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Writing And Your Health

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by DC Diesel, Jan 25, 2005.

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  1. DC Diesel

    DC Diesel Senior Member

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    I just read this last night and I wanted to show everyone the importnace of wearing a respirator when piecing. There is some real important stuff on here. I fany mods think this should be a sticky, I totally agree.

    This was taken from Bomb the Suburbs with tips at the bottom from graffiti.org


    I'd spent a whole day on a fairly large production. I had this brilliant sensation of a burning throat, chest and stomach. I felt dizzy and sick. This is when I finally realized paint fumes were really starting to get to me.


    Anyone who has ever done a piece should know afterwards, the colour of your main fill-in, reappears when you blow your nose. If you're saying "yuk.. I don't look at my snot", - let me put it to you another way. Ever painted indoors? If you have, you'll know what I mean by "spray mist". Spray cans let the paint out, and most of that paint lands on your train, wall or whatever, but the gas drifts on outwards.. until it settles. When you're painting, your lungs take in this mist, the inside of your lips and nose absorb it. (Ever seen anyone sniff cocaine?) Paint-toxins can even be absorbed through your skin. (Read anything on aromatherapy baths etc.) Now with this knowledge, think about the ground underneath your piece.. did it ever have a taint of your main colours? A cover of fine, sticky, dusty pigment? Now think about that in your body... Now buy (or rack) yourself a mask, pronto.


    What Mask?


    A decent mask should cover your nose and mouth. It should have at least two filters. The outside filter is called a "dust filter", and usually consists of filt, or a paper based filter, in plastic casing. The outside filter stops you inhaling the dusty particles of paint mist. The inside filter is a "gas filter", and usually consists of a coal-based substance, in a metal casing. This is the filter that stops the gas/fumes - which you may not notice as easily as the "paint dust" - yet this is the most hazardous aspect of using aerosols.


    Both filters should fit in, or screw into your mask. Masks themselves are generally made of latex, plastic or rubber, and should strap on tightly enough to stop you inhaling any other way than through the filters. There is usually a simple valve on the mask itself - which allows you to exhale.


    Filters will continuously "clean" air if they are left in an open space. So when your mask is not in use, keep it in a clean airtight container. (Your mothers tupperware will do ;-)


    If you ever smell or taste paint through the mask, it's time to change filters. Generally - depending on how much you paint - changing once a year is advisable.


    There are other, cheaper forms of masks, but these usually only stop dust/mist.. they're meant for sawdust.. not toxic fumes... by all means they're better than nothing - but not good enough.


    Furthermore

    Before and after you paint, make sure you eat and drink (preferably water). This should make your body less absorbent to the paint's toxins. Never clean your spray can tips by blowing through them, (this will invariably cover your lips in paint), do it as it says on the can, hold upside down, and spray until only gas comes out.


    In my case, I think I might of realized just in time. I'd never suffered from asthma before. Now, when I run to catch a train or whatever, I'll quite often end up wheezing and puffing badly.


    The following extract is quoted from Upski's book "Bomb The Suburbs". If I haven't influenced you, hopefully this will:








    MESSAGE TO MARIO: WEAR YOUR MASK


    "We used to have a joke that spray paint was fucking up our memories. A few weeks ago, Mario called me with a new joke. When we were 13 and 14, we painted dozens of walls together, traded girls, fought gangbangers, battled other crews, and talked on the phone almost every day. For a while, Mario was my best friend. After we stopped hanging out, he got even deeper into painting. He painted with different partners every week, traded photos around the world, and filled his life with graffiti. Even the great Trixter had said he was a graffiti head.


    We used to have a joke that spray paint was fucking up our memories. A few weeks ago, Mario called me with a new joke. "It wasn't the memory, it was the bladder," he said. "About a year ago I started noticing I had to use the washroom more often. Before I learned to control it, I would urinate in bed even. It kept getting worse. Now, I can't drink anything for two hours before I go to bed. I pee once before bed, then I have to get up again twice during the night"


    The neurotoxins in spray paint have damaged the part of Mario's brain which produces hormones to control his bladder. The label on any spray can will tell you it can also damage the immune and nervous system, kidney, liver and lungs - the same is true for a lot of markers.


    Anyone who's gone piecing has felt the slight dizziness, and loss of appetite. Some of us get headaches and nausea. I personally get muscle spasms and my hair is starting to go (one of four writers I know who're early balding). In the long run, who knows? Spray paint could be our Asbestos, our AIDS.


    Coincidentally, I have a second friend named Mario. This Mario lives on the West Side, and he's at least as much of a graffiti head as the first Mario. He paints at least as much as the first Mario, and has at least as many problems. "All my life, I never used to pick my nose," he told me recently. "Then in 1988, I started having to pick my nose all the time, getting paint-colored snot, scratchy throat, wheezing. Then one time, I did this real big production and I coughed up blood. After that I lost my voice for like a week. Dude, I was scared. I didn't want anybody to know. The doctor told me don't spray paint no more. I kept doing it, and my symptoms kept getting worse. I stutter... I get a tightness in my eye, twitches in my wrist... Dude, I get major, major headaches... The worst part is, I feel like I'm getting stupider; I can't articulate myself as well as I used to be able to... I think I'm addicted to doing graffiti, I fiend for it. Graffiti is my life. I feel like I might have to die for it."


    I have to admit, death by graffiti sounds like an honorable way to go out. I dream of it myself. But isn't that giving up at the game, copping out at the challenge of life: the challenge to be stronger, smarter, healthier, better than we thought we could be. The challenge to survive.


    Mario, I don't want to visit you in the hospital or at the cemetery, and I don't want you to visit me there. Sometime in life, I too may have to cough up blood, lose my hair, or to lose my mind because of the painting I've done. But I ain't going out like no sucker.


    When I use spray paint, I do everything to dilute the toxins and keep them out of my body. I eat before and after painting, use the wind to avoid inhaling fumes, steer clear of other toxins, refuse to paint indoors, and refuse to go out unless I really care about the piece. Most of all, I wear gloves and a mask, changing the filters regularly. I'm wearing that fucker right now. Please wear your mask too, Mario. Both of you. that shit ain't funny no more."





    Taken from "Bomb The Suburbs - revised second edition", by William Upski Wimsatt, published by The Subway And Elevated Press Company. 1994. ISBN:0-964-38550-3. The book costs about $8, and can be ordered from: Softskull Press. While you're there, get Upski's No More Prisons, which is one of the most inspiring books you'll ever read. Read the first 4 chapters online there.


    More tips thanks to geargirl: Drink milk before and after [we're not sure, but we think it might help restore your Ph balance]. Wear eye protection if you can, especially when working indoors, because professional spray painters sometimes suffer permanent eye damage. Also, if your back hurts, it could be kidneys that are overworked processing toxins. [Drink lots of water before, during, and after painting, to help them out.]
     
  2. DC Diesel

    DC Diesel Senior Member

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    I hope this helped everyone out.

    peace

    *D*C*
     
  3. atxbomber666

    atxbomber666 Elite Member

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    yeah it did and this is so true becuase everyone is like oh im outside it dosent matter the paint fumes drift off,yeah like 20% drifts off into the air and then another like 50% onto the wall or what ever and the other goes into your lungs.
     
  4. Whoa

    Whoa Elite Member

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    i wear a mask when i piece
    im already brain dead, i dont need it to be worst
    especially when its sunny and hot out
    it makes the fumes more potent and stronger

    NOTE

    NEVER mix alchool,piecing and not wearing a mask
    SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE throwing up for 5days straight, dehydration and lost of 6 days work pay

    (happened this summer)
     
  5. CaptSnuffy

    CaptSnuffy Senior Member

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    seen it before but it's ture

    i remember i was painting in my garage when i was first working on can control. I didn't have any ventilation in the garage except BROKEN WINDOW. I MUST'VE BREATHED A LOT OF FUMES CUASE SOON I WAS COUGHING AND I FELT LIGHT HEADED (shit sorry i hit caps lock). I felt like i had a stomach ache for a while afterword and i continued to feel like hsit. it felt like when you fall asleep during the day and then you wake up then try to function normally, like eat. Invest in a respirator like i did, don't you think it's worth it to protect your good health?
     
  6. swich

    swich Elite Member

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    damb.....thanks a lot man......now that i know ill be sure to do all that from now on, good thing otherwise in a couple of years i might have been messed up!
     
  7. casperFT

    casperFT Senior Member

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    yo there is already a thread for this
     
  8. THEPOSTWHORE5000

    THEPOSTWHORE5000 Elite Member

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    aint' no thang but a chicken wang'
    buy a respirator folks, its a good idear in the long run
    i should take my own advice..i dun think im shirt is stoppin the fumes...plus i feel stupider nowa days..i was gonna say something else besides "stoppin the fumes" and i couldnt fuckin think of it..n i know theres something that i usually say.....plus more peein for me lol
     
  9. graffistheshit

    graffistheshit Senior Member

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    iz the wiz from the oldshool new york train seen got completly fucked up from that shit and almost died. they had to feed him intravenasly for almost a year, i forgot how long. he said he'd take every thing back for his health.
     
  10. STRIFE

    STRIFE Elite Member

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    i got 2 resp, i never use em tho, i couldnt see myself bombing at night goin down the street with a respirator on......maybe if i was pieceing or soemethin and i was gonna be there for a minute....
     
  11. sbEr

    sbEr Banned

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    i have to piss like every 5 minutes.
    my hair is going.


    probly damage from sharpies.
     
  12. STRIFE

    STRIFE Elite Member

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    i was loaded of sharpies the other night, my head hurt so bad
     
  13. DjTerrestrialConcept

    DjTerrestrialConcept Elite Member

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    yep...yep... good idea... you are good...
     
  14. DjTerrestrialConcept

    DjTerrestrialConcept Elite Member

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    yep...yep... good idea... you are good...
     
  15. pSYKAOz

    pSYKAOz Elite Member

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    haha... i used t opaint in my room... now look at me :(


    hahaha since it so cold i hold my caps in my mouth (big gloves so cant open pockets) n like since that freezes my lips i put them sinde my mouth... paint tastes bad...

    haha...

    die young!
     
  16. pSYKAOz

    pSYKAOz Elite Member

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    haha... i used t opaint in my room... now look at me :(


    hahaha since it so cold i hold my caps in my mouth (big gloves so cant open pockets) n like since that freezes my lips i put them sinde my mouth... paint tastes bad...

    haha...

    die young!
     
  17. LOSTxTHExFAITH

    LOSTxTHExFAITH Senior Member

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    "This is really serious"









    This thread is really gay..
    Fucking hippy toys. You would be lucky to ever put in enough work to die of inhalation of paint fumes.. Ass necks.
     
  18. random victim

    random victim Senior Member

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    who gives a fuck about your health as long as your in good shape, were all gonna die sooner or later, i rather die young than old and decreped and like living off of oxygen bottles, life is to short, just get out there and write <_<
     
  19. sika_2002

    sika_2002 Elite Member

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    i need a respirator, i dont wana wet the bed
     
  20. pogopope

    pogopope Senior Member

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    so i can blame my starting to go bald 2 years ago (at 17) on painting lol. this could be genetics too dude..or in my case genetics and i used to die my hair bright ass colors every other week

    yup..


    i really should get a resp.....maybe...after only a year and a half i can tell my brain works slower...