Heavy-Metal Band Bring Me the Horizon Advise Addicts to Seek Help

Many youths religiously follow and subscribe to every word published by their favorite bands and musicians. During early October, the followers and fans heard the message of heavy-metal band Bring Me the Horizon advising drug addicts to seek help.

Such correctional services can be found at rehab centers from Santa Barbara, Calif., to the East Coast. However, an addict must decide if he or she is ready to make the necessary changes.

For Oliver (Oli) Sykes, Bring Me the Horizon’s lead singer, drug addiction is not an unexplored territory. Sykes was addicted to ketamine—a substance correlated to anesthetics inducing pain relief and sedation—for a number of years before deciding to reach out for lifesaving help. The 28-year-old singer sought help through rehab centers to wane his threatening cravings for ketamine and now lives a healthier life from his decision.

For addicts living in Santa Barbara or across the pond in the United Kingdom—home of Bring Me the Horizon—quitting substance abuse is never a day-long process. Exposure and misuse of drugs will quickly generate an addiction nearly impossible to escape from alone.

However, taxing addictions do not have to be fought alone. For Sykes, the support of his family, friends and global-wide fans encouraged him to turn a new leaf—even though it was out of tough love.

“I was on [ketamine] for years,” Sykes announced during an acceptance speech at the 2014 Alternative Press Music Awards. He explained how his bandmates, parents and brother wanted to “kill” him. “But they didn’t,” Sykes continued. “They stood by me.”

The singer additionally revealed his decision to seek help from drug rehab centers in the same speech. He explained how his supportive fans sent letters and emails which encouraged him to begin a healthier chapter of his life. Futures brighter than the sunshine over Santa Barbara can be achieved by anyone dependent on harmful drugs from the proper support and reassurance.

During an interview with The Pulse of Radio earlier in October, Sykes encouraged drug addicts to find support and help to end their dependencies to drugs. The former addict suggested those who abuse substances should talk with someone and figuring out why the misuse began.

“There’s always an underlying problem,” the singer said. “First figure out what that is, then work out a healthy way to combat the problem.”

Though several drug addicts in Santa Barbara are not world-recognized singers with large followings, hope offered from family, friends and rehab centers is waiting to provide change. Making the decision to seek assistance from rehabilitation is the courageous first step toward a road of success and joy.

Jeffrey Herbert is a health writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Miramar Recovery Center. Follow on Twitter