Medication Abuse in Celebrities - Essay Example

? Medication Abuse in Celebrities The essay aims to present an objective literary dis on the of medication abuse that occurs to celebrities. Initially, an introductory overview on medication abuse would be presented, followed by an identification of the famous celebrities whose lives have been significantly influenced and affected by medication abuse. Specifically, the discourse would focus on the case of Michael Jackson, one of the most famous celebrities who died due to an overdose administration of drugs. Concurrently, the essay would present the contributory factors that led to the abuse, the effects of the abuse, and the policy measures instituted by local and federal government to address this confounding dilemma. Medication Abuse in Celebrities Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson all have something in common: fame, success, popularity and death through medication abuse. Celebrities are idolized and placed in pedestals by adoring fans. Like normal individuals, celebrities, despite their fame, resources, and connections, are subject to the same health risks that abound in any particular time frame. Sad to say, there are factors unique and distinct to celebrities that make them predisposed to greater susceptibility to abuse medications that initially aim to address trivial health concerns. Drugs and medications are supposed to be prescribed, administered and taken in dosages that are deemed safe and sufficient to address illnesses that have been diagnosed for particular patients. However, drug overdose has been intermittently published, reported and continue to pervade contemporary times. The cases for celebrities are just magnified due to their popular stature and global awareness. The aim of the current informative discourse is to proffer pertinent issues relative to medication abuse in celebrities, particularly focusing on the case of Michael Jackson. The paper would initially provide an overview of medication abuse in celebrities in general prior to identifying general factors that lead them to the rollercoaster journey of success and eventual abrupt demise through drug overdose. A concluding portion would finally present highlights of the crucial points that were discussed, in conjunction with recommendations posed by state and federal regulatory offices to address this dilemma. Overview of Medication Abuse The World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen to streamline and qualify the definition of abuse to mean “persistent or sporadic excessive drug use inconsistent with or unrelated to acceptable medical practice” (World Health Organization, 2012, par. 1). The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the organization tasked with monitoring, governing and administering laws and regulations relative to medications that have proven to be susceptible to abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), n.d.). Accordingly, “in 2010, approximately 16 million Americans are reported using a prescription drug for nonmedical reasons in the past year; 7 million in the past month” (NIDA: Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs, 2012, par. 3). In a featured publication of NIDA entitled “Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction”, it was explicitly indicated that “risk of drug abuse increases greatly during times of transition, such as changing schools, moving, or divorce” (par. 2). These activities are normally encountered by people from all walks of life. For celebrities, these factors contribute to their preponderence for taking medications, in conjunction with other intricate and distinct factors as to be discussed below. Factors Contributory to Medication Abuse in Celebrities In an article written by Puente (2012), it was indicated that celebrities are no different in terms of their susceptibilities to medication abuse. The author cited Kevin Hill, reportedly an addictions psychiatrist who was noted to be governing the drug abuse treatment at Harvard Medical School's McLean Hospital to disclose that “addiction does not discriminate; it cuts across all socioeconomic classes. People use according to psycho-social stressors. Celebrities might have slightly different stressers, such as fame, but they use drugs like regular people — they just use better drugs" (Puente, 2012, par. 14). These psycho-social stressers are subject of a paper participated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which clearly identified that “psychosocial stressors – including social (e.g., person-person, person-family, and person-peer group interactions), behavioral, environmental, and cognitive stressors - increase the risk of multiple health problems and all-cause mortality” (National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background, 2011, par. 1). Due to the more varied direct exposure to pyscho social stressors, celebrities have been observed to be subjected to greater susceptibilities to develop anxieties. In an article written by McKay (2010), the author cited Candace Bruce, reportedly the CEO of Addiction & Dual Diagnosis Facility, Morningside Recovery, who was noted to contend that celebrities and people who are frequently seen by the public in the limelight are more prone to substance abuse, due to the need to relieve anxiety brought about by people’s perceptions of the image they project, as well as their effectiveness and competencies as actors or celebrities. Michael Jackson and Medication Abuse In the paper written by Lathan on “Celebrities and substance abuse” it was revealed that “celebrity patients frequently practice polypharmacy using multiple physicians, multiple drug stores, and multiple aliases to obtain medications” (p. 340). The case of Michael Jackson was similar. He died of the alleged practice of polypharmacy with the assistance of Dr. Conrad Murray, who reportedly was contracted by Michael Jackson to be his personal physcian for $150,000 per month and who agreed to accompany him on his comeback concerts in London (Michael Jackson death: timeline, 2011). Various reports have disclosed Michael Jackson started using painkillers ever since he encountered an accident during the shooting of the Pepsi commercial in 1984 (Puente, New Michael Jackson book details drug use, 2011). From a pescription drug named Demerol, he reportedly escalated to using Propofol, the anasthetic drug that was pinpointed to be the cause of his eventual death in 2009. Jackson was allegedly experiencing different psychosocial stressors due to his commitments on the London comeback concert and his anxieties causes his inability to sleep. As reported, he had already asked to be injected with drugs that were supposed to be sedative such as “diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and midazolam injection (Versed) intravenously” (Wedro, 2011, par. 6). Due to his apparent development of dependency and tolerance to these drugs, the same dosages and frequencies of taking them led to their failure to achieve the needed efficacy. As such, Jackson had to resort to using more drugs taken together without much knowledge on the increasing risks that the effects of these could inflict on his condition. As noted, “the issue with propofol is that it can make the patient's brain forget to breathe. It's not a side effect or complication; it's just what it does. That issue requires a person with the skills to breathe for the patient if necessary and to stand guard at all times. Propofol is a sedating drug, and excess sedation may occur if used in combination with drugs such as diazepam (Valium). The more sedation, the more likely the patient will stop breathin” (Wedro, 2011, par. 5). The combined sedating effects of all the drugs taken in the setting of his home led to his untimely demise. His doctor was therefore found guilty with a charge of involuntary manslaughter due to the irresponsible administration drugs given in an inappropriate health care setting (Michael Jackson death: timeline, 2011). One is therefore illumined that his drug abuse developed slowly and continuously over a period of 25 years or exactly half of the life time of Jackson. Conclusion The paper successfully achieved its objective of presenting medication abuse in celebrities through the factors that increased their preponderance to substance abuse. It was emphasized that celebrities are in fact no different from other individuals who have preponderance for drug intake and abuse due to diverse psychosocial stressors. The only difference they exhibit from other drug abusers lie in the fact that they are exposed to the discerning eyes of the public and are therefore more subject to scrutinity, criticism, as well as ridicule and blind adoration. Many celebrities have succumed to the lure of substance abuse including Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson. Their evident authority, power, resources and network of connections make purchasing drugs and other medications easier and more convenient. As noted, celebrities were deemed practicing polypharmacy through seeking alternative techniques and methods to purchase different drugs from an array of sources - using multiple physicians who could prescribe narcotic and prescription drugs; buying these from different pharmacies or drug stores, and even opting the use of varied alliases through friends and acquaintances who are just more than willing to accommodate their requests and demands. The case of Michael Jackson’s death in 2009 from administration of various sedative drugs and anethesthetic drug due to his anxieties and inability to sleep caused a eye-opening revelation into the life of one of the most celebrated and successful singers of all times. His 25 years of drug dependency caused tolerance to the safe dosage levels of the medications he developed tolerance and addiction to. As such, he needed increased levels and greater frequencies of adminstration to sustain alleged normal functioning of his daily activities. In the end, it all boils down to the closer examination of more stringent measures to restrict the dispensation and sale of narcotic and prescription drugs that endanger the lives of unsuspecting victims. The drug that caused Michael Jackson’s life was not even supposed to be provided in a home setting; much more administered to a person for the purpose of putting him or her to sleep. Medication abuse is a slow and evolving dilemma where solutions remains to be farfetched and challenging. To prevent people from developing dependencies to addictive drugs, medical practitioners must ensure that these drugs are kept safely in the hospital setting and administered only in highly supervised and in patients exhibiting extremely precarious health conditions. References Michael Jackson death: timeline. (2011, November 7). Retrieved from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/8867741/Michael-Jackson-death-timeline.html Lathan, S. R. (2009). Celebrities and substance abuse. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, Volume 22, Number 4, 339–341. McKay, H. (2010, September 28). Inside the Holywood Drug Scene: How Celebrities Get Their Fix. Retrieved from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/09/28/inside-hollywood-drug-scene-celebrities-fix/ National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (n.d.). About NIDA. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2011, September 22). Mechanistic Pathways Linking Psychosocial Stress and Behavior (R01). Retrieved from http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-12-037.html NIDA. (2012, October). Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs Chart. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs/commonly-abused-prescription-drugs-chart NIDA. (2012, April). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/science-addiction/preventing-drug-abuse-best-strategy Puente, M. (2011, November 12). New Michael Jackson book details drug use. Retrieved from USA Today: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/11/new-michael-jackson-book-details-drug-use/1#.UIYrR66myZQ Puente, M. (2012, March 25). Celebrity addicts: Who dies, who survives, and why? Retrieved from USA Today: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/story/2012-03-24/Celebs-and-drugs/53740090/1 Wedro, B. (2011, November 9). Michael Jackson's Death: propofol (Diprivan) FAQ. Retrieved from Medicine Net: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=113188 World Health Organization. (2012). Abuse (drug, alcohol, chemical, substance or psychoactive substance). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/terminology/abuse/en/index.html Read More