27 May 2009
A Chemical Romance
This weeks QX see’s a page on THE SWARMITE. " the ultimate expert in this field " according to Stewart Who? host of DRUG IDLE, the Vauxhall event next week. Steady On.
QX loves the London club scene and everything that goes with it. But if you’ve reached the point where you or someone you know can’t go out, or maybe even start the day, without drugs or alcohol, maybe it’s time to look at why that is. QX mag supports DRUG IDLE, the occasional, confidential, fun and relaxed event about overdoing it. Drug Idle returns next week, hosted by International DJ, Writer & Social Commentator – Stewart Who?,
once known as " clubland’s biggest drug Hoover". Who called him that?
His therapist David Parker, who helped him clean up his act.
We talked to David about making changes . . .
David was a graphic artist, who drank a bottle of scotch and a litre of white wine a day. And that was just for starters.
Initially of course I didn’t think I had a problem. I was working 16 hours a day. I was using alcohol and drugs to support that and was a functioning addict. It came to a head when I had health problems, as is the case for quite a lot of people, when the body stops and it says it can’t take any more, and for me that happened in 1981. Everything crashed, I lost clients, I lost friends and eventually in October 1982 I had my last drink and drug. In 1984 I went bankrupt as a consequence of addiction.
David suffered liver failure and went into a recovery programme. In 1988 he trained as a therapist, qualifying in 1991. His aim is to help people before they reach rock bottom, like he did.
Most of my people are in the middle, the heavy users, the heavy abusers, and people getting nowhere fast. I call myself a Lifestylist because in order to correct what you are doing now, you have to change your lifestyle. I don’t lecture because it’s pointless going to any therapist who lectures you. The most important thing is to go to a therapist who’s been there. Then you can’t get away with anything.
How do you know if you’ve reached the point where you need help?
Look at your credit card bill. Are you spending too much? Are you depressed in spite of the drugs? . . . also look at someone you think canes it too much. We often use someone as a benchmark. Stewart Who? was a benchmark for many people.
Fourteen years ago I used to call him clubland’s biggest drug Hoover. He managed to turn things around by recognising that he had to stop, look and listen like the Highway Code. He was going at such speed he never looked at anything. Then what happened was he began to see that if he didn’t stop using on the level he was he would crash.
He had long periods of depression and this is what you don’t tell your friends about.
He woke up.
If David doesn’t lecture, what does he do?
Initially the difference between me and a conventional therapist is that my sessions are three hours long every two weeks. Most of our habits are subconscious and my role is to unravel those unconscious thoughts and behaviors so that you know exactly why you are doing things. It’s another kind of diet. If you were eating too much it’d be suggested that you reduce your food intake. It takes at least a year. It’s a big commitment.
But how many Muscle Marys do you know who commit to going to the gym three times a week with ease? Commitment is relative. If you want something that bad you will get it. If you were out of stash tonight and you had to walk across glass to get it you’d do it.
Would you want to end up like this? I thought not.
The Swarmite also writes a separate LGBTQ Rehab Blog Exclusively for HOMOVISION every Tuesday called The HOMOVISION REHAB with The Swarmite.
