| Fellas, I suppose that each of us makes up his own mind about how badly we need to take drugs. I know that I shudder to see some of the drug advertising that's on the U.S. TV stations that we receive in Canada. To my understanding, NO advertising for prescription drugs is permitted in public forums "up here"; (advertising from the drug companies to the doctors, however is a totally different situation). I believe that the result of this is a generally more "accepting attitude" to swallowing chemicals in the U.S.
But the point of this post isn't about U.S. vs other countries....it's about whether one NEEDS to take drugs to perform. I know I would have very serious reservations about even getting involved with trumpet (or anything else for that matter) that required me to take "mood altering" medications to get through performances. I like to think that either I learn how to handle the stress in the first place OR change my expectations about what level of performance I aspire to.
Yes, I know what "stage fright" is (the first time our trumpet choir performed "in public" I came off the stage thinking "now I know where vibrato comes from...FEAR!" But you just have to "suck it up" and learn to deal with it....or you shouldn't be there in the first place.
I think it's fair to say that most of us non-athletes don't have much sympathy for "professionally amateur" athletes who take drugs so that they can perform....so why do we accept it within our own "fraternity"?
Just my musings on the subject...don't pay them any attention. |