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Another young star has died, and again rumors of drug abuse are swirling without any solid evidence. Brittany Murphy died Sunday in her Hollywood Hills home. The cause of death was cardiac arrest, but toxicology reports are being done to determine if drugs played a role in her death. Being so young, many have assumed that drugs must have been a cause of her cardiac arrest, but so far those reports aren’t confirmed.
The Public Life of a Celebrity
Our society today tends to treat celebrities as public property, printing pictures and reports about stars as if it is our right to see or read them. All too often the stories are made up or exaggerated, and to do so when an actor dies can cause much heartache for the family. Instead of jumping to conclusions that Brittany Murphy was a cocaine addict and suffered from anorexia, we would do best to wait for the results from professionals.
Substance Abuse and Celebrities
However, plenty of Hollywood stars have died at a young age because of substance abuse. Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Anna Nicole Smith all died a premature death because of their interaction with drugs. Whether it was prescription pills, street drugs, or a combination of drugs, alcohol, and a wild lifestyle, substance abuse has claimed too many lives. Celebrities often get caught up in drug abuse for a number of reasons. Their busy lives can be stressful with the lack of privacy and long hours. Sometimes they start with drug abuse to calm frazzled nerves or to relieve anxiety. Other times the stars get caught up in the partying-it-up lifestyle, where many others are doing drugs, getting drunk, or doing other harmful things. It is very much like the peer pressure that kids in high school face – “everyone’s doing it, so why shouldn’t I?” Celebrities also usually have enough money at hand to buy drugs, and their personal assistants and connections can make the purchasing process even easier.
We don’t yet know why Brittany Murphy died, but instead of speculating about her, maybe we should focus on the many other celebrities that are struggling with substance abuse or alcoholism. These people are just like the rest of us and need to get treatment for their addiction, like the rest of the population. There are many luxury drug rehab facilities that specialize in treating the “rich and famous”. With treatment from a good facility, there is help for those willing to accept it.
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