The Sober Raver: Dance music saved my life

Drug addiction is like being in love with the devil. It's a long, drawn-out romance that constantly betrays you, but which you always forgive because of its warm grasp and blanketing comfort. It's basically a deep, soulful yearning for something that will kill you.

For those of you who have also battled this rapacious, impatient disease, you’ve probably heard within the walls of a rehabilitation center that “by the end of this month, one out of three of you will have relapsed, be in jail or dead." For the lucky few who do make it, we’ve managed to shift our obsession to something else. It could be art, a new romance or the simple will to live and the prospect of a second chance. For me, it’s electronic music.

Despite this statement sometimes bringing out a brigade of dubious eye-rolls, the truth is: dance music saved my life. Take it from someone whose entire life revolved around drugs for years – if it wasn’t for this amazing sound, culture and energy, I would now be dead.

I am five years clean of drugs and alcohol but I started experimenting with drugs when I was 13 years old. Using mind-altering substances seemed like a no brainer. All you had to do was pop a pill and you would never feel angry, sad or hurt again. I wish I could say it was just for a bit of fun, that I was an average kid smoking weed on the weekends, but what started as mild emotional maintenance turned into a daily, sickening search for a numbed reality.