I dunno. Maybe a page an a half of generalized discussion about addictions?

Besides, doesn't matter. You've already told us that she 'wanted to kill herself' and 'didn't lack help or support', because you're a clinical addictions speciallist that knows all the facts and circumstances about her treatments.

Or maybe you just saw some stuff on TMZ.

I worked in substance abuse and yes there are those non-functioning alcoholics that have warning signs pop up in their lives like DUI's, marriage problems etc but there is a vast number of completely functional drunks that keep jobs, hide their problem from family and so on. It's really not as cut and dry as a choice. It is typically a series of choices over years and years that leads to an addiction problem. A lot of times the person is surrounded by people who have the same behaviors so they think it's normal which makes it hard for them to see their actions are harmful until it's too late. For example, young people in the military are surrounded by other young people with virtually no supervision during their off hours...which means butt loads of drinking. Four years of that and you could be well on your way to a problem. Another aspect that makes addictions hard to treat are the physical changes that happen in your brains. It actually goes through changes that eventually make being soaked in booze normal and when you take that away it's not pretty. Yes there are people who quit cold turkey and put it behind them but for every one of those I saw I could introduce you to a dozen who struggle in hell with drinking. It can be a choice for some but for others it's a gentle slope in and a long hellish battle out, if they can get out. Most never had a defining choice because it happened slowly and one day they looked around and it was too late to just choose.

Sorry about the soap box. I have been counseling for a long time.

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That's the truth.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

When I was a young lad, my father was a raging alcoholic. Blackouts, trashing the house, beating up my mom, the whole enchilada. He never missed a day of work though, and was received many awards in the volunteer fire department he was associated with.

The only people outside the family who knew were his bar buddies, and even they didn't realize he was as bad as he was.

(To his credit, he's been clean and sober for over 25 years. Still attends AA meetings regularly. Stays on his toes. No matter my problems with him otherwise, I respect him for that. )

Yes, in the last couple pages I've done too much judging of someone I didn't know.

I also know addiction and I know excuses.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

She was immensly talented and her "Back to Black" album won 5 Grammys in 2008.

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

I was never a fan of her music or her celebrity, but it is sad to see someone that young lose their life. I wouldn't say that it was the industry that did it to her, for all anyone knows she may have been living a substance filled life way before she made it big.

I lost a good friend earlier this month because he drank himself to death. He went from having a few beers on Friday and Saturday nights, to a liter of rum and (at least) a case of beer per day. Dr's tried to tell him to dry out, we all did but he just kept going this route until his body gave out on him and he went toxic. It is really hard to watch someone you know and are close with, become completely blinded by their vices and not be willing to see how their actions are pushing them closer to hitting that self-destruct button or what effect their actions have on others.

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If it's a tight squeeze, spit on it! - NyI

He's a middling AHL player who had the good fortune of a drunk arbitrator. - The Squanto re: Tim Kennedy

well its not like this is a surprise. you do hard drugs, you die. And she was 27? Wow.. i thought she was like 40 or something.. drugs do a number on the body

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The Board Drunk.

This is true. I know someone who in high school was a great athlete, and had nice hair/tan skin (I was jealous...ha) but she got into weed and then prescription pills and now she looks like a mess. Gross sallow skin, greasy hair never brushed. No motivation to do anything. It's sad...and the thing is she won't quit. She likes it too much.

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"Oh honey, I would but...I don't want to" ~ Karen Walker

Taking drugs when you're 27 is just dumb. Everyone knows that's a critical year for drug abusing musicians. When you get passed that you are in the Keith Richards-Ozzy Osbourne-zone and pretty much save.

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I had a really ruthless post drafted - I feel for her family. That's it.

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Haven't been online in days, but to this especially. I was going to make this point.

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

So they say drugs WERE NOT a factor...Do you guys buy this? Maybe her body just shut down.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

Alcohol was present in her system, though.

When coroners fail initially to determine a cause of death, does that mean that they fail to determine whether it was a homicide, suicide or natural causes, or that they fail to determine the exact cause? Obviously if it's the latter than the former can't always be determined, either, but I've wondered that...

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran