#syd barrett

The Tragedy of

Syd Barrett

I keep seeing references to Syd Barrett, the founder of the 60’s British Rock band, Pink Floyd. There’s a myth that he took a very high dose of LSD, which supposedly “fried his brain” permanently. They make it sound like he turned into a drooling imbecile who couldn’t feed or bathe himself anymore. It’s astonishing to me how these ridiculous, fantastical tales gain any traction.

Syd Barrett suffered from Schizophrenia, unfortunately, and this is the one condition where a variety of psychoactive drugs can have unpredictable and negative results. Schizophrenia is a terrible mental illness affecting more than 20 Million people worldwide and about 3.2 Million in the US. It’s also been reported that his entire family had some degree of Autism or Ausperger Syndrome. Both of these conditions can cause catatonic episodes where a person seems to just stare into space. It was this particular symptom that fueled the rumors Barrett “overdosed” on phychedelic drugs. Barrett’s mental illness is very unfortunate but it is not scientific data related to LSD or other hallucinogenic drugs. Using this logic, it’s just as likely that aspirin or vitamin C “fried his brain” instead. Bandmate Roger Waters has said numerous times that Barrett was definitely schizophrenic, and many of his conemporaries are on record saying that some kind of mental breakdown was inevitable, with or without any kind of drug.

There is ZERO evidence that any drug caused Barrett’s Schizophrenia or the associated episodes of psychosis. Barret lived until 2006, and was an avid painter and gardener (which is a very big deal in England). He was worth like 1.7 Million Pounds at his death. Can anyone please explain to me how this guy with a brain that was severely damaged due to taking acid, supposedly, can live this idilic life as a painter and maintain a net worth of £1.7 M?

This is an egregious case of exploiting the mentally ill for political gain yet no one ever says a word. Here’s an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of a man who suffered from Schizophrenia and Autism, and possibly inspire others with similar issues to go accomplish great things too. However, all we ever hear about Syd Barrett is a really stupid lie, that acid fried his brain. The fucking anti-drug cults and others will use anybody, and will say anything to perpetuate their narcissistic obsession.

Frankly, I’m so sick of these abhorrent people. They are contemptible and have no redeeming value whatsoever. They don’t care about anyone or anything, especially you or me or any drug user. This is not about saving lives or improving the health and safety of others. This is about control. These are people who cannot accept that others may enjoy using chemicals for their pleasurable effects. Therefore, they will stop at nothing to impose their strange obsession onto the rest of society.

It’s been over 50 years since that laughable rumor got its start and not one person, not Syd Barrett or anyone else, has been an actual victim of this made up, drug-induced catatonia. Not to mention that even if it happened exactly as they scripted it in their dull imaginations, nobody could possibly know what it was because LSD is a Schedule 1 Substance, which means that hardly anything qualifies for research. Trying to find a cause for this strange condition they describe wouldn’t have. It is illegal to research LSD for almost anything. These idiots are so zealous about banning everything that they banned their own lie.