tw: meantions of alcohol and addiction
Mike used to drink. It was a problem. It was a habit he picked up from his dad that got worse after moving to California. before he met the guys, he was on his own, struggling and homeless. He didn’t drink constantly, rather when things were going bad, he’d stay out until the bar closed.
After the Monkees all moved in together, he tried to hide it, but they caught on pretty quick. Davy had sat him down and said that this was something he didn’t have to (and shouldn’t) face alone. They helped get into a support group and found that it was easier to substitute the alcohol for something else whenever Mike wanted it. Coke-a-Cola seemed to do the trick. That’s how the Monkees came to having Coke in the house at all times. Some weeks they would sacrifice groceries to buy it because Mike being healthy was the most important thing to them.
Now they are all sworn off of alcohol. None of them drink. Sometimes Mike feels like falling into old habits, especially after a harrowing adventure, but he looks around at the guys to remind himself he’s not in that place anymore, he is okay and doesn’t need the old habits, he has new ones. Then he’ll sit down and noodle on the guitar or play around with the boys. He knows they all have each other’s backs.