Celebrities are notorious for “living on the edge”. Unfortunately, the pressure to live a wild and crazy lifestyle often means the end of the road for celebrities. From celebs that died from alcohol or drugs, we have lost many greatly talented people. And while many young, bright flames burn out because of drugs, just as often there is a sad and slow decline brought on by addiction. Sadly not everyone has massive career comebacks like these celebs, but we want to celebrate those that do.
The crazy lifestyle can manifest in the quality of their work, in their physical appearance, and ultimately their very lives. At best, the celebrities below can at least serve as a lesson to younger actors, musicians, and fans of the arts; drug addiction is hardly just “fun and games”. Perhaps with the benefit of a rehab and detox facility they could have avoided these unnecessary and tragic ends.
*We have included celebrities who died due to complications from the abuse of prescription drugs, but these will be noted.
- Elvis Presley
Over the years, “The King of Rock and Roll” racked up and impressive number of #1 hit records, but he also developed a serious addiction to various prescription drugs, including painkillers. Eventually, he died from heart failure as a result of his extensive drug habit, and the world lost one of its brightest singing talents.
- John Belushi
This famous “wild man” of Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon fame became addicted to alcohol, cocaine, and prescription amphetamines in the late ’60s and early 1970s.
- River Phoenix
A tragic case of the “live fast, die young” lifestyle that was all too commonplace in 1980s Hollywood, River Phoenix died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles’s now-infamous Viper Room just as he was on the precipice of stardom from his roles in movies like “Stand By Me” and “My Own Private Idaho”. His brother Joaquin, fortunately, was able to avoid these same tragic pitfalls.
- Michael Jackson
The other “King” (of pop this time) also developed a serious physical dependence on strong narcotic prescription drugs; doctors have famously said that they wouldn’t give Jackson’s daily dose to a patient going under for surgery. It’s another sad twist to a life that was already rife with unfortunate choices and relationships.
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman portrayed many tragic characters on screen; he was able to do so with such grace and nuance because he himself understood the horrors of drug addiction and the mental and physical problems that came along with it. After many years clean, he became hooked on heroin again and was found dead in his apartment.
- Prince
The “Purple Rain” Singer died tragically in 2016. Prince will always be remembered for his creative genius, and sadly he will also be on lists like this, as a great artist who was taken due to drugs.
Help for Addicts
Quitting drugs is one of the hardest undertakings a person can ever commit to; that’s why detox programs can be so helpful and necessary for heavily-addicted people. Although you cannot force somebody to go, you can try to steer them in the right direction. If you or anybody close to you is suffering from drug addiction, you should look into detox programs and facilities near you.