Affleck stated he hopes his openness about his illness will inspire others to have the courage to similarly seek proper treatment. World-famous horror novelist Stephen King struggled with drugs and alcohol for a considerable period of time. In 1987, King’s family and friends staged an intervention, dumping evidence of his addictions in front of him.

“It wasn’t to the point of going to the hospital, but I remember getting up off the floor in the morning — and that was the last time I ever touched a drug again,” Pink said in a 2012 interview. The songwriter and bassist for Mötley Crüe was known for partying and using drugs throughout the band’s height of success in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Dubbed the most awarded female artist of all time by Guinness World Records, Whitney Houston had earned two Emmy’s, six Grammy’s and 30 Billboard Music Awards by 2010. However, she died tragically on the night before the 2012 Grammy Awards. They’re under enormous pressure to perform at high levels.

Famous Celebrities Who Have Done Drugs And Battled Addiction And Alcoholism

In 2014, after his second DUI arrest, Phelps entered himself into a 6-week inpatient rehab. When asked publicly if he had an alcohol addiction, Phelps responded, “I don’t know.” According to the American Psychiatric Association, using substances in dangerous situations is one aspect of addiction. So is continuing to use despite intervention by law enforcement. The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens blog, in 2018, wrote about Phelps’s co-occurring disorders – struggling to manage his depression while abusing drugs and alcohol. After filming Miami Vice, Colin Farrell, 43, admitted that he “didn’t want to live” due, in large part, to the stress of his drug and alcohol addiction.

  • The singer, who had suffered through numerous traumatic incidents in her personal life, struggled with drinking, and, despite rehab, relapsed shortly before her death.
  • Most of the prescription medications were made out to friends rather than herself and she had taken them in significantly larger quantities than prescribed.
  • Contact a treatment provider today for rehab-related information.
  • It had sustained me as a team of doctors and nurses moved my broken body from one machine and test to another, and through the hours-long wait for my family.
  • Still, most of the late 70s and 80s went by in a haze of alcoholism for King, who wrote in his memoir On Writing that he “barely remembers writing” his 1981 novel Cujo.
  • Winehouse had struggled with substance abuse alongside mental health problems for most of her life, and moved in and out of rehab several times before her death.

And in 1959, her lifestyle had caught up to her; she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Dolores O’Riordan was the lead singer for the alternative rock band the Cranberries. Known for her deep mezzo-soprano voice, she had released several albums with the group including No Need to Argue, To the Faithful Departed, and Bury the Hatcher, all of which topped multiple music charts. By the mid-90s, they had reached international stardom with millions of record sales worldwide. But to drink yourself to death, you really have to love drinking . Without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 people who literally drank themselves to death, one way or another.

Drugs have claimed the lives of countless stars, but some celebrities survived their brush with addiction, sought treatment and are in recovery today. The recovery process doesn’t end after 90 days of treatment. The transition back to life outside of rehab is fraught with the potential for relapse. Aftercare resources such as 12-step groups, sober living homes and support for family celebrities who died of alcoholism and friends promote a life rich with rewarding relationships and meaning. The infographic below shares the story of ten of the most famous high-functioning alcoholics in history, and how they either turned their life around or succumbed to their alcoholism. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few of the stories of 5 celebrities who we lost to drug and alcohol addiction.

The singer was found with mislabeled pill bottles as well as bottles labelled to other names, which may have resulted in him accidentally taking a much stronger medication than the Percocet he was prescribed. No surprise that a mind-altering substance like alcohol causes problems with the brain. Alcohol dementia is a very real thing, and technology is now helping us to differentiate alcohol dementia from Alzheimer’s. I suspect that many of the patients sent to neurologists for “early Alzheimer’s” are really presenting alcohol dementia that’s secondary to a long-standing or even a new alcohol use disorder.

Celebrities Affected By An Alcohol Addiction

Find out how you can help and be a positive influence in their journey to be alcohol-free. Tragically, Fisher died of a heart attack in December 2016. Fans continue to mourn the loss of the endearing actress. English actor Oliver Reed died of a heart attack during a break from filming ‘Gladiator’ .

John Bonham – This drummer played for the famous band, Led Zeppelin. He learned to play drums at a young age and soon became a drumming legend due to his incredible speed and powerful style of hitting. He died at the age of 32 due to asphyxiation from vomiting.

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Several years later, he was asked to portray the role of Mini-Me in the second Austin Power film. Impressed by his acting, Mike Myers, the co-creator of the series actually rewrote the script to give him more screen time. Troyer later reprised his role in the sequel Powers in Goldmember, which came https://ecosoberhouse.com/ out in 2002. On December 20, 1940, Fitzgerald lapsed into consciousness during the premiere of This Thing Called Love. Desperate to get himself back on his feet, he moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a screenwriter. Osler W, Bates DG, Bensley EH. The inner history of the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

celebrities who died of alcoholism

Her DUI and marijuana possession have kept her in the spotlight. Addiction has affected some of the greatest entertainers of all time. It’s taken the lives of cultural icons and devastated fans across the world. However, some have overcome addiction and inspired others by proving that recovery is possible.

Jimi Hendrix

On April 21, 2018, Troyer died at a Los Angeles hospital. According to the LA coroner’s office, his official cause of death was suicide secondary to alcohol poisoning. F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. During his lifetime, he published several novels including, ‘The Great Gatsby’, which has since become a classic American title. It wasn’t until his death, however, that he received critical acclaim. During detox and recovery, withdrawal involves discomfort, but the benefits of overcoming addiction far outweigh withdrawal pains.

celebrities who died of alcoholism

Edison drank Vin Mariani – wine mixed with cocaine – quite regularly. The side effects of drinking large amounts line up with Edison’s sleeplessness and energy. Similar to other historical figures, more research is required to fully understand Edison’s substance use disorder and the negative effects it had on him. Benjamin Franklin was a well-known American scientist, politician, writer, and inventor.

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The exact cause of death is somewhat of a mystery, although Hank was known to be a binge alcoholic and abused opioid analgesics for chronic back pain. In order to preserve the Elvis image and legacy, a “cover up” was initiated by the family and the pathologists. The stomach contents at autopsy were destroyed before analysis, no real police investigation was conducted, and no drugs were found at Graceland. Lee Bailey, have felt that Elvis might still be alive. In 2016, following his divorce from actress Amber Heard, Johnny Depp says he felt he had reached a new low point in life. In 2015, he told the Mirror“It is my responsibility to do the best I can and to take it one day at a time.

  • The Academy Award-nominated actor reportedly suffered from heroin addiction in the years leading up to his overdose.
  • Holden himself died from bleeding out after he fell over inebriated and knocked his head.
  • Franklin’s doctor prescribed laudanum to help with the pain.
  • On August 4, 1962, at age 36, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bedroom in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles.

I regret the necessity.” King’s not about to pretend he didn’t have struggles with alcohol, nor does he think he should hide it, either. It’s a part of who he is, and he’s been sober ever since his family intervention. Elphick had a very public battle with alcoholism and at his worst was said to drink 2 liters of liquor per day. His drinking was a contributing factor to the heart attack that killed him in 2002. Between 5 and 25 percent of people who go through extreme alcohol withdrawal die, according to a report in Alcohol Health & Research World. It’s believed that singer Amy Winehouse died as a result of an unsuccessful alcohol self-detox. The Sopranos actress says she became an alcoholic as a young woman trying to launch her career.

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There are a number of famous alcoholics who have struggled with alcoholism but have had successful careers, all the while struggling with their addiction. The famous comedian abused cocaine and alcohol early in his career, but quit when friend and fellow comedian, John Belushi, died of a cocaine and heroin overdose in 1982. After that, the late actor struggled off and on with alcohol for years until his death in 2014. He even regularly highlighted these struggles as a part of his stand-up routines. In a 2006 interview with Diane Sawyer, Williams talked about the reality that drinking doesn’t always have a reason behind it, saying “It’s — not caused by anything, it’s just there,” Williams said.

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The toxicology report later linked the death to a Propofol overdose, in combination with medications including lorazepam and midazolam. Anna Nicole Smith rose to international notoriety after her death in 2007, when her trial made international headlines. The 39-year-old actress and model was found overdosing in her hotel room in Florida, but was unable to be revived. A later toxicology report showed a combination of drugs in her system, primarily the sleeping medication chloral hydrate, alongside the benzodiazepine class drugs diazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam, and clonazepam. She had previously taken methadone, although this was ruled as non-contributing.

Houston’s body was discovered in the bathroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel submerged in a bathtub. An autopsy reported that she died from drowning, atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. Cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Flexeril and Benadryl were found in her body, but the four latter drugs did not contribute to her death, according to the report. Some celebrities, like many regular people, turn to alcohol or other drugs to cope with the pressure.

Unfortunately, it’s not likely that overall alcohol-related deaths dropped last year after their 2020 spike, since stressors that might push people to drink more were still present, Schacht said. Houston’s behavior had been called into question for several days previous to her death, with onlookers describing her as “erratic” and “disheveled”. The toxicology report also showed evidence of longer-term drug use, including Benadryl, Xanax, Flexeril, and cannabis. His overdose, which was ruled an accident, likely resulting from tolerance. Hoffman’s drug “cocktail” is a process known as stacking, which some people use to increase effects of substances as tolerance grows. However, it also often influences breathing and causes respiratory depression, resulting in death. The Dark Knight star Heath Ledger died in 2008 of a toxic combination of six prescription drugs.