiing accident and how peaceful death would be.” Duff recalls the feelings of being lonely, scared and desperate. Duff says that he now realizes how lucky he was to have his family.
The turning point in Duff’s life
When Duff was in the hospital his mother who had Parkinson Disease had to use a wheelchair to get around and offered to take care of him. Duff said that the order of things was wrong and that this was his turning point. His mom raised 8 kids. Duff states that she was a lion. He needed to see his mom in the wheel chair for things to turn around for him. He was glad that his mom got to see his first child before she died.
Rock Stars often are on the path of destruction
Dr. Phil says that he watches these rock stars on absolute destruct and asks Duff. “Was there anyone in your life telling you to step up?” Duff said that his family tried but they lived too far away. His band mates were the best people that he had around him but they had their own issues.
Richard from RumorFix.com
Richard was also on Dr. Phil and said that rumorfix.com is the anti tabloid. It tells the truth instead of rumor likes the tabloids do. Song writer Sly Stone who wrote the song “Everyday People” has been living in a run down van dealing with his drug addiction. According to Rumorfix.com, Sly Stone will be moving into a brand new RV. He used to live in a mansion. Sly Stone was a wake up call for Duff, and seeing Sly get better helped him. Sly Stone previously stated that he wants to go into rehab but wonders if he can play music sober!
Dr. Phil asks Duff. “Were you actually better when you were high?” Duff has not had much experience in his musical career of not being high. However, Duff did feel that he was so much more present with the audience when sober.
There have been at least 59 Rock stars who died before reaching the age of 40 due to drug addiction. To name a few they are: Jim Morison, Jimmy Hendrix, Amy Whitehouse, Janice Joplin, Brian Cole, Keith Moon, Gregory Herbert, Mike Bloomfield, Brad Nowell, etc.
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