sad but true story in the adult biz

Very Veronica

Banned
Aug 2, 2004
1,768
7
0
Vancouver
RIP. I know far too many women who are holding on much like this guy. Kind of amazing we don't see more deaths in the biz.

Question for the guys: if you knew the girl you were seeing was self-medicating to do the job and or had mental health issues but the sex was hot, would you stop? Do you rationalize you're helping her? Or do you even notice? Total killjoy discussion i know. I encounter this dilemma, not pointing fingers, no easy answers.

Gay Porn’s Erik Rhodes Is Dead After Slowly Dying in Public for Years

Rich Juzwiak

On Wednesday night, adult performer Erik Rhodes (born James Elliott Naughtin) died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack that may have had something to do with his use of steroids, says Towleroad. He was 30 years old.

Rhodes seemed to consider putting it all out there as his round-the-clock job. I didn't know him from his porn work, which began in 2004, but from his painfully confessional online presence via a Blogspot blog he started in 2008 with a gushing post about a Marilyn Manson concert he attended. Things went downhill from there and his expressed misery crossed platforms and ran all the way through his most recent Tumblr post: five days ago, he discussed his steroid and human growth hormone usage, adding, "I'm waiting until i pop. Or my liver to fails… which every comes first."

Frontiers L.A.com points to a post from two months ago, in which Rhodes discussed his use of meth and a resulting 72-hour period he spent at Bellevue under observation. It's an extreme example of the kind of show-and-telling of his own destruction Rhodes did for over four years:

From Friday, August 28, 2009, "Summer Rain"

Before picking up the computer and spilling these thoughts out of my head i just sat there... with 2 simple questions and one despreate plea going through my head, "How did i get here?', "Whats happens now? and "Please, please, if there is a god in the sky, please make this a terrible dream". Shockingly, no responce, no sign, no guiding light. If my boyfriend didnt know me as well as he does and had hid all the perscription candies i would have made my own guiding light right about now. Thanksfully valium has me pretty evened out.

From January 13, 2009, "Disassociative"

My up's and downs have been extreme lately and have consisted of mainly, me screaming at my boyfriend since I'm having a hard time understanding him and then when I'm not looking to fight about something stupid, me wanting to cry about how worthless i feel and how much i don't feel loved by anyone.

From February 17, 2010, "Eventually We Are All Going Home..."

I'm tired of wasting my life, waiting for death, without making my mark on this world, without trying to be a good boyfriend and start a family, without just giving life a chance at being worthwhile. I have never understood life in general and i think its finally about time to just give up hoping that life isn't as shallow as it become to me... i mean there must be some meaning and I'm starting to believe the harder you search for it the longer it alludes you. So in an attempt to feel alittle more alive, I have abandoned all my hopes and I'm just letting life take me where it wants. I think this way i can avoid life's consistent "let downs".

From January 6, 2009, "Bitter Again"

I was just thinking the other day as i did my typical routine, "jesus, this doesnt feel like living" and i thought to myself when in my life did i feel more alive? and it was when i woke up in hospital bed after OD'ing. I guess that why i been so obcessed with autoerotic asphyxia lately, when your life feels so meaningless at times, you need to wake yourself up and let you know your alive.

From December 6, 2009, "Bamboo Puncturing the Skin. (Updated)"

... i can't live like this anymore. I've spent the last 5 years of my life slowly dying and expected so much more from myself..... there is no hope left...

From February 16, 2009, "What A Shame (first part)"

I feel old. I think i'm starting to look old. This hard life i forced my body to endure is starting to show. I get a nosebleed almost everyday, my heartburn feels like i'm constantly being stabbed in the chest, my knees ache, my body aches. Painkillers are crutch in my life and just not for recreational use.

Pathetically i have even considered botox and all this other bullshit to help my battle with aging. If that isn't a new low for me... has vh-1 and this self absorbed society finally gotten to me to? If steroids and the couple hundred pills i pop a day weren't enough, what else can i do look pretty just alittle while longer? Who cares if my liver in struggling to work, who cares if it feels like i'm being punched in my kidneys all day long...honestly who cares. You know, turning 27 i sit there and say myself "only 3 years left, i better make them good".

Oh... i have given myself and expiration date, kinda like a carton of milk. You can't expect things to last forever, and with the way things are going, 30, i'm just gonna call it quits. That's if i even make it to 30. If things get better then i might change my mind but, that is what is engraved in my brain at the moment.

Sometimes when people die, we search for pieces to mash together and create a picture of why. There's no need for that here. This guy wrote his own eulogy and it's as emotionally articulate as any. Erik Rhodes was tortured, he wallowed and then he died at age 30. His demons were a formidable match for the notoriously destructive world of porn.

http://gawker.com/5918779/gay-porns-erik-rhodes-is-dead-after-slowly-dying-in-public-for-years
 

Dgodus

Banned
Nov 5, 2011
855
0
0
Here and There
Been through plenty of drug use and been around alot of users. If they aren't willing to help themselves or even looking for an out all you can do is mention they have a problem. If the problem persists or gets worse the only recourse left is to cut them out of your life. Seen too many good people dragged down by bad.
 

Sleepmonger

New member
Apr 27, 2012
247
0
0
Vancouver
Question for the guys: if you knew the girl you were seeing was self-medicating to do the job and or had mental health issues but the sex was hot, would you stop? Do you rationalize you're helping her? Or do you even notice? Total killjoy discussion i know. I encounter this dilemma, not pointing fingers, no easy answers.
If someone was self-medicating or had developed mental health issues as a result of doing the job I would most definitely suggest that she find another line of work, and stop seeing her. How could anyone rationalize that they are helping someone by putting them in the exact situation they are trying to escape from.

"Or do you even notice?" This is the problem, we don’t see these girls all that often and when we do they always appear to be perfectly happy, and love their job. Their livelihood relies on us not noticing, and thus they tend to do a very good job at hiding their real emotional state.
 

bug321

poop
Aug 31, 2011
93
0
6
in front of a computer
"Or do you even notice?" This is the problem, we don’t see these girls all that often and when we do they always appear to be perfectly happy, and love their job. Their livelihood relies on us not noticing, and thus they tend to do a very good job at hiding their real emotional state.
Exactly. When you're interacting with a person for a handful of hours a month, where can you draw the line on substance use versus abuse? If all of a sudden they start missing your appointments, behavioural changes, etc. I would encourage reflection, but ultimately how much responsibility do you have when you're only dealing in a professional capacity?
 

deathreborn

Active member
Jan 17, 2011
1,353
6
38
kind of parallels pro wrestling. drugging up to be able to keep performing at a high level on a daily basis. of course all the wrestler deaths receive the publicity, whereas the adult industry never will.
 

virginjohn

New member
Apr 1, 2010
240
5
0
Vancouver
Question for the guys: if you knew the girl you were seeing was self-medicating to do the job and or had mental health issues but the sex was hot, would you stop? Do you rationalize you're helping her? Or do you even notice? Total killjoy discussion i know. I encounter this dilemma, not pointing fingers, no easy answers.
When you say: self-medicating to do the job and or had mental health issues, I take it that you mean her job is the cause of the problem and she has to quit for good. In that case I can't imagine seeing her.

The real issue is noticing, specially with mental health issues. People might miss it, and it isn't just because people are inconsiderate jerks, I remember reading in nearly 25% of all suicides nobody close to the victim see it coming. When family & friends miss that kind of thing you can't really expect the average client to notice.

PS: Writing this post made me think, what is the proper etiquette if you do notice? Is not seeing her enough?
 

newatit

Member
Jan 31, 2011
743
8
18
Yes, I have known a few gals on prescribed medications, a lot to with this job, at least so they have said. In a couple of cases, i provided some small but meaningful assistance to get one gal out of the work, and she has stayed out, to the point where we seldom talk anymore. A second one is in progress and doing remarkably well. She is getting on with her plan to get into much more meaningful work, with some significant training, to which she has committed her own financial burden as well as regular assistance from me. She still works with a physichriatist, and medical providers, takes legal medications for stress, but is going to make it. Yes I am at her side and working to make this happen. Not easy on me with some of her attitudes, but for some reason I care enough to turn a blind eye to some of it. A successful end will come soon.

Yep dispite the yeas, and raves of some Sp's, there are those who find this work not so great. And it bothers some part of them significantly and mentally. Sometimes it just takes awhile, and age is a great equalizer. When suddenly they have a guy at the door who calls them too old or too fat, and leaves, then it hits home that all those "hard worked years" at this just came to nothing. and it can be hard. even cause a gal to marry a client.
 
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Guardian Angel

Active member
Feb 26, 2006
1,383
4
38
71
Having lived with a father who had an addiction, I can say from experience it is not as easy as it looks on paper. To respond to someone who you love that has an addiction in the way professional treatment suggests is sound advice. To do it is the hard part.

Friends and family who have issues with addictions must be supported in a way most of us can't really understand or apply the suggested procedures. A larger support group is helpful to share experiences that may explain certain reactions, by both the addicted and the supporting individual.

In the end though, the person with the addiction needs to hit rock bottom and take a stance themselves. We can only pray that rock bottom does not end up with the loss of their lives.

G.A.
 

blazejowski

Panty Connoisseur
Dec 20, 2004
3,946
143
63
A little off topic, but a good friend of mine & I had a pooning arrangement like 10 years ago - she liked to party, and I liked pooning, so it worked out great. I knew she was into doing coke, but over the years I saw her decline more & more, until she started smoking crack, and was wasting away. Before I got to that point I made myself stop whatever arrangement we had, because I didn't want to be a part of killing her, no matter how much she begged me for money - and believe me, it was hard to refuse her, as she was one of the greatest sexual partners I have ever had.

So instead of financial help, I would help her in any way I could, by driving her to doctors appointments, etc etc. Finally she hit rock bottom, and committed herself, and finally got clean, and I supported her throughout the whole process. I am proud to say she has been clean for 3 years, and we remain good friends....
 

blazejowski

Panty Connoisseur
Dec 20, 2004
3,946
143
63
And a good friend you are. Not everyone would operate with such genuine concern for her well being.
The wake-up call for me was meeting her for a tryst in a loft she was renting - turned out to be a crack house. Thankfully I didn't run into anyone else when I saw her, but after that I knew things had to change. I am happy with the woman she has become - she's repaired a lot of damage with her family, is getting her GED, and I still help her as much as I can. We finally started having sex again, but this was as 2 friends, and I have to say it's been amazing so far....
 

Guardian Angel

Active member
Feb 26, 2006
1,383
4
38
71
While this is sound advice I don't think it's relevant to the OP's original question. Unless you're saying you are related to an SP or love them like you do your family.
The question was posed as to whether or not you could pull away from someone providing you with something (incredible sex in this case) who you knew was benefitting from your visits to support a habit detrimental to their well being.

My response was to suggest while there may be solid reasons why we should avoid the posible negative support we are providing, it isn't always as easy as asking this seemingly simple question.

A person has a habit that is not healthy for them, common sense says we shouldn't support that, but in reality many people cannot pull away from the situation for a lot of reasons, some of which are caused by our own selfish needs.

Could I pull away from supporting someone in this situation for just great sex, yes. That combined with genuine caring for the lady, is a whole different story, not so sure I could.

G.A.
 
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Tugela

New member
Oct 26, 2010
1,913
1
0
RIP. I know far too many women who are holding on much like this guy. Kind of amazing we don't see more deaths in the biz.

Question for the guys: if you knew the girl you were seeing was self-medicating to do the job and or had mental health issues but the sex was hot, would you stop? Do you rationalize you're helping her? Or do you even notice? Total killjoy discussion i know. I encounter this dilemma, not pointing fingers, no easy answers.
If I believed, or had reason to believe she was doing that, I wouldn't see her because it would upset me too much. That is not the sort of experience I would want.
 

FunSugarDaddy

New member
Aug 15, 2008
1,110
5
0
The question was posed as to whether or not you could pull away from someone providing you with something (incredible sex in this case) who you knew was benefitting from your visits to support a habit detrimental to their well being.

Could I pull away from supporting someone in this situation for just great sex, yes. That combined with genuine caring for the lady, is a whole different story, not so sure I could.

G.A.
Pretty much my answe as well. If I didn't care about her and thought I was enabling her habit, I could pull myself away no matter how great the sex was. In fact if I knew she either didn't like this occupation or was hooked on drugs prior to seeing her, I wouldn't see in the first place.

But if I was emotionally involved it would be a harder call. I would likely try helping her out without expecting anything in return cause that's what the situation dictates.
 

jnewton

Loitering on PERB
Aug 9, 2010
378
0
0
Pretty much my answe as well. If I didn't care about her and thought I was enabling her habit, I could pull myself away no matter how great the sex was. In fact if I knew she either didn't like this occupation or was hooked on drugs prior to seeing her, I wouldn't see in the first place.

But if I was emotionally involved it would be a harder call. I would likely try helping her out without expecting anything in return cause that's what the situation dictates.
Having been in this situation, I can tell you that if you care for the other person, it can be very difficult. I have a ton of things I can say about this but I have to think about it first.
 

newatit

Member
Jan 31, 2011
743
8
18
pretty interesting conversation in that one of the gals I see on occassion is an avid wine drinker, and not above imbibing during a session. Does the alcoholic thing of binging and black outs for days. but manages to keep clients and pay her rent, so has a reasonable control. would anyone back away from her? should they? she isn't ready for help, and is a good provider!
 

the old maxx50

New member
Dec 22, 2010
779
0
0
People with addictions have been all way apart of my life . With a Grand father on my mothers side ,that was an alcoholic and end up losing every thing , except the care and love of his family , Then a father who all so was addicted to pain medication , , suffered from depression and post traumatic stress and late in life . in his late 60;s became a full fledged alcoholic also ( different side of the family ) So I guess I was brought up with copping with this from all sides . see my adult mother dealing with her aging alcoholic father , who lived next door to us ,, and all so she had to deal with my dad condemnation of him. Ironic he went the same way , and could not see what he was doing to his family .

I was there for all of it because i lived home for 50 year .. and my dad problem was part of the reason i stayed home to help my mom deal with it .. to try to help my dad . Love does that .. but it toke its tole on me too .. No I don't drink , don't use drugs .. and seldom will take pain mends unless i really have to . but I have my addiction also. maybe less damaging physically , but never the less they have consequences .. They are mostly escape mechanisms .. Gambling , porn , helping people ..yes that is an additions too.

So i had my experiences with dealing with addiction .. walking away was not one of the options if I truly could stay and help .What i found very quickly when getting started with seeing escorts is that drugs . were prevalent, and alcohol .I had seen drug addiction when i was in high school . i never was involved much with other kids in school so it did not effect me that much .. except seeing what it did to the users ..
Now here I am see the same thing .. but most of these girls i don't know see them once ,don't see them again .. but then i shortly get involved with some of them

One i was involved with for a year and half and the present friends i have known one for the last 6 yrs the other for three .
The first , i never really noticed a problem .. yes i saw her use coke once and E but her drug was marijuana , she needed it just to stay on an even keel ,, i liked her better that way . so i figured it was ok and acceptable The other chose is taking prescription med . I am not a big fan of those ether from my own experience .

I moved on , got back to seeing escorts and meeting the other girls that i know now .. At first i never noticed that they were on drugs .. there close friend knew , and were part it . ,and they were good at hiding it after 10 yrs of using every thing.. I guess i did not want to see .. even if i sometime noticed stuff.. Things were said through the years , and i could not ignore everything , so i had to admit that they were addicts . I worried about them ,but I had to admit it was their life , and i knew that only they could make the decision to change and get off the drugs .. I would stay by them on till they did , and would stand my them and help in what ever way i could after ..

The difference is ,that I knew it was not all up to me , They had family and friends ( some part of the problem) that loved them , and would help them get by . And i would help where I could ..
It is not some think that happened over night , or on the first ,or second try .. and they both are still struggling , one after a year of being off her drugs and the other , 6 months .. .They may still falter and stumble ,, But I will stay and be there for them when i can ,, It is to drive here and there , look after a child, or help with money I will do that for them .. When you love and care for someone you do that . I actually understand what they are going through Though i don't think of my own addiction having as strong a hold on me .nor do i have to go through withdraws and cravings .or even the loss of a whole life style .
Hopefully they will get through it and move on and i may learn what i need to deal with my own addictions .

The difference with how and why i deal with this is , That i am not some one on the out side looking in ( I guess we all are actually on the out side of some one else s life , we can never real be in their mind and truly know them ). I have been part of each of their lives first as a client , then as a friend , and they are part of my life , i care for them and what happen in each of their lives . This business where we meet will always be part of who we were and are . They both accept that and embrace . their past experiences , as i accept the years i have spent here and with other escorts .. .But we will move on one day and the caring will still be there and hopefully what i do now will make a difference in the life they live and families they make .
 
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Ashley Madison
Vancouver Escorts