Celebrity Deaths Highlight Power of Addiction

Addiction is hard to get over, no matter the drug of choice. The recent overdose and death of actor Corey Haim demonstrates the impact addition and drug use can have on a life, no matter what path the individual has taken. ABC News posted a recent piece, highlighting the impact addiction can have even on an individual who claimed to be clean. Haim had struggled with a cocaine and Valium addiction and was reportedly admitted to rehab centers more than 15 times. In recent years, he had claimed he was clean. “Addiction is a chronic disease, like diabetes, and unfortunately there is absolutely no guarantee that a person will be cured,” said Mohamed Kabbaj, a neuroscientist at Florida State University in the ABC News piece. “Even if a person goes through rehab they will be faced with cravings in certain situations and they can relapse anytime — even after years of being sober.” While addiction is a difficult obstacle and a person is never truly rid of the temptations, experts say addiction can be overcome with enough vigilance, especially if the approach is accompanied by outside support. “Failure is always a possibility,” said Richard Clayton, chair of health behavior at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. “Those who continue to make serious efforts to get ‘clean’ should be congratulated each time they try, encouraged to keep being clean a serious goal, and genuinely supported in their efforts by those who love them.” The death of Corey Haim is certainly not the first of a celebrity who had claimed to be clean after years of struggling with addiction and he isn’t likely to be the last. Such tragedies do demonstrate that no one is immune and even unlimited resources can leave a person losing to the addiction when the proper help is not in place.