Amy Winehouse once charmed the world with her brilliance and musical talent. Her first album took off and went platinum in the UK, leading her to earn an Ivor Novello award for songwriting. She released her second album, “Back to Black” which then became the best selling album in the UK, becoming the highest debut for any female in the UK. She even earned six Grammy nominations at the age of 24.
She was an A-list singer. The whole world loved her, they couldn’t get enough of her. Her voice would captivate any person that had ever heard it. On the surface the star was successful and full of talent, but under the layers of fame were relentless struggles and mental disorders. At the age of 27, she was dead. Who was there to help her?
After going just one week of rehab for her addiction to heroin, Winehouse was still reliant on alcohol and her eating disorder persisted. She had not healed. Regardless, three weeks later, her agency urged her to perform in Serbia. On stage Winehouse wobbled around helplessly, unable to recall the lyrics to her own music. Instead of supporting the struggling artist, her fans booed and yelled at her, saying “Sing or give me my money back.” Although it was clear that Winehouse was unwell and unable to perform, she received no grace. There is no logical excuse for booking an artist with a show who is active in addiction. It is up to the team to consider the health and well being of an individual before demanding hard work and complete attention. It is just common sense.
According to Healthline, recovery from addiction requires certain medications, psychotherapy, medical services to aid in withdrawal symptoms, inpatient treatment and support groups. The process is extensive and relapse rates are extremely high. The National Library of medicine states that the relapse rate for opiate abusers is up to 91 percent. One round of rehab is not enough to cut it. People in active addiction are never the first to accept their disease and want to get help, but that does not mean they don’t deserve it. It is important to recognize the complexity of the disease and the extent of time and care it takes to truly help a person going through addiction. David Sheff, in his memoir called “Beautiful Boy,” that tells the story of his navigation through his son’s addiction to crystal meth, articulated that “A world of contradictions, wherein everything is gray and almost nothing is black and white.” Addiction isn’t solvable with a simple solution. The people who get better are those that are loved and cared for through any adversity. Winehouse never had a David Sheff, a person that cared so deeply and was willing to make sacrifices for her health. She went to one round or rehab. Nick Sheff went to six residential treatment programs and four outpatient programs. He is alive and well today, yet still struggling with the lifelong disease that is addiction.
Winehouse’s most famous song is “Rehab” from her second album “Back to Black.” She openly confronts her issue, as a way to say to the world that she was above rehab. Her father, instead of thinking about the health of his daughter, only thought about her success in her career. In an interview with Sun newspaper, he denied her struggles as a whole, blaming her addiction on simply her just being lovesick, and “You can’t go to rehab for that.” He completely dismissed her need for serious psychiatric help for profit. It is one thing for an active addict to deny their problem and resist treatment, but it is another for an immediate family member to ignore the obvious signs that their loved one needs help.
Ridiculed by the relentless media, Winehouse was recognized for her internal struggles rather than her raw talent. She was constantly exploited online, with tabloids commenting on her weight, her substance issues and unstable mental state. In 2008, the Sun Newspaper published images of her smoking from a pipe with the headline, “Amy Winehouse on Crack,” covering a story delving into her personal party-filled life and her indulgence in drugs. Her personal demons made her a perfect target for the media to diffuse intimate information about. Her vulnerability to the public eye had no positive effect. Spreading rumors about a person in distress and severe uncomfortability is seriously concerning. What does this say about society? Why are people so quick to judge instead of empathize?
The music industry is notorious for troubled artists with a knack for drugs and partying. Winehouse is not the only artist who suffered in the spotlight through mental health issues and addiction, and will not be the last. The industry and media needs to stop glamorizing drug use and unhealthy lifestyles and start focusing on the health and well being of the people that employ them in the first place.
