Singer Joan Osborne wrote and sang “If God were one of us, just a slob like the rest of us….” Which makes us wonder…As mortals we don’t get a free pass from the challenges of life. Life can be hard, yet we wake up daily hoping for smoother times.
Drugs and addiction do not discriminate. Recently Brad Pitt came forward with his addiction challenges and recovery. Pitt, with every opportunity available, ultimately human – struggled and described himself as in a weed induced state for many years.
The news is filled with stories from Tiger Woods, who after multiple surgeries was discovered with opioids in his system. Addicted or not, we don’t know — but many of us have been there.
Or the case of child actress Erin Moran who was beloved on Happy Days. Erin died from Cancer, but after her own lifelong struggle with drugs and alcohol. Her life was not a happy one. Admittedly, she spent many years as a hard partier with a rapid downhill decline. Could recovery have improved her short life?
Famous folks live life amplified on a grand stage. The rest of us get to see how they live, survive, struggle and die. And like us — some enter treatment and some choose to confront addiction solo.
Some brave folks communicate to us about their struggles and loudly proclaim that it is treatment that saved them. Does treatment work? For those people who decide that they really want to heal and embrace – the answer is yes. For those who are not ready, they may find themselves with a return to substance use.
We wonder, if Prince were with us today, what he would say about…Joining him on that journey he called “life.” His life, a life cut short…could have had a different outcome.