Scott Stapp Finds His Purpose For Pain
The music industry can be a fickle thing. It can make or break an artist who is looking to make something of themselves. It can also create demons. One thing Scott Stapp is no stranger to. However, in his case, these are demons that have helped him, so to speak, as he has stepped on the neck of a dark demon and broken out of this and come out looking and sounding better than ever.
Dealing with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and a very scary breakdown which spiraled Stapp’s life into chaos. Don’t take this the wrong way, this isn’t meant as a platform to out the guy or expose him for his troubles, this is a victory cry.
SCOTT STAPP - Purpose For Pain (Official Video) | Napalm Records
Like many people who deal and suffer from sometimes crippling depression and anxiety, I can personally say that it is not an easy road to come back from. You alienate and put ones you love in the darkness with you, only they aren’t with you in body, they’re with you in spirit. Stapp has been barreling down this road to recovery and becoming a better person and resurrect not just his career but his life and his bond with friends and his family. We aren’t going to post dates of when this began for him and give you an article that’s “well researched” because this is a case that’s well documented and known to the music industry and anyone who has followed Scott since his days at the helm of the mega band Creed. This is to draw attention to the man he IS and has become. It’s truly inspiring to see someone who has had all these things like substances to abuse that are so attainable to him because he’s a rock star. But this man has kicked depression, anxiety, substance abuse and tackled it head-on and embraced his faults and failures and come out victorious.
I am in no way claiming he isn’t going to slip and have a bad day or say that temptation isn’t there. Because that would be a lie. The victory is sometimes in the attempt. And Stapp has more than attempted to overcome this and turn a corner very few in the industry can come back from. It’s time us as fans and consumers of his music from either Creed or Scott Stapp the solo performer to find it in ourselves to release the judgment and anger (let’s face it we all were) of slipping and letting go of a band like Creed due to what the aforementioned instances had caused Stapp and it’s time we embrace this guy and welcome him back to living with arms wide open. I believe that as a society it’s so easy for us to judge someone who’s attained this so-called “celebrity” status because most of us truly don’t understand that people have flaws and faults. Being weak is not one of them. We have all and will all have our weaker moments in life. Depression and anxiety alone can be so cruel and unforgiving. It’s a disease. We should strive to be better than that.
This isn’t a ploy to say “you all should be Scott Stapp fans” this is a call to anyone who is struggling to use this mans example and show you that with the help of friends and the unwavering support of loved ones we can overcome and kick mental illness in the head and learn that sometimes it’s okay not to be okay.
Stapp has a great support system and has now been sober for five years. MusiCares has been a critical support for the Stapp family and it seems that he is well on his way into a very strong comeback not just into his music career but into life. We wish him a very healthy future with this new found clarity and confidence to his career and his family. Be sure to talk to someone if you are feeling alone or lost. You are not alone, and you never have to be. Music is a binding force, so use it and free yourself from the chains of what bind you.
