421 Broome Street and Addiction

I was so saddened to hear about the death of the too-young, Heath Ledger. I feel sorry for him and I feel sorry for the people who live at 421 Broome Street where Ledger lay dead.  I live uptown and a dozen subway stops from where he lived, but I keep hearing stories of the growing crowd parked in front of his building, gawking at the site of an imagined suicide.  I say imagined because who am I to make any claims on what his intentions were.  Its just nauseates me at the media circus that once again is in town.  And parked in front of a dead man's door.

Idiotic Sound bite of the Day:

"He's got more money than God.  Why would he kill himself?" 

My response: Money helps, moron, but its never been the answer to happiness. 

Their comment: "How can anyone take that many pills by accident...pleease."

My response: It's called Narcotics Anonymous, asshole.

I know addiction.  Not from personal experience  but from friends that have been beaten to the ground by their evil vices.  Most of them have come up for air and can now function with their disease but there are a few that have left me speechless. 

A girlfriend of mine, in particular.

We have been friends for over a decade, and over the years her pill addiction has enslaved her to a life of staying in doors with the inability to function in society.  First their your friend and then your acquaintance until they become a stranger and they no longer remember you or the importance of why you were in their life because their true love now is the addiction.  First and foremost.

I've seen my friend go into rehab, that has never worked since she always split. I have been a pillar of support, and in exchange, I have been repeatedly let down.  Not that I have any expectations but they become so unreliable.  So incognito. Their a no-show. 

This past Christmas, I finally had to end my friendship. I love her. I miss her dearly but her addiction was bringing me down.  Until she hits rock bottom and can truly face her demons and seek true recovery, I'll rekindle our friendship. For now, I'll kindly keep my distance.

Clean up, girl.

Comments

[paisley]

having been an addict for many years myself,, i know you either get clean or you die... no one can help you... no one can save you... no one.. sometimes, not even yourself....

[Roland Hulme]

Somebody in my wife's family died exactly the same way - she was on Ambien (so was Heath) to sleep and took a very slightly stronger dose because she couldn't nod off (apparently Heath complained of the same thing.)

It's a surprisingly easy thing to do and I get pee'd off with people who always launch into the 'he was a druggie' speeches.

He might not have been. It might have been as careless as a couple of extra pills, thinking 'these won't do any harm.'

I mean, when I can't sleep I do that with Tylonol PM.

I think that was a very nicely written post you did on the subject.

Heath was a great actor and apparently a really wonderful guy. He was taken far too early.

[Kali]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm sorry to hear about the death in your wife's family. XO