GNR Women's discussion

[MillionsOfSpiders]

17 minutes ago, Padme said:

 

Sorry, can you please explain in more detail what happened to you? I'm planning to buy tickets for London eventually. By eventually I mean I would buy from scalpers if necessary. 

I have checked the London show presale page. But the only thing I found was all the packages options. And I don't want any of that. All I want is the Golden Circle tickets. Now those were not avaibale however the price is 300 pounds with all the fees, taxes and shippment. I wasn't aware of any mess up by Ticketmaster

Don't worry, they've ammended all the mistakes. 

Basically I used nightrain for pre sale, never pressed any VIP shit. I pressed pre sale and then got GC tickets, but they charged me for VIP. 

They also told people buying the early entry package there was a hotel included, overnight stay on the night of the show and breakfast. There isn't. 

That's what they told people on ticketmaster site. With the VIP package. I won't post screen shots of what happened to me cos it has personal details. All of this has been corrected now.

Edited December 8, 2016 by MillionsOfSpiders

[killuridols]

 Girls! Please BE AWARE of the scalpers!!!! 

Not only they will sell you the ticket 2, 3 or 5 times higher than its original price but the biggest risk you take is on the ticket being FALSE.

Lots of people have been scammed this way, out of desperation, with a last minute decision. Then you arrive at the concert just to be slapped in the face with a fake ticket.

Make sure you get them from official vendors or reliable sites. Don't trust the scalpers and do not feed their market!

[Padme]

8 minutes ago, killuridols said:

 Girls! Please BE AWARE of the scalpers!!!! 

Not only they will sell you the ticket 2, 3 or 5 times higher than its original price but the biggest risk you take is on the ticket being FALSE.

Lots of people have been scammed this way, out of desperation, with a last minute decision. Then you arrive at the concert just to be slapped in the face with a fake ticket.

Make sure you get them from official vendors or reliable sites. Don't trust the scalpers and do not feed their market!

It would depend on the scalper, StubHub has always worked fine with me. It is not overprice if you wait. They want to sell. The closer it gets to the show, the more desperate they get  So the price of tickets goes up and down all the time. If there is a problem with the ticket they let you know by email. They can be contacted at any time from anywhere. They have costumer service online in a chat. They have a phone number where anyone can call. I'd rather deal with then than with Ticketmaster

[Padme]

35 minutes ago, MillionsOfSpiders said:

Don't worry, they've ammended all the mistakes. 

Basically I used nightrain for pre sale, never pressed any VIP shit. I pressed pre sale and then got GC tickets, but they charged me for VIP. 

They also told people buying the early entry package there was a hotel included, overnight stay on the night of the show and breakfast. There isn't. 

That's what they told people on ticketmaster site. With the VIP package. I won't post screen shots of what happened to me cos it has personal details. All of this has been corrected now.

Yeah I saw the hotel thing. I found it weird. And I figure the hotel would be located in the worst area of London. I thought it was propably in White Chapel, the area where Jack The Ripper killed those 5 women. Or something similar to that. I didn't have any kind of good expectation about that hotel deal. And it turned out to be bullshit 

[Andy14]

Reading about Axl's depressions really makes me sad and worried. I just hope he feels better now and that he stays on stage as long as possible since it's the moment we can see him happy and healthy. I don't even wanna think about what he's doing right now in his bleak house. 

Instead of trying to make funny signs, we should simply hold a sign that says "Axl, we care "

 

18 hours ago, killuridols said:

But she's also stubborn and insecure, like all girls , so Axl.... you will have to tame this girl!!

 

3 hours ago, Fansince88 said:

Hello!  Newbie here. I am so happy that many of you have gotten tickets.  I saw them over the summer in Philadelphia and after spending a fortune on tickets, realized the NJ/NYC show was on Slash's Birthday and bought another set of tickets hoping to see a Slaxl moment in person (really Axl?  Couldn't even sing a little bit of Happy Birthday to him? ).

 I just got tickets for the Hershey show (which is pretty close to Choclate World-- get ready for the an onslaught of posts from Melissa during that week) and cannot   believe we get to see them live again.  Eight months until the show  --plenty of time for the airline/dry cleaner/wardrobe to lose the dreadful flannel shirt, right? 

 

andy14 please keep the gifs coming!!! 

 

 

Welcome!!! 

And thank you!  I'll try to do my best 

[MillionsOfSpiders]

19 minutes ago, Padme said:

It would depend on the scalper, StubHub has always worked fine with me. It is not overprice if you wait. They want to sell. The closer it gets to the show, the more desperate they get  So the price of tickets goes up and down all the time. If there is a problem with the ticket they let you know by email. They can be contacted at any time from anywhere. They have costumer service online in a chat. They have a phone number where anyone can call. I'd rather deal with then than with Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster are the worst. They once screwed up with some Metallica tickets I bought, sent them to the wrong place and wouldn't give me any more or refund me. I was devastated. I always screenshot when dealing with them. TicketWankers. 

I never had a problem with StubHub until AXL/DC. Didn't get my tickets until half an hour before I had to leave for the show. That was stressful. 

Edited December 8, 2016 by MillionsOfSpiders

[Padme]

1 minute ago, MillionsOfSpiders said:

Ticketmaster are the worst. They once screwed up with some Metallica tickets I bought, sent them to the wrong place and wouldn't give me any more or refund me. I was devastated. I always screenshot when dealing with them. TicketWankers. 

I never had a problem with StubHub until AXL/DC. Didn't get my tickets until half an hour before I had to leave for the show. That was stressful. 

I bought AXL/DC tickets with StubHub and my tickets arrived without any problem about 10 days before the show. You didn't talk to them in the chat just a few days before the shows? I'm sure the chat people would've fixed the late arrival problem.

[MillionsOfSpiders]

1 minute ago, Padme said:

I bought AXL/DC tickets with StubHub and my tickets arrived without any problem about 10 days before the show. You didn't talk to them in the chat just a few days before the shows? I'm sure the chat people would've fixed the late arrival problem.

Yes I did, I rang them constantly for about the whole week before. 

The seller told them twice he'd sent them and it turned out to be untrue. Then they gave me the wrong tracking number. Then eventually the right one, I sat watching the tracker on Royal Mail and when the postman came around the corner I could have hugged and kissed him but im socially awkward so I just said "oh thanks" like it was nothing lol 

[Blackstar]

2 hours ago, killuridols said:

Are you sure?

I saw a picture someone posted of a chapter of the book that is called "Back in the Saddle" and that is the one dedicated to Axl.

Book is like 400 pages and I don't know if there is a digital version of it but I will eventually get it because I love Baz, I like the way he talks and tells his stories. I know lots of people here think he's annoying but whatever, I don't care what people think.

Baz has spent a lot of time next to Axl and he must know so much shit that I feel jealous but in a nice way. I don't think this is a tell-all book and probably most of his Axl's stories have been monitored before going on print (well, I'm assuming about that) but if there is one guy to talk about Axl stuff I think that is Baz, regardless of his loud style.

I think Baz is a good person and I find him hilarious some times, but other than that I haven't much interest to know more about him.

The story in the helicopter is from the "Back in the Saddle" chapter, but there's not much more in it.

Spoiler

 

He says how he reconnected with Axl in 2006, about the Eddie Trunk interview, a meeting of them with John Bon Jovi and a conversation where Baz suggested to Axl that he could make a lot of money if he did a VH1 show like himself, and Axl told him "Sebastian. You don’t understand. I will pay VH1 1.5 million dollars ... to leave me the fuck alone.”  He also talks about Axl singing on his album.

In other chapters:

- He tells the story with David Lee Roth he had told in the Eddie Trunk interview:

“Well, you know the way I see it???” Dave [Lee Roth] shot back. “You two are the pretenders and I’m on mah throne and that’s the way I see it! I said, I said ahhh...” Dave slammed the shot glass down and turn to the waitress, and implored with thirst, “Medic???”

Axl was cool, yet quite clear.

“I ain’t no pretender to nobody’s fucking throne. I’m not influenced by you or anybody else. I don’t give a shit about your fucking throne. I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, but this night is fucking over.”

...

Axl got up and split, leaving me and Dave there to get more and more soused.

- He talks about being close with Axl and hanging out in his house in 1990-91. He describes an incident when the police banged Axl's door, Axl told him to hide in the closet from where he heard him argue with the cops and eventually they left. From what he says, it doesn't seem that Axl was as much "anti-drugs" as we may think, and although Baz doesn't say anything directly, he implies that Axl was doing drugs too from time to time (not too heavy stuff though):

Surprise! We had some great parties.

Someone at Axl’s house showed me how to smoke dope. Something I had never done before. We broke off sheets of aluminum foil, put the dope on it, heated it up with a lighter, and then rolled up a piece of Reynolds Wrap to use as a pipe. This was all new to me. The sensation was indeed pleasant, but I didn’t really enjoy it all that much. It was like going to sleep while still being awake. I remember it felt really good to scratch my face. I would smoke some, and then talk to Axl about all sorts of crazy shit.

We called Howard Stern one morning, as the sun came up, with Erin Everly and Maria partying along there with us on the balcony. It took Howard and his radio staff ten minutes to believe that it was really us. But once we did do the interview, it became one of the most replayed interviews on Howard Stern to this day.

We were smoking dope. It was a different time.

Axl and I were like partners in rock ’n’ roll crime. We kinda sorta ruled the world from 1987 to 1991. He would call me at home in New Jersey and we would talk and laugh. We became friends quite quickly.

Erin Everly became friends with Maria for a time. It was on their hips, the first time I ever saw hip-hugger jeans. Sitting on Axl’s couch, Erin and Maria walked in with jeans so tight they looked painted on. They had shimmied their pants down to be barely above the ITG. This was the first time I’d seen that look. It was a good look.

And this, which I think is hilarious :

On the Guns N’ Roses tour, they had the MGM Grand plane as a mode of transportation. I had asked Axl many times, “Hey dude, can I come on the plane? Can I come on the plane? Seriously, can I come on the plane?!?!”

"No, no, no, no, and no,” I would always get told.

“I really want to get on the fucking plane with you guys!”

“No.”

One day, after a gig, I went out to the fence where all the fans are standing. Looking for some weed. I asked a hundred or so people, “Any of you guys got any weed?” This was in Toledo, Ohio. I remember distinctly. A couple days after the St. Louis riot. Nobody had any weed that day in Toledo. Then, some guy said, “Hey, I don’t have any weed, but I got this.” I go, “What’s that?”

“It’s opium”. I had never seen opium in my life, and I have not seen it since that day.

I said, “What the fuck is opium?” I didn’t know what it looked like, or what you even did with it. Smoke it? Shoot it? I didn’t know. But since there was no weed, I was willing to find out.

...

Unwrapped it. Inside was round ball of dark goo-like substance he told me was pure opium. I said, “Sure, I’ll take that, dude,” and gave him a couple backstage passes. I now had a large ball of opium, whatever that was, but I still had no idea what to do with it.

Saw Axl that night backstage. “Hey dude, can I come on the plane, man?? Seriously! I think we would have fun.”

“No, Baz, you still can’t come on the plane.”

“Come on, Axl, please let me come on the plane, dude, for reals.”

“No, I really don’t think it’s a good idea, Baz. Sorry, maybe tomorrow.”

“You know what?”

“What?”

“I just got this big fucking huge ball of opium.”

“Hey Baz.”

“What?”

“Get on the fuckin’ plane.”

-  And a story from 2009:

A hot New York City street night. Hanging out with Axl, after touring with GNR all over the place. He introduces me to this hangout called Bungalow 8 in the city. This fine establishment is named after the exact bungalow at Chateau Marmount that John Belushi died in, of a cocaine overdose, in 1982. It’s quite the hang. Full of models, actors, musicians all out looking for a good time.

One night, some mid-level executive from VH1 is present. I’m there with Axl just hanging out. Everybody wants to meet him. They think.

“Hey Axl, this is the Vice President of VH1!!!” He looks over at the VP, straight in the eye, who reaches out to shake his hand. Axl declines the handshake. Looking around the room, then directly back into the man’s eyes, he utters the immortal phrase:

“VH1? You guys have been fucking me around for a long time.” The executive’s face turns a pallid shade of white, as he looks as if he’s been kicked directly in the nuts. It was hilarious. I think he cried.

---------

There's not much more, really. Surprisingly, at least from what I've read, he doesn't say anything about the audition with Velvet Revolver and there's no more than a couple of mentions of Slash, where he implies there was some sort of a fallout between them. He says he's been very good friends with Matt Sorum and he has had a good relationship with Duff. He also talks about how fucked up Steven was and how hurt he felt about Civil War and how the rest of the band was treating him.

 

There is a possibility, though, that some parts of the book are missing in the kindle version I got, because there are some spots where it looks like a draft of something and seems that Baz intended to add more material.

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Blackstar

[Padme]

18 minutes ago, MillionsOfSpiders said:

Yes I did, I rang them constantly for about the whole week before. 

The seller told them twice he'd sent them and it turned out to be untrue. Then they gave me the wrong tracking number. Then eventually the right one, I sat watching the tracker on Royal Mail and when the postman came around the corner I could have hugged and kissed him but im socially awkward so I just said "oh thanks" like it was nothing lol 

I see. The seller fucked it up. Why were you so indiferent with the poor postman? They guy deserved it a kiss and a hug 

[Blackstar]

2 hours ago, killuridols said:

I have an explanation for this, based on what a source once told me. Yes, everybody knew there was something wrong with him but the reason why nothing was done about it was money. 

The record company didn't allow an intervention of any kind. Guns N' Roses was a money machine and they couldn't afford to stop for anything, even if their own lives were at risk. They had albums to deliver and shows to give. Axl started that stupid regression therapy while he was on the road and it looks that it made him even worse.

Institutionalization of all of them would have been the way to go but it would have interfered with their career at the same time.

Axl didn't have parents who would care about his mental state. I don't know about Slash and Duff, what did their families think or wanted to do during the worst time of the life of their sons. Izzy seemed to have more vision and unplugged himself from the killer machine. Steven was far gone but we know his mother has suffered a lot with his addiction and his subsequent stroke.

Yes, this all makes sense. Axl had said he'd been taking meds (lithium seemingly), although they didn't do him any good, just to get people off his back; I guess he was talking about record label people and Niven. And then he got in that regression therapy probably seeing it as a way to get better without having to take pills and being involved with psychiatrists.

As far as Izzy goes, Slash has said that something had happened which really shook Izzy up and he called his father to take him to Indiana. I think it was either the plane incident which Izzy has referred to as the catalyst for him getting sober or the OD Axl has talked about (Izzy denies he ever ODed)

Quote

Wow 

Thanks for posting this.....

The cassette story is consistent with some things I've been told before but it particularly makes me think of the recent picture of the front of his house: depression, abandonment, refusal to leave the past behind, stuck in a hole.

It is consistent with the amount of years clinging onto Stephanie. The amount of years making "Chinese Democracy". The amount of years rehashing the past, hating on Slash, not being able to move on.

This affection for what's old and useless, like the cassette for his vocal warm-up. His house still looking like in the 90's, even his kitchen furniture, old and worn out.

Not sure what to think of this and even though it looks like he's changed for good, I agree with @MillionsOfSpiders when she says it's been a long time since the 80's and 2006 doesn't seem to me so far away, to be honest.

There are things that still don't make sense to me, like why he never leaves his hotel room when he's on tour. Why sometimes he stays in a different hotel than the rest of the band. Why did he miss the plane when the SA leg of the tour started and why he was so pissed off in that picture with flight attendants and pilot. Why it seems like he never hangs out with Duff, Slash and their wives/kids. Why he's never happy in photos with fans or anyone, for that matter.

So so so sad....

I agree with this too, although the cassette thing seems a little strange to me, considering that Axl has not been negative with new technology, he has used Pro Tools to record, he uses the internet etc

Edited December 8, 2016 by Blackstar

[Jane M.]

2 hours ago, Darkenchantress said:

Slash is looking better and better. And he should smile more 

That's what being in love and happy does to you.

[killuridols]

@Blackstar I don't understand.. Did you buy or did you not buy Baz book? 

You shared quite a lot there so it doesn't look like the Axl mentions are just a few. I think you should add the "spoiler" code to some of those. I have not read all of it because I don't want the book spoiled for me. I figure other people would like to stop by some stories as a surprise too.

About cassette, yeah it's weird, but that's the guy who said Internet was a garbage can and that there would never be a Guns N Roses website or fan club and to this date he's not much into social media or technology. He only has Twitter and apparently enjoys the perks of Netflix but that's all we know about that 

[killuridols]

6 minutes ago, Jane M. said:

That's what being in love and happy does to you.

This is how I would be if @Andy14 would give me the time of day.

I would be complete 

[Blackstar]

@killuridols, as I said, I got the Kindle edition, so yes, I bought the e-book. I also said that there are a few stories but it's all known stuff from Baz's interviews, so I didn't think that posting them would spoil it for someone and I just thought I could share. Anyway, I'm sorry if I spoiled it for you or anyone else. I edited my last post and put the quotes in spoiler code.

[coolranchdressing!]

On December 7, 2016 at 2:14 PM, Archtop said:

Unfortunatley not, I came back from traveling in  my 20's to find my parents had dumped all the boxes I had stored in thier loft ? including all my GnR stuff, I had  tour programs and all sorts, I was proper mad at the time. They also dumped my album collection and pointed out I had most of it on CD anyway 

oh shesh...I would've emancipated my parents if they did that lol

[KiraMPD]

3 hours ago, Blackstar said:

From what he says, it doesn't seem that Axl was as much "anti-drugs" as we may think, and although Baz doesn't say anything directly, he implies that Axl was doing drugs too from time to time (not too heavy stuff though):

To my recollection Axl's never claimed that he was anti-drugs. In fact...

"I have a different physical constitution and different mindset about drugs than anybody I've known in Hollywood, because I don't abstain from doing drugs, but I won't allow myself to have a fuckin' habit. I won't allow it. I'll have done blow for three days and my mind will go "Fuck no". I'll have the physical feeling of knowing my body needs it, and I'll just refuse to do coke that day. I'm not going to do it, because if I was going to do it, I know I won't be able to hit my goals with what I want to do with this band. I can't let myself get into coke as much as I'm into the band. The same thing with heroin. I did it for three weeks straight and had one of the greatest times in my life, because I was with a girl I wanted to be with in this beautiful apartment, and we just sat there listening to Led Zeppelin, doing drugs and fucking. It was great, 'cause at that time I had nothing to do but sit on my ass and make a few phone calls a day. I stopped on, like, Saturday, because I had serious business to attend to on Monday. I felt like shit, sweated, shook, but on Monday I was able to function. I can't hide in drugs. A lot of people can, but whenever I do any drugs - pills, booze, smack, whatever - to enjoy it, my life has to be perfect - no fuck-ups, nothing going wrong. Otherwise, when I'm high, I'll analyse the shit out of everything that's happening in my life and why things are going wrong. That's not enjoyable. And if I have shows to do, I won't touch drugs because it fucks up my throat. My advice is don't get a habit, don't use anybody else's needle and don't let drugs become a prerequisite to having a good time. Do things in moderation , and just be careful." - The world according to W. Axl Rose by Del James, RIP April 1989

Axl might be one of those people that can use drugs without becoming fully addicted. My personal theory is that this contributed to the disconnect between Axl and the rest of the band. He was harsh on them for their drug use because he could not understand why anyone would allow themselves to get to that stage with their addiction. It is interesting though because considering Ax's background (the childhood abuse, the 'bipolar disorder' diagnosis, attempted suicide(s), social circle largely made up of drug addicts), theoretically he should have been the most vulnerable to form a serious addiction...

[Blackstar]

9 minutes ago, KiraMPD said:

To my recollection Axl's never claimed that he was anti-drugs. In fact...

"I have a different physical constitution and different mindset about drugs than anybody I've known in Hollywood, because I don't abstain from doing drugs, but I won't allow myself to have a fuckin' habit. I won't allow it. I'll have done blow for three days and my mind will go "Fuck no". I'll have the physical feeling of knowing my body needs it, and I'll just refuse to do coke that day. I'm not going to do it, because if I was going to do it, I know I won't be able to hit my goals with what I want to do with this band. I can't let myself get into coke as much as I'm into the band. The same thing with heroin. I did it for three weeks straight and had one of the greatest times in my life, because I was with a girl I wanted to be with in this beautiful apartment, and we just sat there listening to Led Zeppelin, doing drugs and fucking. It was great, 'cause at that time I had nothing to do but sit on my ass and make a few phone calls a day. I stopped on, like, Saturday, because I had serious business to attend to on Monday. I felt like shit, sweated, shook, but on Monday I was able to function. I can't hide in drugs. A lot of people can, but whenever I do any drugs - pills, booze, smack, whatever - to enjoy it, my life has to be perfect - no fuck-ups, nothing going wrong. Otherwise, when I'm high, I'll analyse the shit out of everything that's happening in my life and why things are going wrong. That's not enjoyable. And if I have shows to do, I won't touch drugs because it fucks up my throat. My advice is don't get a habit, don't use anybody else's needle and don't let drugs become a prerequisite to having a good time. Do things in moderation , and just be careful." - The world according to W. Axl Rose by Del James, RIP April 1989

Axl might be one of those people that can use drugs without becoming fully addicted. My personal theory is that this contributed to the disconnect between Axl and the rest of the band. He was harsh on them for their drug use because he could not understand why anyone would allow themselves to get to that stage with their addiction. It is interesting though because considering Ax's background (the childhood abuse, the 'bipolar disorder' diagnosis, attempted suicide(s), social circle largely made up of drug addicts), theoretically he should have been the most vulnerable to form a serious addiction...

Yes, I know this quote and I agree. But there are people who have the impression that Axl was some sort of puritan in regards to drugs. I think the reasons Axl didn't become addicted were 1) that as he says, drugs, especially heroin, didn't "work" for him as it did for other people and they made him feel worse (probably due to his mental issues) and 2) despite being suicidal, he has had a strong instinct for survival and he sensed that if drugs by themselves could destroy him, the combination of them with his mental situation would be lethal; and this is why Axl survived (fortunately) and Kurt Cobain didn't.

[Ubukitty]

On 12/6/2016 at 4:05 PM, annablue said:

Okay I need to calm down. I just spent nearly $600 for a VIP package (I don't even know what that means yet - do I get to keep one of them after the show?) Ottawa, Canada in August. I wasn't expecting this at ALL today. I had no time to think. I know I would have regretted not purchasing but JEEZ guys a little tiny notice or something...I hopefully will get the concert experience I haven't the last few times where I was with someone and had to take their ticket price into account. I'm going solo this time. I wil enjoy myself just fine.

You're lucky for that price. We paid $1250 each ticket for VIP Jungle experience. Hoping it's worth it. I won't see shopping for about five years.

On 12/3/2016 at 3:10 AM, money honey said:

You sound like my dad, commenting on people's houses and what needs fixing.  Seriously, this is Axl's home for around 20 years, it's in an amazing location, he should stay put.

Wonder what he's doing today, back home after months of touring... Maybe putting up Christmas decorations?? Or does he have someone to do that for him??

 

[Jane M.]

4 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Yes, I know this quote and I agree. But there are people who have the impression that Axl was some sort of puritan in regards to drugs. I think the reasons Axl didn't become addicted were 1) that as he says, drugs, especially heroin, didn't "work" for him as it did for other people and they made him feel worse (probably due to his mental issues) and 2) despite being suicidal, he has had a strong instinct for survival and he sensed that if drugs by themselves could destroy him, the combination of them with his mental situation would be lethal; and this is why Axl survived (fortunately) and Kurt Cobain didn't.

This.

[Rocketqueen76]

4 minutes ago, Ubukitty said:

You're lucky for that price. We paid $1250 each ticket for VIP Jungle experience. Hoping it's worth it. I won't see shopping for about five years.

 

It would only be worth it if a meet and greet were included....but sadly.....

[Ubukitty]

12 hours ago, MillionsOfSpiders said:

Just saw this on Twitter, from Sebastian Bachs new book 

Its not like any of his subsequent returns to the UK have gone any better either. Each tour has been marred by something here  

I hope Ticketmaster sort their shit out and don't fucking wreck the London show! 

WOW! Wonder what could've caused this. I'm pretty sure he wasn't on drugs at this time in his life and he should've dealt with all the past issues by 2000. Do you suppose he still feels like this some days? I really hope that's behind him.

[Ubukitty]

5 minutes ago, Rocketqueen76 said:

It would only be worth it if a meet and greet were included....but sadly.....

So true. My love of GnR has me going insane.

[Rocketqueen76]

2 minutes ago, Ubukitty said:

So true. My love of GnR has me going insane.

I won't get to see them this time around....my schedule won't allow it. But if some time opens up, hopefully I can still get good seats.

[KiraMPD]

28 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

1) that as he says, drugs, especially heroin, didn't "work" for him as it did for other people and they made him feel worse (probably due to his mental issues)

A lot of studies suggest that people with mental disorders that tie in with depression and anxiety are more likely to form a substance abuse problem. However, there are some cases where it's the opposite, depending on the specific chemical imbalance the patient suffers from. For example; cocaine has been reported to have a 'calming' effect on people that suffer from ADHD (but that sometimes leads to them abusing cocaine and other stimulants in order to self-medicate and alleviate their symptoms).