This month marks the one year anniversary of Whitney Houston's death. When I first heard that she had passed away, I was literally shocked. I know that she had gone down a spiraling path, but I am an optimistic person. I thought she would prevail. After all she was the quintessential queen of pop. Her strong vocals and high octaves sent chills. Who doesn't love the song, "I will Always Love you?"
I was upset at the days following her passing. Facebook status's were filled with the stereotypical drug and alcohol jokes. For anyone who has not been personally effected by the horrific disease they just need to shut their mouth. It isn't a joking matter. Some will say, stop being so sensitive, but it is someone's life here we are talking about. I couldn't imagine what Whitney felt inside. Why ridicule someone who was suffering tremendously? Again addiction is not a matter of willpower. If it was, there would be people still alive today that fought so hard from the disease; my late boyfriend included.
In the last few days, country singer Mindy McCready's death has been receiving coverage on every news channel. She started having problems quite sometime ago and landed on the reality television show, "Celebrity Rehab," with Dr. Drew Pinsky. Since the show, it seemed that she was in the midst of turning her life around. However, in January, her boyfriend took his own life and that turned McCready's upside down. I personally know how it feels for someone to take their life. I had a great friend who committed suicide in 2009 and my boyfriend basically committed suicide by drinking himself to death in 2012. Both very tragic events.
McCready was a fabulous country singer. Her music shined in the country genre. Her hits were heard by many just like the sad news about her death. After I heard about her death, I was preparing myself to hear rude and insulting jokes about it. I was surprised that I hadn't heard anything, until I read this Fox News Article. Now I am sitting here fuming from my nose and my ears.
Dr. Drew Pinsky has counseled over 10,000 individuals for substance abuse and mental illness. His television series is a minor part of his overall career. What people don't understand is individuals who are sick with addiction or mental illness do not always survive even though they go to rehab. It is UP to the INDIVIDUAL to want to change. You can't make someone change their life when they don't want to. I spent 10 years of my life trying that and where did it end? Death. It put me almost in the mental hospital myself.
Rehab facilities are there to help the patient detox in a safe environment, teach them the tools to cope with the disease, design an after care plan that will hopefully lead them on the track to a sober life, but the patient has to want it. My boyfriend went to multiple rehab facilities. The first one he left early. Why? He claimed it wasn't working and he thought he was wasting his money. He again went to a different rehab facility for 28 days inpatient treatment. Not only did he learn a lot, I also learned a ton of stuff that I never knew. Family weekends are very important for family members to attend, so they can gain knowledge to help their loved ones during this difficult time.
My boyfriend chose not to follow his after care plan. He ditched it entirely. He needed to go to Sober Living is exactly what he needed. However, me, his family, counselors, doctors, etc... could talk to him till we were blue in the face, but it went in one ear and out the other. He thought he could do it on his own. He thought he had enough willpower to over come the disease and guess what? He didn't. It is VERY crucial for someone to have help and support. Most individuals do not like the stigma attached to addiction and mental illness and that is why they do not seek treatment or continue with their treatment plan.
Dr. Drew may have lost 3 celebrities that were on his show to addiction, but you can't blame him Richard Marx, comparing Dr. Drew to Dr. Kevorkian. I am astounded by that statement in the Fox News article. Obviously, Mr. Marx doesn't know what he is talking about. Not every doctor can save every patients life. Mental illness and addiction IS a brain disease. The brain chemically changes and individuals dealing with it are constantly struggling day to day. So yes, 3 people died from "Celebrity Rehab." However, look at all the other thousands of people that Dr. Drew was able to help and save.
I have always been a fan of Dr. Drew way before his "Celebrity Rehab" days. Now that I am more knowledgeable about addiction/mental illness and going to go to school to get my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I understand most of the stuff he relays to his clients on the shows.
I am hoping one day that the stigma will change. I am also hoping that treatment is more readily available to those in need. Research before judging. These are people's lives we are talking about here. One day it could be the one you love struggling. Never say never.
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