About Kelly Brogan

KELLY BROGAN, MD, is a holistic psychiatrist, author of the New York Times Bestselling book, A Mind of Your Own, Own Your Self, the children’s book, A Time For Rain, and co-editor of the landmark textbook Integrative Therapies for Depression.

Artists are like our canaries in the coal mine. They dare to feel. They need to expand. Create. Share.

In so many ways, our culture has no room for this. We put these artists in boxes, on stages, constrain them, commoditize them. And these are the ones that are in touch with their gift…

What if you don’t even know yet, that you are an artist? What if you are struggling to hack it punching the clock in your dead-end job, feeling like some deep part of you has gone missing? What if you feel like a square peg in the round hole of this society?

Your symptoms may be an invitation to wake up to your fuller self. Listen to what is out of balance from food to community, and heal, grow, evolve, and come into contact with what you have to give.

If you talk to your doctor about your struggle, you may very well be offered medication treatment to “help you to function”.  Antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, and stimulants to whip your system into conformity. But are these medications really different than street drugs? Aren’t they habit-forming chemicals inducing an unpredictable chemical effect?

Are doctors, most unwittingly, becoming drug dealers?

Listen to the artist, Macklemore (of Macklemore & Lewis) speak to truth on this subject.

We are waking up. There is no magic pill. No quick fix. And we need our artists healed and whole to show us the way to a world of beauty and heart.

Warning: This video may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

“Drug Dealer” by Macklemore & Lewis (with Ryan Lewis) (feat. Ariana DeBoo)

[Macklemore:]

They said it wasn’t a gateway drug My homie was takin’ subs and he ain’t wake up The whole while, these billionaires, they kicked up Paying out congress so we take their drugs Murderers who will never face the judge And we dancin’ to a song about our face goin’ numb But I seen homies turn grey, noses draining blood I could’ve been gone, out 30’s, faded in that tub That’s Prince, Michael and Whitney, that’s Amy, Ledger and Pimp C That’s Yams, that’s DJ A.M God damn they’re making a killing Now it’s getting attention cause Sara, Katey and Billy But this shit’s been going one from Seattle out to South Philly It just moved out about the city And spread out to the ‘burbs Now it’s everybody’s problem, got a nation on the verge Take Activis off the market, jack the price up on the syrup But Purdue farmer’s ’bout to move that work

[Ariana DeBoo:]

My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor Had the plug from Big Pharma, Pharma He said that he would heal me, heal me But he only gave me problems, problems My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor Had the plug from Big Pharma, Pharma I think he trying to kill me, kill me He tried to kill me for a dollar, dollar

[Macklemore:]

And these devil’s they keep on talkin’ to me They screamin’ “open the bottle,” I wanna be at peace My hand is gripping that throttle, I’m running out of speed Tryin’ close my eyes but I keep sweatin’ through these sheets, through these sheets Four horseman, they won’t let me forget I wanna forge a prescription, cause doctor I need some more of it When Morphine and heroine is more viewer budget I said I’d never use a needle, but sure, f**k it I’m caught up, I’m on one, I’m nauseous No options, exhausted This is not what I started Walkin’ carcass, I lost everything I wanted My blinds drawn, too gone to leave this apartment

[Ariana DeBoo:]

My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor Had the plug from Big Pharma, Pharma He said that he would heal me, heal me But he only gave me problems, problems My drug dealer was a doctor, doctor Had the plug from Big Pharma, Pharma I think he trying to kill me, kill me He tried to kill me for a dollar, dollar

[Macklemore:]

More, more, more Re-up, re-up, Death certificate signed the prenup Ain’t no coming back from this percocet Actavis, ambien, adderral, xanax binge Best friends with the thing that’s killing me Enemies with my best friend, there’s no healing me Refilling these, refilling these They say it’s death, death Institutions and DOC’s So God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change Courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to know the difference And the wisdom to know the difference.