Celebrities Who Died of Drug Overdose

Overdoses aren’t always fatal. However, a closer look at drug overdose deaths shows that survival frequently depends on the quick actions of others. When you consider the celebrities who died of drug overdose complications, it’s clear that this attention isn’t always there. Would you know how to recognize the symptoms?

Types of Drug Overdoses

The celebrities who died of drug overdose problems don’t all fall into the same category. There are those who suffered a fatal opioid overdose or acute alcohol intoxication. Some participated in polysubstance abuse that overwhelmed their systems. The names read like a list from the who’s who.

An Abbreviated List of Celebrities Who Died of Drug Overdose Complications

Paul Gauguin was a famous painter whose art moved past the impressionism of his time. He began using morphine for pain in his legs. A neighbor found him dead in 1903. At that time, people attributed his death to a drug overdose.

Another artist, Frida Kahlo, underwent several surgeries as well as an amputation. Concurrently, she developed a dependency on painkillers. A nurse found her dead in bed in 1954. She noted that her patient took more than the allotted dose of pain pills.

Musician Sid Vicious of Sex Pistols fame died in 1979 after a heroin overdose. Actor John Belushi took a speedball, which contributed to his death in 1982. Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2016. Just recently, in 2017, Tom Petty died from an unintentional multi-drug overdose.

How Does Celebrities Who Died of Overdose Happen

Whether you abuse illicit drugs or take prescription medications, you’re not immune from a potential overdose. In some cases, people misjudge the body’s ability to handle one or more substances. In other situations, people who’ve quit using start a habit again. However, they begin with a high dose that they can no longer tolerate.

Possible Treatments

In rare cases, celebrities who died of overdose could have been helped. People recognize that they’ve overdone a substance. They can still call for help. In most situations, however, you’ll need to rely on the quick thinking of others. When help arrives in time, first responders may be able to assist with ventilation and the administration of naloxone.

At a hospital, you may undergo a stomach-pumping procedure. In addition to this drug overdose treatment, professionals may suggest that you undergo medical and clinical care for dependency. At a rehab facility, addiction experts apply modalities such as:

• Detoxification that helps you break a physiological addiction
• Cognitive behavioral therapy as a means of pinpointing dysfunctional patterns
• Dual diagnosis treatment, which benefits program participants with underlying mental health issues
• Family therapy, which brings in your loved ones for healing and support
• Transitional living program for residential clients who’re ready to reintegrate into society slowly

Reach Out for Help

The list of celebrities who died of drug overdose complications proves that these accidents can happen to anyone. But it doesn’t have to be you. Enlist the help of the caring therapists at Beaches Recovery to stop a drug habit today. Call 866.605.0532 for help right now.