Whitney Houston’s Death: A Sobering Reminder of Addiction’s Power

It’s happened again. A talented, beautiful individual is gone much too soon and it is likely that we have the insidious disease of addiction to thank. Singer Whitney Houston died on the eve of the 2012 Grammys, and while an official cause of death hasn’t been released, anyone familiar with her story knows that her long battle with substance abuse likely played some role. 

Houston, 48, had a voice like no other. Her mother is gospel great Cissy Houston, and a young Whitney honed her craft in the church choir in New Jersey. She was discovered by Clive Davis, and under his guidance she reigned in the pop realm throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. But her immense talent was often overshadowed by her recurring bouts with alcohol and drugs.

The singer and mother of one daughter (with performer Bobby Brown) continued to wage war on her addiction, returning to rehab as recently as May 2011. She was found dead in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton just eight months later. Initial reports point to a mix of Xanax and other prescription meds mixed with alcohol as the cause of death, but autopsy results haven’t been released publically and toxicology results could take weeks to complete.

Obviously, the primary tragedy is the loss of a life, but secondary is the way so many of Houston’s accomplishments will be muted in the wake of her personal issues. At the height of her fame, she lent her stature to the anti-apartheid movement, to the response to the AIDS crisis and to the need for better educational opportunities for young black men and women, but we rarely hear about those types of things once a celebrity develops an addiction. It’s not only the media’s fault. The disease of addiction is demanding and needs attention. That tends to drown out anything else going on in a person’s life.

Houston will be remembered for her amazing voice, but also for her struggle with substance abuse. It’s an unfortunate footnote and one that is included all too often these days. Let’s hope that Houston’s legacy, in addition to inspiring young performers, can warn them to get help before it’s too late.

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