Music is a powerful tool that can be used to influence, inspire and sway people. In this week’s blog, we hear from Christina Trombino, President & Founder of Love More for Julius, a non-profit organization that strives to use the healing powers of music to prevent substance use and help support those with a substance use disorder.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey music and songwriting competition aims to do just that as well, by encouraging high school students to create substance use and misuse prevention messages through original music. 

The deadline to enter the contest is Monday, February 28. 

We want to thank the 95.9-FM WRAT  and New Jersey Broadcasters Association, the sponsors of Your Song! Your Voice! for their continued support of PDFNJ.

I also wanted to remind you of tomorrow’s webinar, “An Hour with Sam Quinones Author of ‘Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic,’"   at 1 p.m., Thursday, January 27. Register here.

All the best, 
Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of PDFNJ

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By Christina Trombino

Love More for Julius is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in loving memory of Julius Trombino from Basking Ridge. Julius was a musical prodigy. He could do it all: singer, songwriter, producer, pianist, guitarist, drummer ... the list goes on! For Julius, music was an outlet that allowed him to express his feelings in a healthy and safe way. Writing and playing music was his form of therapy. For others it may be painting, dancing, running or yoga.  Whatever the means, it’s important for a person in recovery to find what works for them and make it a part of their daily routine.

Our foundation truly believes that music has the power to re-introduce happiness and purpose into the lives of people struggling with substance use. Scientific studies show that music can trigger the natural production of dopamine, resulting in drug-like effects on the brain. Naturally increasing dopamine levels can improve mood, decrease depression, reduce anxiety, improve sleep and improve attention and understanding of acquired knowledge — all positive things! Drugs synthetically release abnormally high levels of dopamine, ultimately causing addiction, brain damage, and death. As a healthy outlet to release emotions and a way to naturally produce dopamine in the brain, music can be a powerful tool in one's recovery from substance use. 

In Julius' honor, we aspire to bring music into the lives of individuals at-risk and in recovery. We do this in three ways: hosting dry musical events, creating music rooms in sober living homes and recovery facilities and organizing music therapy classes. The goal is to create places where people in recovery can go to have a good time and feel "normal" without the temptations of alcohol and drugs surrounding them. 

Love More for Julius is determined to utilize music as a therapeutic tool for recovery. We hope to prove that it is possible to have fun and enjoy life without the artificial enhancement of substances. We believe that being "under the influence of music" is the best high in this world! We dare you to try it!

Notice: This article reflects the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ). This information should not be construed as legal advice from the author or PDFNJ. Please consult your own attorney before making any legal decisions.