Mental health, depression, addiction, alcoholism, fentanyl deaths, overdose, jail, and suicide…the quality live audio recording of Departing Darkness, a communal exposition of substance abuse held November 15, 2023 in Madison Wisconsin. Over 100 friends packed the room, and in excess of 250 joined the FB live-stream.

Without discussion, we sit amidst an opioid and fentanyl epidemic. National suicide rates have reached true crisis levels. Alas, addiction and poor mental health casts their anguish upon us all. Eager to transcend the torment, chiefly we lack the comprehension of where or how to begin. Realities of outpacing the suffering lingers as a far-off fantasy, and a wealth of us are convinced there is no way out. Join author Roger Ray Bird and a cast of Bright Sparks for a demystification of the self-destruction. Roger shares his personal experiences as a user and drug dealer in Baltimore, and reads from his new book Daddy, Why Were You A Drug Addict?

TJ and I are both addicts and have seen a lot of hard shit, while learning some invaluable life lessons.

Comparing ourselves to ourselves, not others. Find our purpose, our personal truths, some blabber about striving, competing and the balance between inner freedom and gaining acceptance to fuel our dirty ego.

Keeping up with the Joneses, working towards our true potential versus getting snagged by our worst self. Learning life lessons through experimentation, righteousness, rigidness, self-sabotage, heroin, meth, coke, acid, pills, pot and alcohol.

Quitter, us as low-life piece of shit humans, homelessness, large L for Loser, and me as a high-school dropout. Staying comfortable in the pain and misery of life. Drug rehab and drug recovery. My 32-year clean time versus TJ’s 6-months clean.

Why do we use, why are we addicts? Putting forth our best effort to make a difference in the world. Being ok with rejection. We are free to be who we want to be, so why don’t we do it? Finding the courage and willingness to change.

Sporting the perm mullet, poetry, writing, meditation, mindfulness, finding community, finding our own personal path and all the glorious possibilities in front of us.