Corey Haim overdose death
From Drug Rehab Wiki
The amount of damage addiction can do to a life is evident in the news when a celebrity loses the battle. Corey Haim is one of the latest to experience the ultimate consequence of addiction. Haim was pronounced dead of an apparent drug overdose this past spring. He was 38 years old.
Known for his starring role in a number of movies in the 80s, Haim spent a number of years battling addictions to drugs and alcohol. Time and again he would speak with the media, talking very frankly about the struggle he had with substance abuse. Even as he was ready to accept his role in his addiction, he was still unable to truly develop a deep desire to get and remain clean.
For fans who truly loved the star and followed the activities of his life, it was reported that Haim had gotten clean on his own not that long ago. In well-publicized articles, he claimed that previous attempts at rehabilitation had always been for the wrong reasons.
Whether he was seeking to get clean for a family member or close friend, such attempts always failed and he would find himself back into the same habits. He told reporters that he had finally gotten clean because he was doing it only for himself. He called it an “eye-opener” and “the best day of my life.” That exhilaration didn’t seem to last, yet many didn’t realize he had relapsed until reports of his death surfaced.
Before his death, Haim reportedly had flu-like symptoms and was taking over-the-counter and prescription medications. Long before this deadly spiral, however, Haim was a wide-eyed teen trying marijuana for the first time in the 80s. His next drug of choice was cocaine, which eventually led to crack. After trying to get clean through rehabilitation programs 15 different times, Haim suffered a stroke.
Prescription medications followed and Haim turned to “downers”, claiming they were much better than always feeling like a nervous wreck. His attempts to alleviate the high strung side of him escalated out of control when he built a tolerance to his medication. What started out as a prescription for one pill as needed to control anxiety turned to 85 a day to maintain normal functioning. The actor had once again spun out of control.
The public does tend to forget that failure is a possibility where drug recovery is concerned and celebrities are human. Simply entering rehabilitation is not enough; however, as addicts can easily return to bad habits once they have left treatment. A complete recovery plan includes rehabilitation, support and a change in environment, especially triggers that can lead to continued drug use.
When paying attention to entertainment media, it is easy to forget there is no such thing as an “ex-addict”. Once an individual develops an addiction, that addiction always exists. Quality treatment programs teach the individual how to live with that addiction and overcome the power drugs and alcohol can have over them. An acceptance of that reality is a step in the right direction for recovery.
