Many people aspire to the fame, fortune, glitz, and glamour of Hollywood. However, there is a darker side to the glitter and wealth. Many of the greatest actors in Hollywood, both past and current, have battled drug addiction.
While some celebrities have been able to adapt to the relentless attention and the unique challenges of being a celebrated professional performer, too many others have wrecked their lives on the hidden rock of drug addiction and dependency.
Like any other addict, Hollywood drug addicts tend to hide their addiction. Most of them hire publicists to protect their privacy, but entertainment journalists are equally determined to expose the lifestyles and secrets of famous people.
Drug abuse is a danger to one’s life, and there have been numerous high-profile fatalities in Hollywood linked to drug abuse, including:
1. Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe is perhaps the greatest pop culture icon and sex symbol to come out of Hollywood. Her story highlights the tragic elements of the celebrity lifestyle.
Even as she rose to fame and fortune in the 1950s, Monroe struggled with loneliness and low self-esteem following a difficult upbringing in foster homes at the hands of numerous caregivers who filled in for her institutionalized schizophrenic mother.
Monroe turned to drinking and drugs to cope with her sense of helplessness and past trauma. She also struggled with insomnia, despair, and anxiety to the extent that she could not work anymore and, eventually, passed away in 1962 following an overdose of barbiturates.
2. Elvis Presley
The world knew Elvis Presley as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” but he could also have been the “King of Drug Abuse.”
Presley passed away in 1977 from cardiac arrhythmia, although many substances, including amphetamines, barbiturates, and opiates, were discovered in his system.
His physician, George C. Nichopoulos, prescribed about 19,000 doses for Elvis in 2½ years, including pills, injectables, and vials.
3. Judy Garland
Judy Garland, a beloved theatre and screen star, was introduced to “pep pills” by her mother.
As her status as a performer catapulted her to international stardom, MGM Studios doctors constantly administered sleeping pills and pep tablets to enable her to work for 72 consecutive hours. They also prescribed amphetamines to manage her weight.
The most alarming aspect of Garland’s story is that drug abuse appears to have been institutionalised in the film industry.
Consequently, Garland developed a severe addiction to prescription and eventually overdosed on barbiturates before she passed away at the age of 47.
4. River Phoenix
River Phoenix attained early Hollywood success as a child star actor and musician. Sadly, his life was cut short in 1993 at the tender age of 23 after he suffered convulsions and seizures outside the nightclub where he performed with his band.
The official cause of his death was heart failure caused by acute multiple drug intoxication with cocaine and morphine.
His close friend and bandmate, John Frusciante, admitted to a heroin and cocaine binge without getting any sleep for some days before Phoenix’s passing.
5. Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston was a legendary singer and cultural icon. To her adoring fans, she was the public face of glamor and glitz. But behind the scenes, she sustained an expensive drug habit that ultimately led to her downfall.
Whitney Houston married Bobby Brown, a fellow celebrity, in 1992. Their tumultuous relationship set her life on a downward spiral as she battled depression and addiction, and her career began to derail.
In 2004, 2005, and again in 2011, the singer underwent drug rehabilitation programs but relapsed repeatedly. She admitted to Oprah that drugs flatter to deceive and that you want more to cover up your misery.
Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012. The autopsy report said her cause of death was accidental drowning, atherosclerosis (heart disease), and cocaine use. The toxicology report revealed that her system contained cocaine, Xanax, Flexeril, marijuana, Benadryl, and cocaethylene, a psychoactive substance formed from the concurrent use of cocaine and alcohol.
Why Drug Addiction is Widespread in Hollywood
The primary triggers assumed for drug addiction are genetics, poverty, and trauma. However, fame and fortune have negative sides that can be challenging daily.
Celebrities often deal with special challenges and difficulties that may harm their mental health culminating in drug abuse as a maladaptive coping mechanism. The following are some of the main causes of drug abuse in Hollywood:
1. Competitive and demanding industry
From the earliest days of the studio era and the star system from the 1930s, excessive demands were placed on actors and actresses, including child stars, such as Elizabeth Taylor, who were given drugs to keep them awake and induce sleep.
2. Pressure from the media and the public
Outside the studio, Hollywood stars also try to live up to the expectations of the press and the public at large.
3. Depression
Many celebrities succumb to depression after realizing that money and fame cannot buy happiness. Conversely, those who fail to attain their Hollywood ambitions may become depressed and abuse drugs.
4. Peer Pressure
The entertainment industry has an ongoing problem concerning the glamorization of drug usage. It is difficult for anyone to resist the global fascination with the wild lifestyles of celebrities, much of which revolves around illicit drugs.
5. Impunity
The rich and famous typically have more latitude when it comes to consequences. This lack of accountability tends to distort their perception.
Additional Factors Contributing to Drug Use by Celebrities:
- Negative reviews from critics
- Use of drugs to enhance their creativity and performance
- Lack of privacy
- The Loss of childhood for child stars
- Depending on the public spotlight to boost their egos
- Ready access to whatever they want
Common Drugs That Can Lead to Addiction
Any chemical that changes the brain’s chemistry can induce a substance use disorder in the body. Some commonly abused drugs that spiral to dependency include:
1. Alcohol
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug with addictive qualities that have been used for ages in many cultures.
Alcohol abuse can distress oneself, friends, family, coworkers, and strangers. It is associated with a higher risk of acquiring serious noncommunicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as mental and behavioral disorders, including alcohol dependency.
2. Marijuana
Marijuana, or cannabis, is a mind-altering drug from the cannabis plant. It is the most popular illicit drug in the US and is commonly used by artists.
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main chemical that causes the mind-altering effects of marijuana, while the compound Cannabidiol (CBD) is said to have both anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
3. Sedatives
A sedative is any prescription medication that depresses or slows the activity of your central nervous system, thus inducing a state of calmness, relaxation, or sleepiness.
Common sedatives include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, opioids, and sleep-inducing drugs such as zolpidem and eszopiclone.
4. Cocaine
Cocaine is a frequently used drug that is also extremely addictive and hazardous. It acts as a central nervous system stimulant and is mainly used recreationally for its euphoric and rewarding effects.
Cocaine and crack are dangerous drugs and can cause:
- Irregular heartbeat/increased heart rate
- A willingness to do anything to get more cocaine
- High blood pressure
5. Opioids
Opioids are a class of drugs, including opium and heroin, that are derived from the opium poppy plant. There are also synthetic opioids that are manufactured in laboratories.
However, opioids are dangerous because they reduce the heart rate and have a high addiction potential because they relieve pain and create a sense of euphoria.
Treatment Options
Hollywood drug addicts have a variety of treatment choices available to those willing to overcome their addictions and rebuild their lives. They include:
1. Detoxification
Detoxification allows the body to digest, break down, and eliminate the drugs. Some cases require medication-assisted therapy (MAT) to lessen the intensity of withdrawal symptoms and guard against potentially fatal medical conditions.
2. Rehabilitation Centers
Rehabilitation centers are a popular choice for most Hollywood drug addicts because it provides a safe space to facilitate a patient’s recovery. As the stigma around drug addiction and rehab programs subsides, many Hollywood drug addicts have come out with their rehab journey, encouraging more people to seek treatment.
Over the years, the tabloids have been busy publicizing rehabilitation escapades of Ben Affleck, Britney Spears, Robert Downey Jr., Lindasay Lohan, and the Olsen twins among others
Rehabilitation centers offer:
i. Inpatient Treatment Programs
These are also known as residential therapy, designed to holistically address an individual’s addiction.
Patients live in a facility free of drugs and alcohol and receive medical and therapeutic assistance.
ii. Outpatient Treatment Programs
Outpatient treatment programs offer comprehensive care but allow patients to operate from their homes while attending scheduled treatment sessions.
3. Faith-Based Care
A spiritual approach to drug abuse recovery is also available for those seeking divine assistance. These specialized programs emphasize faith and allow patients to surround themselves with like-minded people.
4. Addiction Treatment Medications
Alcohol use disorder and opioid addiction are two conditions that are frequently treated with drugs for addiction. The most popular drugs for treating alcohol use disorder are acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone, although they do not offer a cure.
The medications help to manage withdrawal symptoms, depression, and other side effects.
5. Sober Living Homes
Sober living homes provide a non-medical and drug-free environment for the patient while reinforcing the lessons learned during treatment for drug abuse. Sober living homes also allow the patient to fellowship with fellow addicts on the road to recovery.
The Hollywood Drug Culture
Hollywood has played a major role in romanticizing drug abuse, something for which members of the general public receive lengthy jail sentences.
It is, therefore, incumbent on parents to shield their children and impressionable youth from the negative influences of Hollywood
Ways to Shield Those You Love from the Negative Influences of Hollywood’s Drug Culture
i. Be a part of your child’s life
A parent needs to be there physically and emotionally whenever the son or daughter needs them. Being present can take many forms. It can be through attending your child’s activities, such as competitions and presentations or asking them about their day, and assuring them of your emotional support.
Your presence will encourage open dialogue and give your child greater confidence to discuss issues and ask for guidance.
ii. Be a good role model.
Children are the keenest observers, and as a parent, you are a greater influence than Hollywood. It is, therefore, crucial for a parent to model desirable patterns of behaviour.
As a significant figure to your child, it is important to demonstrate that it is possible to have a happy, fun-filled experience without using drugs or alcohol.
iii. Discuss drug use
If you are starting a conversation about substance use, choose a place where you and your teen are both comfortable. And choose a time you’re unlikely to be interrupted.
Consider how you’ll respond if your teen asks about your drug use, including alcohol and address the issue honestly to avoid gaslighting them. Keep in mind that if they are mature enough to ask about it, they are mature enough to handle the truth.
iv. Discuss the mass media
Drug use is often made to look normal on social media through television shows, movies, and music.
Talk to your teen about the following:
- What they observe and hear.
- How to withstand peer pressure.
- Possible strategies for declining drug offers.
Consult them about their opinions and pay attention to your teen’s thoughts and inquiries about drugs. Give reassurance that speaking the truth and having a conversation won’t get them into trouble.
iv. Regulate your children’s exposure to material
Reduce the time and be selective about the content of videos your pre-teen child views, especially those that depict drug or alcohol use. Drug or alcohol abuse can appear less hazardous to youngsters if it is sidelined.
v. Recognizing the warning signs
Be aware of possible red flags relating to teen drug abuse, such as sudden changes in friends, eating habits, sleeping patterns, physical appearance, requests for money, coordination, or school performance.
Know your teen’s whereabouts and ask questions about their escapades when they return home.
