Doses & Mimosas

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders affect 18.1% of the population. This percentage amounts to 40 million people but only 36.9% of this number receive treatment. Also, those who struggle with anxiety disorders are likely to suffer from depression as well. Because the majority of people don’t receive treatment, a popular solution is to turn to substance abuse. This is what “Doses and Mimosas” by Cherub speaks of and it runs the danger of young adults to do the same.

The song opens with a man talking to his girlfriend:

Don’t get me started love
I’ve had too much to drink
Had too much time to think
So leave me alone oh oh

Here, the man is too drunk to even talk to his girlfriend. Instead of wanting to talk to her, he would rather remain alone with his thoughts. Here, it appears as though the man may be struggling with some internal issues, but we don’t know what they are yet. The sadness of these lines is contrasted with the cheery/fun beat of the song which gives the scene a strange eeriness.

Next, the man addresses his girlfriend by saying:

Cryin’ when you’re by yourself,
‘Cause of what they think
About you ooh ooh
Makes time go slow, slow, slow, yeah

The woman in this song appears to be going through some internal problems as well. From these lines, it is apparent that the woman struggles with self-confidence. She is worried all of the time about what people think of her which does her no good. It only makes time go slower and it doesn’t fix the problem. At first glance, these lines appear to be harmless. However, the man’s following solution is what makes the song dangerous.

The man offers a solution to his girlfriend by saying:

Something’s gotta give soon
Or I’m gonna lose it
Substance abuse it
And never come down, down

The man’s solution to the problem is substance abuse. It his way of escaping from the world and offering a temporary period of happiness or relief. The man never wants to come down from his high and he wants her to do the same.

The refrain of the song depicts the man’s sad state:

To all the bitch ass hoes,
That hate me the most
Oh yea I hate you too, (uh)
To all the punk ass fucks
That just wanna talk shit
I hate you too uh
To all the high class ass,
That’s too hard to pass
Oh yea I hate you too (eh)
Doses and mimosas
Champagne and cocaine
Help to get me through (uh)

Here, the man is somewhat admirable because he doesn’t care what people think of him. He’s going to do what he wants and he doesn’t care if other people judge him. He’s fine with the choices he makes but the choices he makes aren’t healthy ones. In order to deal with his problems, he turns to champagne and cocaine. Both can be dangerous by themselves, but when combined, these substances can be deadly. Instead of getting real help, the man turns to doses and mimosas to deal with his problems of most likely anxiety and depression.

The last verse of the song exemplifies the man’s state:

Ten in the mornin’
And I’m skipping breakfast
And drinking a beverage
To ignore it all huh oh
‘Cause ignorance is bliss and
I’ve come to embrace it
It’s all overrated
Except drugs and alcohol ho ho ooh

Instead of eating, the man has a drink instead. By drinking on an empty stomach, he is really able to escape his world of problems. He holds up the famous saying “ignorance is bliss” and he does so by abusing drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are at the center of his life and are the only things that make any sense to him. Without a doubt, this man needs help but the beat of the song has made it popular amongst young adults.

Anyone with a clear conscience should be able to see that this man is not going about his problems in the correct way. In the right circumstances, substances can be permissible to use. However, when they are used to escape the everyday pains of life due to anxiety and depression, there is a huge problem. This song is dangerous because it normalizes substances abuse. Young adults who may be struggling with anxiety and depression may use this song as a justification for dealing with their problems. If you are suffering from anxiety or depression, the best way to deal with it is to talk about it, not cover it up. Substance abuse is never the right answer and can result in death.

See the music video here: