For years we have seen the lives of many celebrities crumble right before our eyes due to addiction. Celebrities are at an equal risk of developing a substance abuse disorder as anybody else, and the general population gets to see all of this via the media.
The media reports on celebrity drug use so often, it may appear as if substance abuse and addiction are more common in Hollywood, but it’s not. It just appears that way because celebrities Iives are exposed for the world to see.
Why Do Celebrities Often Get Addicted to Opiates?
We may often wonder how someone with so much fame and fortune would ever use drugs. How in the world could someone that “has everything” get caught up abusing drugs and risk the possibility of throwing all of that away? We follow these people’s lives and even look up to some of them. When we hear of a celebrity being jailed or losing their life as a result of drugs, we, as the general public, are disappointed. We don’t understand and therefore take it hard.
Celebrities deal with everyday stressors and mental health issues just like everyone else. On top of that, they are in even higher stressful environments, have demanding schedules, easy access to drugs, are often exposed to all of these things at a young age, and have no privacy. This makes for a perfect combination for drug use.
Celebrities that Fatally Overdosed from Opiate Abuse
Overdose deaths amongst celebrities have been going on for years. With the recent opioid epidemic this country is facing, we are seeing more and more celebrities, and people in general, die as a result of opiate addiction. Here are some celebrities that have died as a result of opioid abuse/addiction:
- John Belushi – A famous comedian and actor, known for his work on “Saturday Night Live”, died in 1982 from a combination of heroin and cocaine. This is known as a speedball.
- Heath Ledger – Actor, known for his roles in “A Knight’s Tale”, “Brokeback Mountain”, and “The Dark Knight”, died in 2008 at the age of 28 from a combination of opiates and benzodiazepines.
- River Phoenix – Young actor died in 1993, at the age of 23, from morphine and cocaine.
- Elvis Presley – The King of Rock-n-Roll died in 1977, at the age of 42, from a heart attack which later was thought to be caused by codeine.
- Prince – Famous musician died in April of 2016 from an overdose of fentanyl.
- Philip Seymour Hoffman – an Oscar-winning actor died in February of 2014 from a mixture of heroin and cocaine along with benzodiazepines and amphetamines.
- Cory Monteith – An actor on the television show “Glee” died in July of 2013 from an overdose of heroin. He was only 31 years old.
- Paul Gray – Bassist for the band Slipknot died in 2010 from an overdose of morphine and fentanyl. He was 38 years old.
- Chris Farley – Comedian and actor knew for his roles on “Saturday Night Live” died in 1997 from a combination of morphine and cocaine along with heart disease. Farley was 38 years old.
- Janis Joplin – A famous female rock singer died on October 4th, 1970, at the age of 27, from a heroin overdose.
- Hank Williams – a famous country music singer died in 1953 from a combination of morphine and alcohol.
- Joan Laurer “Chyna” – Famous female WWE wrestler died April 20th, 2016, at the age of 46, from opiates along with benzodiazepines and alcohol.
- Tom Petty – A famous rock musician died October 2nd, 2017 from an accidental overdose of fentanyl and oxycodone.
There are a lot more celebrities not named above that have died as a result of opiate abuse/addiction. Kurt Cobain and Billie Holiday are two other famous heroin users that have passed away. Cobain died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but he struggled with heroin addiction for years.
Remember, addiction is a complex relapsing brain disease. It affects all walks of life; it is a non-discriminatory disease. Without treatment, it will result in death just like any other disease. However, treatment is available and with the right treatment, people can obtain years of sobriety and regain control of their lives.
We Offer 24/7 Treatment for Opiate Addiction
If you or someone you love is struggling with opiate addiction, our addiction specialists are available around the clock to assist you. Recreate Life Counseling offers evidence-based addiction treatment.
Our cutting-edge addiction treatment will lead you on a road to long-lasting recovery. At Recreate Life Counseling, we love our military members. We are here to help you. You don’t have to suffer any longer. Call us today for specific and individualized information on our opioid addiction treatment plans.