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Bob Dylan is an American singer and is considered one of the best songwriters of all time. He’s had a career that spans over 60 years of making rock and folk music that’s influenced many generations. Dylan rose to fame in the 1960s, so it’s no surprise his public image has had mentions of drug use. After all, many considered the 1960s and 1970s to be a time of excessive substance use in young people.
So, did Bob Dylan do drugs? Keep reading for a complete overview of Dylan’s history with drugs.
Bob Dylan & Drugs: The Complete Story
Concerns about Dylan’s substance abuse first came to light during his 1966 tour. A filmmaker who was on the tour said Dylan was “taking a lot of amphetamine and who-knows-what-else.”
Just a few years later, Dylan would admit to his substance issues. In a 1969 interview with Jann Wenner, he said, “I was on the road for almost 5 years. It wore me down. I was on drugs, a lot of things … just to keep going, you know?”
When asked during that interview if the drugs influenced his songwriting, he said, “No, not the writing of them. But it did keep me up there to pump ’em out.” Dylan wasn’t using drugs to inspire creativity in his music but to cope with and survive the grueling, long tour days.
However, it’s always been difficult for the public to understand what Bob Dylan did because he’s gone back and forth between denial and openness. Rolling Stone highlighted that Dylan tended to lie in interviews. For example, in a 1966 interview, he told a tale of being a male prostitute that was clearly false.
So it was confusing for the public when, after admitting to using drugs in 1966, he then refuted those claims in a 1984 interview with Rolling Stone. “I never got hooked on any drug. Not like you’d say, uh, ‘Eric Clapton: his drug period.'”
Still, many people were around to witness the poor state Dylan was in during his 1966 tour, making it a more or less confirmed fact that he struggled with substances at this time.
In addition to drugs, there’s some question whether Bob Dylan was an alcoholic. This especially came to light when never-before-heard tapes from Dylan’s road manager, Victor Maymudes, were publicly shared. Victor’s son, Jacob, made the tapes into a memoir called Another Side of Bob Dylan. In this memoir, it’s stated that the day Dylan met The Beatles, he was drunk and passed out on the floor within an hour.
Victor also shared that Dylan decided to quit alcohol in 1994. “He just stopped on a dime … It was a really big deal for him and really showed his commitment to changing his behavior. He was capable of dealing with a broader range of personalities when he was drinking, and after stopping, his tolerance for certain types of behavior diminished. Bob lost a bit of self-esteem when he sobered up, became a little more introverted and a little less social.”
Bob Dylan’s Health
It’s clear Dylan dabbled in substances, but what impact did that have on his mental health? In 2011, the BBC uncovered a 1966 interview with the musician that was never made public. In this interview, Dylan shared he was addicted to heroin and had experienced suicidal thoughts. He said, “I kicked a heroin habit in New York City. I got very, very strung out for a while, I mean really, very strung out. And I kicked the habit. I had about a $25-a-day habit, and I kicked it.”
Considering his denial of drug use in the 1984 interview, it’s hard to tell if Dylan ever truly struggled with a heroin addiction. But, if he did, his transparency about mental health struggles in the 1960s was revolutionary. The ’60s and ’70s were a time when mental health conditions were still widely misunderstood and stigmatized, so having a world-famous musician open up about them was incredibly brave.
Musicians and the Path to Addiction and Mental Health
A 2019 study by Record Union of almost 1,500 independent musicians found 73% reported facing negative mental health issues, including stress, anxiety and depression. The very nature of being a musician can be incredibly challenging and lead to mental health struggles due to:
- The uncertainty of “making it”
- The pressure around making ends meet while you struggle to become famous
- The scrutiny and pressure once you become famous
- The demand put on you to perform, make more music and keep fans happy
It’s no wonder so many musicians turn to substances as a form of self-medication. Sadly, for some musicians, this can lead to a devastating addiction that can even be life-threatening. Examples of this include artists like Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Prince, Mac Miller and Tom Petty.
Lessons From Dylan’s Struggles and Recovery Journey
The most important thing anyone can learn from Dylan’s journey is that recovery is possible. Dylan has had a long, successful career, and part of that can be attributed to his getting his substance issues under control relatively early on. He may have struggled with drugs and alcohol in his early years of fame, but he clearly stopped all use eventually. After the 1966 tour, there was no mention from others about his drug use, alcohol use, relapses or visits to rehabilitation centers. This is one musician who was able to avoid a tragic ending by quitting substances entirely.
The Importance of Speaking Out
Dylan has shared (and, admittedly, at times denied) his struggles with substance abuse on a very public level. It can take a lot of bravery for anyone in the spotlight to share their experiences with mental health and addiction. But those with a platform must continue doing this very thing. Sadly, there are still a lot of misconceptions about mental health, but when people speak on the topic and share their experiences, they break those barriers down. Dylan shared his frank experiences with drugs so others would learn from him and understand recovery is possible.
Get Help With Substance Abuse
Seeking professional support is your best chance of a long, successful recovery. At FHE Health, we focus on each patient’s unique needs. That’s why we offer individually tailored plans and allow you to select from multiple programs, therapy options and levels of care. Get the help you’ve been searching for; contact us today.
