opinion

Reaching Out for Help

Tales of drug use in the adult industry isn't just a Hollywood cliché. Personally, I hear about models' struggles with substance abuse far more than I actually witness it myself, but when the ugly head of addiction does rear itself in my studio, it's certainly not a pretty sight.

Since I'd had so much good fortune with timely, pleasant and (at least seemingly) sober models, I suppose it was just that time for that occasional train wreck to walk through my door. And funny enough, she was on time and prepared. I didn't even notice anything was wrong until my makeup artist pulled me aside.

"She's moving around so much in the chair, I'm having a really hard time doing her makeup," she whispered to me.

"Well maybe she's just excited to be here."

In response, I got that arched eyebrow — you know, the one that suggests you're a complete idiot. "Well, just know it's going to take me a bit longer to finish her up," my markup artist said.

About an hour later, I cornered her again and asked if it was going any better.

"Oh yeah, much better," she muttered sarcastically. "Now she's falling asleep."

"Well maybe she had a long night." I got the eyebrow again.

When we finally got the model in the set for test Polaroids, I couldn't deny the problem any longer. This girl's beautiful face bore the marks of extended drug use — her forehead was heavily lined for someone so young, and her beautiful blue eyes were dead and empty.

Further into the photo session, it became almost impossible to shoot her. She was incapable of taking direction, and though she had a willing attitude, she just couldn't focus. When I asked her to move her left leg, she moved her right. When I asked her to spin toward the softbox, she went the opposite way.

The minute I had her in the perfect position — by physically moving her limbs myself like she was a figurine — she lost her concentration and slumped back into a comfortable slouch. And then she literally began falling asleep on set, so much so that I half gave up by putting her in more comfortable, reclining positions so she wouldn't fall over. And when she would realize she'd just nodded out, suddenly she'd jolt awake and screw her face up in an exaggerated grin, one that grotesquely overcompensated for the fact that she'd just fallen asleep seconds ago. But she was fooling no one.

I thought back on other experiences I'd had with drug problems at work: There was the award-winning starlet who twitched so much that I was sure she was about to break into an epileptic fit. There was the girl who broke out in a sudden, feverish sweat on set and shuddered for hours on our couch. And then my favorite: the model who was so drugged up that we stopped the shoot and sat her down to eat, hoping that some food in her system might sober her up a bit. But our efforts were futile: she promptly passed out face-down in her bowl of spaghetti.

My mother says that the drug abuse was far worse in her day. Back in the 1980s cocaine craze, everyone was running to the bathroom several times an hour. But nowadays all kinds of drugs have infiltrated the industry: A heroin habit seems as common as a Valium addiction. Speed is making quite a strong comeback, and perhaps this can be explained by the drug's powerful ability to make anyone lose drastic amounts of weight, which is of course a convenient side effect for many models.

So what can be done? My mother and I have personally sent girls to therapists, to rehab, and sometimes back to their families to recoup. But you can only help those who want to be helped, and many come right back to their old ways and the destructive company they keep. I think that many porn stars are unaware that there is help out there — help from people who were once in their shoes, help from people who will not ridicule them for what they do for a living.

Of course if society as a whole didn't summarily point the finger at the porn industry as the direct cause of these maladies, girls could more easily recognize that people of all backgrounds and careers develop substance abuse problems. Instead, many of us assume it's the demons inherent in our chosen enterprise: "Well of course another porn star has fallen prey to drug addiction, look at what she does for a living!" an ill-informed cynic might say.

I say then if we, as pornographers, must stand on our own as the black sheep of the entertainment industry, a sense of communal support is key to encouraging those who need help to actually go out and seek it. Why not have more compassion for these models we have built our careers upon?

The return on such an investment must mean something — especially since that investment is the bread and butter of our industry: the girls who have brought us to where we are today.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

How to Thwart Holiday Fraudsters With Finesse

The holiday season is a prime time for shopping. Unfortunately, it’s also peak season for credit card fraud. With increased transactions both online and in-store, fraudsters have more opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities — and they are getting better at it every day.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

WIA Profile: Rae Threat

Threat is completely self-taught. Shooting nightlife was how she learned photography and honed her skills, experimenting with ways to shoot low-light action shots without a flash. She notes that these nightly adventures also helped her acquire social and networking skills. One thing led to another, and she soon found herself working in the adult biz.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Girlsway Celebrates a Decade of Acclaimed Sapphic Erotica

When Girlsway launched back in 2014, Bree Mills had a plan. As head of production for Gamma Entertainment, she set out to up the stakes of all-girl content with the new imprint — and to continually, proactively reinvent the brand and its offerings along the way.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

TeamSkeet Debuts Swappz Channel, 'Swapception' Feature

Chief Revenue Officer Brandon explains, “The inspiration behind ‘Swappz’ emerged from a growing market demand for niche adult content that pushes boundaries and explores the taboo themes and deal-striking handshakes of swaps.”

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

Brittney Kade Talks Big 'Career-First' for Adult Time

Brittney Kade’s first gangbang originated as an Adult Time “Director Showcase,” a creative opportunity the production team offered to Jim Powers, one of the studio’s regular producers.

Alejandro Freixes ·
opinion

On the Set: Welcome to Adult Time's 'Futa World'

Dressed revealingly in a yellow waitress uniform, Lauren Phillips greets eager customers Hailey Rose and Chloe Surreal. On a sign announcing the grand opening of “Dick’s Diner,” the apostrophe between letters k and s bears a striking resemblance to an ejaculating penis.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

Hayley Davies: From New Zealand Math Nerd to Fast-Rising Adult Star

Growing up, New Zealander Hayley Davies was a proud nerd who participated in mathematics competitions against students from much higher grades. Her good looks turned out to be a kind of secret weapon, causing peers to underestimate her intellectual acumen.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

WIA Profile: Inka Winter

Award-winning erotic filmmaker and ForPlay Films founder Inka Winter knows what she wants her films to be, and what she doesn’t want them to be. She seeks to depict sexuality that is mindful, based in human connection and trauma-informed.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Free Agent Auteur: Casey Calvert Expands Her Directing Horizon

Now, having brought that highly-awarded polyamory trilogy to a close, Calvert is concluding the exclusive Lust Cinema directing chapter of her career and charting a new course out into open creative waters as a free agent.

Alejandro Freixes ·
profile

Collaboration Done Differently: Adult Time Discusses Ambassador Program

Since the launch of Adult Time in 2019, award-winning director and chief creative officer Bree Mills has actively explored collaborative opportunities with members of the performer community, seeking out talent whose values align with the company’s and who appreciate the type of content Mills creates for the multibrand platform.

Alejandro Freixes ·
Show More