News / Health & Wellness
Amy Winehouse Found Dead
The “Rehab” singer sought treatment for her drug and alcohol abuse, but in the end wasn’t able to overcome the disease of addiction.
She was found dead at her apartment in London on Saturday, July 23, 2011, police and her publicist confirmed. No cause of death has been determined, and it will likely be weeks before the medical examiner issues a ruling.
The singer with the rich, throaty voice, numerous tattoos and trademark beehive hairdo found international success in 2007 with her album Back to Black, which nabbed her five Grammys in 2008. Her huge talent was often overshadowed, though, by her erratic public behavior and arrests, usually tied to her alcohol and drug problems.
Ironically, one of Winehouse’s hit songs was titled “Rehab” and includes lines where the singer says “no” to her family’s insistence that she seek treatment. She did eventually get help, several times. In fact, in 2009, following her volatile two-year marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil and their divorce, Winehouse seemed on the road to recovery, undergoing what her parents termed a “gradual recovery.”
Winehouse in Rehab
Just prior to her death, there were clues that Winehouse continued to struggle with her addictions. She entered a treatment program less than two months ago, supposedly in an attempt to prepare for an upcoming European tour. But in her first performance she was booed off the stage in Serbia by disappointed fans following a disastrous performance that found her staggering around the stage and stumbling through several songs. The tour was immediately cut short.
Winehouse spokeswoman Tracey Miller told CNN at the time that the singer “agreed with management that she cannot perform to the best of her ability and will return home.” A new statement appeared on Winehouse’s website Saturday, according to CNN, saying “Amy Winehouse is withdrawing from all scheduled performances.” Dying when she did, Winehouse now joins a club no one wants to be a part of, a group of talented musicians who succumbed to addiction at the ridiculously young age of 27. The group includes Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Doors frontman Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.
Substance Abuse Rehabilitation
Unfortunately, Winehouse’s experience is all too common. Treatment isn’t a one-time fix that solves the problem of addiction forever. It can take several tries before it actually “takes,” with relapses along the way. And even then, recovery is a lifelong process. There is no quick cure for the disease of addiction, and while many dabble in drug use or experiment with alcohol, sure they can remain in control, substance abuse sneaks up on them and they realize they’ve lost control once it’s too late.
Drug and Alcohol Treatment at La Paloma
If you’re struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about drug and alcohol treatment, financing or insurance.
