Jerry Garcia, Addiction, and Intervention

How can you help someone struggling with addiction?

Know (knowledge):

• How Jerry Garcia’s healthy lifestyle had a positive impact on the Grateful Dead
• How the “weight” of the Grateful Dead contributed to Jerry Garcia’s drug addiction
• How Garcia’s drug addiction had an impact on his relationship with his band and loved ones
• Basic intervention steps that can be implemented for people struggling with addiction

Mastery Objective:

• Students will be able to effectively construct an addiction intervention plan by examining clips from Long Strange Trip, reading information about addiction from the Mayo Clinic, and designing a Public Service Announcement on proper ways to respond to a person’s drug addiction.

Musical artists have dreamed of many things: a No. 1 album, a continuously expanding fanbase, and an impact on the ever-changing cultural landscape. But how many aspire to having an addiction that could affect all of these dreams?

It is no secret that many celebrated musicians have struggled with drug addiction throughout their careers. While some have been able to overcome these battles, others, tragically, have not. These addictions not only impact the health of these individuals, but can also affect the relationships they have with fellow band members, loved ones, and their fans.

Jerry Garcia was one of many musicians who, despite resounding success, succumbed to addiction. As one of the singers and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead, a large portion of Garcia’s career involved handling the demands of a growing fanbase and supporting the sound engineers, technical staff, stagehands, and tour drivers that made the band’s performances possible. In coping with these stresses, Garcia often turned to self-medication, which towards the end of his life started to affect his relationship with his family and closest friends. In 1995, Garcia died at a drug rehabilitation center. He was 53 years old.

In this lesson, students reflect upon drug addiction. By viewing and discussing clips from Long Strange Trip, students learn how Jerry Garcia’s drug addictions impacted his relationship with the Grateful Dead band members and loved ones. In addition, students consider how outside factors created a “weight” that that likely led to Garcia's drug addiction, and learn about effective measures that can be taken towards addiction intervention.