Hi Mr. Townsend,

I just wanted to say thank you for writing and releasing Addicted. I've been diagnosed with major depression and frequently make plans for (only) myself. However, listening to Addicted boosts my mood and I somehow make it through the day. Addicted and UIAB help me get in touch with my repressed anger (I tend to be a doormat most of the time) and the rest of the songs fill me with a positive, get-up-and-go-roll-the-bones feeling. It has such a positive impact on my daily outlook -- so much that I've made it part of my Safety Plan.

Anyway, thanks for making such powerfully moving music.

Also, thank you for continuing to share your creativity with others. I look forward to your future projects! ^_^


--Depressed in DC

Quite a'many years ago Ocean Machine and Terria really helped me out in a big way. More recently Distruptr was really the kick in the ass that I needed to get motivated in many areas of my life. "So what if it kills you. Oh, be a man about it. Be a god damned man, boy!"

Like it or not, Devin is a healer. Sometimes it's a deep spiritual message and sometimes it's tough love. Sometimes it's about coffee.

Stay strong, man!

You simply can't be a Rush and Dev fan AND have depression!!!

Hi everybody,

thanks for the supportive replies. I look for lighthouses to keep me afloat, sometimes for just a couple days at a time. Having my DT collection in my iPod for easy access is a lifesaver. ^_^

Rush and Hevy Devy have gotten me through a life of hereditary depression. The combo of the two is definitely helping me recover. It's always exciting to see and hear what they come up with next. I'm moved by their dedication to quality, their courage to play what moves them personally, and their sense of humor. Every album release is like Christmas... and every poopynuggeteer video release is New Year's Eve!

I only recently discovered the music of Devin Townsend, but I'm glad I made it this far to enjoy it.

It's called the healing power of music. Good luck with it all mate.

Safety Plan? That sounds scary. What is that all about?

^people with severe clinical depression usually have measures in place to prevent their own suicide. it sounds kind of grim but it's definitely a good thing, haha.

^people with severe clinical depression usually have measures in place to prevent their own suicide. it sounds kind of grim but it's definitely a good thing, haha.

You got it. It can be anything from promising to call a friend or reading a book.

For some reason, Addicted keeps me from slumping into a downward spiral. Not sure why... I believe It's a combination of the crushing guitars, pick-me-up beats, cosmic techno effects, Mr. Townsend's vocal range (he's the Harry Nilsson of metal, I swear), and Anneke's strong but angelic voice. When I listen, I imagine Addicted to be the sky above the Ocean Machine: turbulent one minute, heavenly the next. Can't wait for the next two albums...

This is a very interesting discussion to me. In recent years, I have 'tied' certain Devin songs to certain events. Sometimes this can be an interpretation of lyrics but is often being able to relate the feeling I get from the music (the non-lyrical part) to the feeling I have gotten from something completely unrelated to the music. Like an "oh yeah...I've felt this before".
One thing that I noticed about Ki was that it forced me to experience feeling that I did not want to face because of what was going on in my life at the time.
Another experience was that I had related "Christeen" to a certain person in my life and after things broke down for me and her, I could not listen to that album. I remember some time passing and I popped Infinity into the player and I managed to get through that song and not break down. Suprisingly, later on in the album, it was another song that got to me. I think it was the beginning of Wild Colonial Boy.....completely unexpected, so I know it was real emotion.
With Addicted, I am really torn up right now. There are several songs on there that are so relevant to what is going on with a certain relationship in my life right now. The relationship is on the rocks and I don't know that it will ever be repaired. It makes listening to Hyperdrive difficult, because THAT is the feeling she gave me. And the very ending remark of "She loves me" is so tough for me to hear. There was a time that lyric made me smile because I was so proud that she loves me. Now, I hear it and I really believe deep down that she loves me but it is not meant to be, so it changes the meaning of the very same words.....as in, I'll hear those words "she loves me" and I'll just shake my head because it is such a shame that it won't work with her.
I haven't even mentioned Supercrush, Resolve and The Way Home.....and definitely the song Addicted.
I told Devin that "oh, the crazy stories I could tell you about some of these songs". He said "well, the situations are different but the emotions are the same". So true.
I actually decided to take a little bit of a Devin break (although this chain inspired me to listen to Addicted for the moment), just to try to get some separation from these emotions. I am a HUGE Overkill fan and they just put out a really good album and I plan to go see their huge 25th anniversary show. Overkill's songs have pain in them to me, but it is generally a different kind of pain and is generally countered with a "you know what? FUCK YOU!" kind of feeling for me. In other words, it's a good time to push everything away and give myself some space.
Funny how life works, isn't it?

Thanks for Sharing, TaiShan. As others have mentioned similar stories I share one too. I've never sought help for it or even really acknowledged it but some days I can't even get out of bed or leave the house. There've been many dark moments and by something greater than me in this Universe that I don't quite understand I somehow managed to escape a terrible decision.

Having tremendous difficulty expressing emotion and connecting with other people led me to music that does it for me. Dev's music is SO emotionally driven on every level that there is always something to match. Terria, especially Deep Peace, saved me during a time when I lost my dog (greatest friend I ever had), my grandfather (abusive to us, loved by everyone else...), and a dear friend (cystic fibrosis is a tragic disease) all in close time together. Ki got me through a year of regret after losing all my educational loans to a fraudulent school incurring massive debt with nothing gained, my father nearly dieing from a heart attack and a breakup to someone I was close to proposing to.

Deadhead's closing lyrics really helped put things in perspective when I heard them. It seems were always looking for the thing that will let us be happy. I don't think there's ever a moment where that step is reached. It's a continual process going up and down. What matters is continuing no matter what occurred. It's all in the heat of the moment embracing the pain if its pain or joy if its joy. The biggest and most difficult battles in life are those that happen in the mind. Devin has a remarkable talent to connect through his music and give support to those like you and I on shaky ground. He's changed my life and I'm so grateful for it.

Addicted was extremely timely, too, to give a boost back away from the edge I was creeping towards again. Thank you is too light of a word to express my gratitude for Dev's hard work, dedication, and staying true to himself.

Devin has helped me so much through my depression as well, not so much with Addicted but Ki was a lifesaver.