Prescription drugs can be just as harmful as any illegal substance if the user is not careful; however, many individuals fail to realise this and will abuse the drug until eventually developing a prescription drug addiction. This type of addiction can often be harder to control and treat as many doctors fail to make the connection between an addiction and a real need for pain relief.
One man who turned to prescription drugs after breaking his arm in a traumatic accident is keen musician Callum Peterkin. He was left shattered after doctors told him that there was a possibility that he would not be able to play the piano again.
Overwhelming and Touching
Doctors told thirty-five-year-old musician Callum that he might never play music again after suffering a serious injury to his right arm. He broke it on a night out back in 2011 and doctors feared he would never fully recover. Despite battling a prescription drug addiction, as well as depression, a cancer scare and other health issues, he is back better than ever and says he feels great.
Callum has recently been honoured at an international music awards ceremony that was judged by well-known singer-songwriters including the likes of Tom Waits and metal band ‘Slayer’. He said, “Hard work, never giving up and believing in my art paid off – this validates it all. This is what I am – an artist – what else am I going to do? It was overwhelming and touching that my idols like Tom Waits, Slayer and Kathleen Brennan listened to my music and liked it. That was the biggest and most touching part.”
Downward Spiral of Depression and Drug Abuse
As a sufferer of Asperger’s, diabetes and epilepsy, Callum has not had an easy ride, but playing the piano makes him extremely happy. Nevertheless, after breaking his arm in an accident in Aberdeen, he was left unsure of what would happen next.
He fell into a downward spiral of depression and drug abuse after developing a prescription drug addiction. Once he was finally able to remove his cast eight months after the accident, he found that he could not fully extend it, which meant that he could not reach all the keys on the piano. Callum said that his arm was ‘fused with titanium metal’ and he suffered nerve damage meaning that he could not properly move his fingers.
Great Success
His passion for music motivated him to keep trying and to overcome these issues, though, as he knew that if he left things the way they were, he would never play music again. He made up an exercise regimen to build up the strength in his arm, and he committed to overcoming his addiction so that he could better himself and get back to his piano playing. But things took a turn for the worst in 2013 when two tumours were found in Callum’s throat; in his voice box, to be precise. He thought that he would not be able to sing anymore. He threw himself into work with his new band, Tryptamines, and said, “The band’s first album was how I kept on going – I had to tune my life into something.”
The band’s self-titled debut album was made while Callum still had the tumours, which were later found to be non-cancerous. The album proved to be a success and Tryptamines have since played at many gigs around the country. The band have released more work, Metropolis EP, which has again been a great success and even bagged the band the accolade of ‘Best Eclectic EP’ in the Independent Music Awards held in New York. The band still do not know who submitted their work for the award, but they are obviously very grateful. Callum said, “To be honest, I don’t know what happened. I got an e-mail two weeks before saying it had won and asked if I wanted to go to New York for the awards – I thought it was a joke. It was a bit surreal being in New York, the place that inspired Metropolis.”
Help on Your Journey to Recovery
If you are concerned that your loved one is abusing prescription drugs and has consequently developed an addiction like Callum did, contact us here at Liberty House. Our priority is to ensure that all our clients successfully overcome their addiction and move on to lead a healthy, happy life. We specialise in prescription drug addictions with many treatments that can be tailored to suit the specific needs of the individual. For further information, do not hesitate to give us a call or an email today; we would be more than happy to help on your journey to recovery.
Source: Music heals man who suffers from painkiller addiction after a horrific injury (The Evening Express)