<p>‘Manchild in the Promised Land’ was in the gift package of books that I just gave Lake Jr. for Christmas.</p>
<p>I had morphine once after a surgery and realized that I could never, ever have anything like that again. Addiction is a cruel mistress. Dave Navarro has some good descriptions in his autobiography.</p>
<p>RIP to one of my favorite talented people.</p>
<p>Heroin has become a big drug in my high school and we’ve lost several local kids to it. I graduated in 09 and pills were the big thing then. The heroin started the year after I left and now it’s fairly rampant. </p>
<p>RIP. I wish we could treat addiction as the disease it is rather than what we do now. </p>
<p>Did you notice that Philip Seymour Hoffmann and Heath Ledger were best actor Oscar nominees in 2006 and best supporting actor nominees in 2009? Truly sad that both young, talented actors died from substance abuse. </p>
<p>It’s tragic for so many reasons. Addiction is a tragic disease. They both had young children, and both were wonderful actors. Today I realized what a huge range Hoffman had, and that I still haven’t seen many of his best performances. And he did great American classics on stage (Long Day’s Journey, Death of a Salesman), and directed, too. He was well on the way to being his generation’s Olivier. It hurts to think of the performances he’ll never give now.</p>
<p>I actually am surprised by how strongly I feel the loss.
I hadn’t even seen some of his more recent work, especially the darker stuff, but Ive been so moved by what he was able to communicate from the screen, that it is painful to think that,that light has gone out.</p>
<p>I think creative people succumb to experimenting with drugs because they may be looking for new ways to explore their art. When you go to the inner reaches of your mind to play a part to express yourself, getting there chemically can show you the way. It may be temporary and some people get addicted. It seems like a crazy gamble to take, but it happens way too often. </p>
<p>I remember when Heath Ledger was interviewed about Joker role. He said it was hard to get out of the darkness of that role. </p>
<p>Such a tragic loss. Having seen all of his work, including his work onstage, he truly was one of the best at what he did. As one actor friend posted on Facebook, it can be tough to find that peace and solitude when you live in the spotlight.</p>
<p>RIP, Phil.</p>
<p>People die of drug overdoses every day. We only hear about the movie stars but there’s really nothing creative about being a drug addict. Maybe, they have the money to make it easier. Heck, he had 70 bags of heroin in his apartment. </p>
<p>I missed the part where anyone said there was something “creative about being a drug addict.” The entirely different point made previously was about creative people experimenting with drugs as a means of exploring their art. Not all artists will do this, and it’s obviously not a prudent thing to do, but many have.</p>
<p>Oh, I was responding the part about chemically going into the inner reaches of your mind which struck me as an oddly romanticized way of describing shooting up. Probably not the posters intent.</p>
<p>Many people in every profession or no profession at all are drug addicts. I just don’t think there is any correlation at all to the arts apart from the money and the surrounding yes people, perhaps. That makes it easier to be sure. But, listing the artists who have died of overdoses doesn’t create a correlation anymore than listing the waitresses or teachers or whatever.</p>
<p>It’s all sad.</p>
<p>Drug addicts come from all walks of life. It’s much more likely they are escaping every day problems just like everybody else.imho.</p>
<p>It’s a little confusing, but it looks like arrests have been made against Hoffman’s supposed dealers.</p>
<p><a href=“Suspected heroin dealers busted in Hoffman death probe”>http://nypost.com/2014/02/04/suspected-heroin-dealers-busted-in-hoffman-death-probe/</a></p>