Macklemore Weighs in on the Opioid Addiction Crisis in Time Interview

Award-winning recording artist and long-time addiction recovery advocate Macklemore recently spoke with Time Magazine about his experience battling substance abuse and his journey to recovery. The piece is the latest installment of the Opioid Diaries, a series of profiles that Time has commissioned in an effort to chronicle the full scope of the American opioid crisis and its devastating effects on every portion of the US population. The artist describes a profound moment of awakening, in which his father simply asked if he was happy with this life, adding that opioid addiction had eroded his love and passion for his craft, as well as his relationships with his friends.

An Outspoken Opioid Addiction Recovery Advocate

Macklemore has been lending his experience and wisdom to the opioid addiction recovery conversation for quite some time. In this latest piece, he speaks about the power of treatment in helping him realize that he had an actual disease and giving him the behavioral tools he needed to stay sober, one day at a time. Macklemore also discusses the power of a support network during the recovery and process, and how he did everything he could to immerse himself in the recovery culture after he got clean. He describes the pivotal role that his parents played in guiding him toward rehab and exhibiting love rather than judgment and criticism.

Helping People Overcome Opioid Addiction by Example

Macklemore is living proof two things: anyone can fall victim to opioid addiction and anyone can overcome it. He serves as, at once, a living example of the false perception of drug addiction in the United States and the power of treatment and recovery to help patients live better lives. If you or someone you care about is suffering from opioid addiction, you don’t have to wage this battle alone, now do you have to resign yourself to a life of addiction. Help and a better tomorrow are closer than you think.