Top 20 Drug-Induced Celebrity Deaths – Part 2

How to Quit Abusing Drugs

Drug addiction is a very serious habit. In fact, depression, insomnia, poor relationships, and brain damage can all occur as a result of this habit. How can this intense habit be broken? Those at drug rehab facilities desire to help those with drug addiction. Drug treatment programs offered at such drug treatment centers may include art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and counseling which encourages a healthy lifestyle. The following people are examples of how drug abuse can go terribly wrong:

  1. Chris Farley – Farley was an actor. He acted in the television show Saturday Night Live for a number of years and starred in movies including Tommy Boy and Beverly Hills Ninja. Drug and alcohol abuse were a constant part of Farley’s life and eventually caused problems with his career. Farley died at the age of 33 as a result of an accidental speedball overdose. Long term drug and alcohol addiction (and possibly his obesity) contributed to his death.
  2. Tim Hardin – Hardin was a singer as well as a song writer. He sang songs which include, “If I Were a Carpenter”, “Reason to Believe”, “Bird on a Wire”, and “A Simple Song of Freedom”. Unfortunately, Tim was known to have struggled with heroin abuse. In fact, an overdose of heroin combined with morphine caused his ultimate death.
  3. Elvis Presley – Presley was known as an American singer, actor and sex symbol. He is often called the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Elvis was addicted to prescription drugs and eventually died of a heart attack brought on by long-term drug use. He was 42 years old.
  4. Donyale Luna – Luna was a famous African American Supermodel and the first black woman to grace the cover of a Vogue magazine. She also had roles in several films. Some have said she was ashamed of her black heritage. On occasion, she was known to wear colored contact lenses and blond wigs. Donyale, born Peggy Anne Freeman, died of drug overdose in her 30’s.
  5. John Kordic – Kordic was a hockey player. He was famous for his temper and was known for instigating fights. Throughout his life he struggled with drug and alcohol abuse and was admitted to drug and alcohol rehab centers on occasion. He eventually died at the age of 27 after police were called to his hotel room and a fight broke out. His official cause of death was heart failure due to long term drug and alcohol abuse as well as steroid use.
  6. Janis Joplin – Joplin was an American singer and songwriter. At one point in time she was a part of the band Big Brother and The Holding Company, but later began a solo career during which she played at the Woodstock Festival. Throughout her short life, Joplin experimented with a variety of drugs and drank heavily. At the age of 27, Janis died as a result of heroin overdose and alcohol consumption.
  7. Len Bias – This basketball star was selected to play for the Celtics in the NBA draft just hours before his death. Len, born Leonard Kevin Bias, was the second player chosen to be drafted, at the time he was playing college basketball. He also signed a contract with the shoe company, Adidas. Unfortunately, Len Bias died from cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after the NBA draft took place. He was only 22 years old.
  8. Jimi Hendrix – Hendrix was a famous singer and guitar player. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and also holds a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Jimi Hendrix also had the opportunity to headline for the music festival, Woodstock. Throughout his life, Jimi experimented with drugs such as LSD, marijuana, speed, and sleeping pills. He died as a result of taking sleeping pills and alcohol which later caused asphyxiation by his own vomit while sleeping.
  9. Judy Garland – This singer and actress struggled with weight gain as well as drug addiction for a great deal of her life. She is perhaps best remembered for her lead role in the movie The Wizard of Oz. Judy was married 5 times in her life and divorced 4 times. At several points in life, Garland attempted suicide but eventually died of an accidental drug overdose of barbiturates, she was 47.
  10. 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. Unfortunately, Bonham was also an alcoholic. He died at the age of 32 due to asphyxiation from vomiting. This was caused by heavy alcohol consumption. The band Led Zeppelin decided against continuing with a different drummer after his death.

All info taken from Wikipedia.

Disclaimer


This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be a substitute for medical advice. We understand that everyone’s situation is unique, and this content is to provide an overall understanding of substance use disorders. These disorders are very complex, and this post does not take into account the unique circumstances for every individual. For specific questions about your health needs or that of a loved one, seek the help of a healthcare professional.