“Substance dependency creates challenge for recovery,” warns expert

Researcher and Founder of SA Drug Policy, Shaun Shelly, is warning Yires against substance use, saying the dependency thereof poses an almost impossible challenge for a successful recovery.

“Like anything we take, be it coffee, sugar, or any other drug, the dose thereof is really important. If you take too much of the drug, there is very high risk of developing some form of dependency at some stage, and if you do develop a dependency, it’s very difficult to find relief or resolve from it,” says Shelly.

Shelly has weighed in on the use of substances among creatives following a viral video, which emerged on social media, of South African musician J Molley, accusing South African rapper, Emtee, of wasting his money.

Molley is heard in the video saying Emtee is a lean addict and all he does best is sleep or swear on live streams.

The 24-yar-old J Molley, born Jesse Molley, says he has so far paid for three studio sessions and basically got nothing productive from Emtee.

Molley returned to the spotlight in March after a hiatus, apparently battling drug addiction, which he says, has plagued him since he was 14 years old.

Drug addiction is a substance use disorder that many creatives struggle with, and researcher Shelly says curiosity is one reasons that drive them to substance use.

“The reason so many creative people consider substance use, is because they are curious and inquisitive by nature, or they are motivated by some view of the world which can be both disruptive and outlandish,” says Shelly.

Shelly also notes that many creatives are often on the fringes of society and feel a sense of psychosocial dislocation.

He says for this reason, many find solace and believe they are more creative when using psychedelics, not only during a creative process, but also other times, which are deemed to fuel their creative process.

Shelly says some studies have revealed a link between creativity, mental illness, and the need to find altered states of mind.

“There have been a number of studies where people have primed themselves using psychedelics and then gone into a laboratory a little while later to think of ideas and have come up with solutions,” says Shelly.

He adds that some people use substance for reasons other than creativity.

Shelly believes that creatives are able to function productively without the use of substances.

“Some people will find their creativity and resolve their drugs issues, other people will use their drug issues to fuel their creativity, but the majority of the people won’t be needing the drugs to be creative,” he concludes. Written by Odirile Rabolao