Cory Monteith. Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. What two things do these names have in common? Fame/wealth. Undisputed access to tons and tons of money, acclaim, all that good stuff.
The second thing is illicit drugs/death. Whatever it is they snorted, smoked, injected or inhaled, it led to their death, and very early too. Cory Monteith was 31, Michael Jackson was 50. Talk about lives being cut short.
Exactly one week ago, when I heard Philip Seymour Hoffman had been found dead on the 2nd of February with a needle still stuck in his arm and heroin (a special type called ‘Ace of Spades’) in packets around him, I was sad, then angry, then sad, and angry all over again.
Sad – he died young, he was just 46. He was very popular too, an Oscar award winner, and recently starred in Hunger Games (which by the way I have never watched and don’t think I will ever see because I don’t like fight fight).
Angry – are there not enough examples to prove that drugs are a sure way to die early?
Sad – heartbroken for his family, his wife/partner and their three young children. His parents, and the stigma of being related to the person ‘who died with a needle in his arm’.
Angry – what on earth made him go back to drugs after 23 years of being drug free? Whatever could have entered him all over again? They say his drugs could have been laced with something else. Ok, but why take them in the first place? Why?
I’m sure I could go the sad and angry route a few more times, but I won’t.
Psychologists say anything you do for 30 days becomes a habit – this man had been drug free for at least 8280 days! Then according to a report I read, he started abusing prescription pills, graduated to heroin, and then on to this substance that took his life.
I chatted with someone recently, and he told me the amount of thanks and gratitude he got because he gave him a $5 tip. 5 dollars. Reports say just weeks ago the now late Seymour withdrew $1200 from an ATM to pay for these drugs. $1200 on drugs when the next man is almost throwing a party because he was gifted 5 bucks.
Here’s another reason why I am angry – a child is attracted by the flickering light of a candle, and they want to touch it. Most times we let them because we know once it hurts them that first time, they most likely will not go back to it again. ‘Most likely’ because children have the attention span of a goldfish! Bless them.
23 years after, did he forget? Did he become so wealthy that he felt that the drugs would ‘fear/respect his money’ and not harm him? What was he thinking? The Bible says that the things that are written are unto us for examples.
Just like I wrote the ‘learn from it, don’t be it‘ post when Cory Monteith died, I’m writing again – say NO to drugs. Say No, and mean it so much that whoever asked you before will be convinced you are not interested. You shouldn’t even be friends with such people in the first place!
RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.
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Fairy Godsister's Blog 
Sounds as though he was spiritually drained. It can happen to anyone.
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Nomzi! Thanks for visiting, I love your blog!
About the late Philip Hoffman Seymour, I don’t think he couldn’t have gotten help. I don’t know o, obviously there’s a lot I don’t know… It’s just the fact that he’d been clean for 23 years that I can’t wrap around.
Whatever the reason though, he’s at peace now. My heart is with his family in what must be a very difficult time.
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You are welcome 🙂 It is sad for his children. Where were all those people at his funeral on that day he chose drugs over his children, over loved ones? That was a man in a lot of pain. I wonder if he ever prayed.
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Interesting questions you’ve raised Nomzi! It’s instructive how many people congregated at his funeral, knowing he had battled with this drug problem from the middle of last year. Then again, did he rebuff their attempts to help, scorn their expressions of tough love?
Saw a report that said he’d been living outside his home for about three months because his partner didn’t want him doing drugs in front of their three children.
So much we don’t know, I just hope they get through this.
Have a super productive week yourself!
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Have a lovely week 🙂
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I think you need to educate yourself on Addiction, not just the “don’t do drugs”, but why an addict can’t say no. it’s interesting that both Cory and PSH began in their childhood, and both relapsed after a long time being clean, it doesn’t matter – addiction never goes away. there is no cure.
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Amen.
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Hey Becca, welcome to my blog!
I know people who abused drugs, became clean, and stayed clean. Personally. Before the ‘addict who can’t say no’ however, there is the experiment, the enjoyment, and then the dependence that eventually morphs into an addiction. It is the experiment I speak of, which is don’t try the drugs in the first place.
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Addiction is one tough cookie to deal with. When the “symptoms” that made you do drugs revisit (and they will), you’re very vulnerable. Some think I’ll just give in this once, and then find themselves back in the vicious cycle. One must have a plan of action for when they hit a low, and the strength to take the high road. With all the sad examples out there, it is better as you’ve stated, to say no in the first instance. My thoughts are with his family.
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Hello liveytwist, I enjoyed checking out your blog today! Was on a roll, I must have visited like 18 blogs!
About this guy, you’re absolutely right about not trying anything in the first place. There’d be nothing to ‘return’ to.
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If I may comment to Becca: You are right, there is no cure. There are diseases in the earth that no cure will ever be found, right? But there is a solution, it lies within the individual(s) because it take a POWER beyond them…it is the Redemption power of Christ Jesus. There are numerous testimonies of people who had long histories of addictions that ended once they found redemption in the salvation of Jesus Christ. A cure is man-made. Redemption is God given by the power of the Redeemer of our life. We then become new creations in Him. What hope! Keep your faith focused on Jesus, He remains the same, yesterday, today and forever.
May God bless you ~Zoey
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Yes Zoey, I totally agree with you… We’re in a time where answers to this and many other questions can only be found in the Lord. There is no addiction He cannot free us of, no craving or desire He cannot quench. All we need to do is turn it over to Him, and stay attached. That’s why we must stay under His covering, no two ways about that! Psalm 91.
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Amen! My intentions were not to offend any but to defend the gospel of the Lord. I like what you wrote…”all we need to do is turn it over to Him and stay attached.” The key is to stay attached and under his covering like you said. Good scripture~Ps:-91 Bless you~Zoey
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[…] Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s death hurt me in a different kind of way. This man was an addict, cleaned up, was drug free for at least 8280 days, then fell off the wagon again. And this time it killed him. Would to God he had stayed clean another 6 months from the 8280 days; he might still have been here. […]
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