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    Amy Winehouse Lost Her Battle with Drug and Alcohol Addiction

    By S.L. Carroll | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Sat, Jul 23, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    Amy Winehouse was found dead in her apartment today. The death is listed as unexplained. In the end, Winehouse was better known for her brushes with the law and drug addiction than she was for her talent, and she was talented. She had a wonderful voice and a great musical style.

    Winehouse had the ability to bring soul music back to the mainstream, and for awhile, she did. "Back to Black" was a massive hit. The album won the singer five Grammies and propelled her into stardom. Her success as a singer was short lived.

    Within a matter of a few months, her drug addled tabloid lifestyle would take center stage. Her fans watched as she was arrested for assault, warned and featured doing drugs in a home video.

    Her spiral continued until 2008, when she was hospitalized with lung disease and covered in nicotine patches in order to break her from the worst of her addictions. We hoped she'd recover. We hoped to see another album just as good as "Back to Black," but more importantly, we wanted to see her beat her addiction and survive. We wanted Winehouse to divorce Blake Feder-Civil and become a success story.

    Shortly after her hospitalization, Winehouse did divorce Blake Feder-Civil and the news stopped. There were no more tabloids pictures of a disoriented, bloody or beaten Winehouse. Was she getting better? Creating another album? We hoped.

    News arrived in June. Winehouse underwent a brief stint in rehab to prepare her for an upcoming comeback tour. She even performed an impromptu concert in London at the 100 Club. She was sober. She talked to the fans, and everyone cheered. It looked like the old Amy was back.

    She appeared well prepared for her concert in Belgrade. She wasn't. It was a disgrace. The singer stumbled, muttered and forgot the lyrics to her own songs. She went home. We wondered what happened between the 100 Club and Belgrade. The tour spent about a day in limbo before the remaining dates were canceled.

    We, again, hoped Winehouse would recover; that this was just a brief bump on her road to becoming drug free. Unfortunately, that bump in the road turned out to be a mountain, and Winehouse was too sick to climb it. She was found dead in her apartment earlier today. The cause of death is unknown.

     

    645 comments

    • Gil Foronda
      Gil Foronda  •  10 mths ago
      Godspeed, rest in peace for your finally free....I hate addiction perhaps because I suffer with my own and it's personal torture. It's not like anyone without addcition would know and I'm and addict and most the time I don't get it either. I do however have the will to live and am greatfull for every day I don't pick up the next fix, pill or drink.
      • sunshine
        sunshine 10 mths ago
        Peace and good luck to you Gil.
      • Paula
        Paula 10 mths ago
        Ditto that from Sunshine. One day at a time, you WILL overcome it if you choose to. We're on your side I'll be thinking of you.
      • Kristin
        Kristin 10 mths ago
        hang in there! you are meant to!
    • Jenny
      Jenny  •  10 mths ago
      People say it was her own fault because she chose to not get help. Unless you have had the evil demon arms of addiction wrapped around you, you have NO idea how God awful difficult it is to get well. NO IDEA! So have a friggin heart! She was a huge talent and I have deep sympathy for her family.
      • Sue
        Sue 10 mths ago
        Right on Dustin! If it hasn't affected you in some way then you really have no business commenting.
      • Whatthe....
        Whatthe.... 10 mths ago
        But, wait! She had never heard that drugs are addictive and can kill you? or did someone tie her down and force her to get addicted? Thanks for the role model she provided for young people.
      • Jenny
        Jenny 10 mths ago
        I don't care who you are, everyone has tried some drug in one way or another. When you start, you think "hey, I won't get addicted, I'm stronger than that." Well, guess what? That little drug is a hell of a lot stronger than you!
    • Yvette
      Yvette  •  10 mths ago
      I hope drug addiction gets the attention it needs soon. Addiction is NOT a choice! We need more treatment centers to help those who want the help but have no insurance or the financial means of getting it. Those who have never witnessed it first hand have no idea what this disease does to the addict or those around him.
      • Roger
        Roger 10 mths ago
        Will the douche who gave this comment a thumbs down please stand up?
      • Mike
        Mike 10 mths ago
        i got an idea don't start your 20 dollar drug happen then the tax payers won't have to spend millions to help your dumb self out
      • Roger
        Roger 10 mths ago
        I understand your concerns Mike. However, if we legalized drugs and didn't treat addicts as criminals, there would be many options available for them to get treatment.
    • Peacewoman
      Peacewoman  •  10 mths ago
      Amy Winehouse was my cousin and her death has profoundly shocked our family. We greatly appreciate those of you who have offered their condolences for our tragic loss. As a friend just e-mailed to me: she was like a Roman candle of talent.
      • UniqueM
        UniqueM 10 mths ago
        Prayers go out you and your family. She was beautiful and talented. I am listening to "Back to Black"..now..this saddens me. People have no respect and are so mean on this blog. I hope she had time to repent before she passed. No one, no matter how bad or aweful their lifestyle was, or irregardless of the mistakes they have made, deserves to lose their soul when Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so that no one would have too. Let this be a lesson to all, drugs and alcohol is a losing game. Get help before its too late.
      • Cinnamon Girl
        Cinnamon Girl 10 mths ago
        Blessings of peace and love to your family. She was very beautiful and talented. I'm so sorry for your loss. Take care,
      • Celeste
        Celeste 10 mths ago
        To anyone listening------Addictions, they SUCK! We ALL have them but they are all different, some have gambling, food, sex, drugs, alcohol, etc and so on. It doesn't matter what it is, you know exactly what I mean if you are reading this. To Amy's family and all who loved and prayed for her recovery, she is with someone else, somewhere else. FREEBIRD RIP Amy............. <3
    • Cynthia Pichette
      Cynthia Pichette  •  10 mths ago
      obviously you've never heard for having respect for the deceased you shouldn't be talking that way about her
      • K
        K 10 mths ago
        So does that mean I should respect Hitler and all the people who decided to take innocent lives before they died....Get a f-ing clue. People who die from drug use should get no respect, because they didn't respect themselves, or those around them. What a great example she was for her fans...
    • Liberal Warrior
      Liberal Warrior  •  10 mths ago
      Unfortunately, she joins the 27 club, Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, Cobain... all 27 years old. I never listened to Amy, but wish she could have beaten her addiction. RIP Amy. You left us too soon.
    • Margaret Tomkies
      Margaret Tomkies  •  10 mths ago
      From some of the negative comments here today it seems there are either very young people with no real life experiences, or sad narcassistic, cruel individuals who like putting down others to build themselves up! I rarely engage in comment sections on the internet, but this is one occasion where I am infuriated with such ignorance!
    • Jacy
      Jacy  •  10 mths ago
      Whether you liked her music, appreciated her talent or not, Amy Winehouse was a human being, she was flawed. I don't know ANY human being who isn't. She was a troubled soul and lost the battle with the demons that tormented her. My prayers and condolences to her family and those who loved her. RIP Amy
    • KAREN
      KAREN  •  10 mths ago
      So sad and only 27 years young . . .
    • only1lkme
      only1lkme  •  10 mths ago
      May she RIP
    • Roger
      Roger  •  10 mths ago
      Why can't people just say something nice about Amy Winehouse? She was a beautiful lady with a beautiful voice. All of you who are making fun will be screaming in torment when misfortune falls upon you. And the truth be known, you know someone who has an alcohol or drug problem. I hope she can Rest In Peace now.
    • dresgirl
      dresgirl  •  10 mths ago
      A person has died and a talented, young, beautiful person. You don't know what she was going through, but at least now we know she is not suffering anymore. May she rest in the peace of God. I thank him that she doesn't have to suffer here and be ridiculed but the ignorance of those left behind.
    • Kathy
      Kathy  •  10 mths ago
      Alcohol and drug adiction is everywhere, I personally feel the BIG difference is that the addiction is fueled by fame and fortune. I never had an addiction, but lost my brother 2 years ago from liver disease at 49. When you have the financial resources available, it is much more dificult to stop. It is very sad at 27 years old.
    • Sterliesha
      Sterliesha  •  10 mths ago
      People dont understand how hard it is to come back from demons like these.... rehab helps to some extent but then you still need to heal yourself psychologically and with all the negative people have to say YOU"LL make it beyond impossible!!!
    • Brenda
      Brenda  •  10 mths ago
      This young lady was very ill. Addiction is a illness and she used her body up to soon. She will be missed for her music. She fought and lost the biggest monster of her young life.
    • harper
      harper  •  10 mths ago
      The demons that haunted this poor spirit are finally silenced. Addiction is in the end too many times, a killer.
    • Teri Hawkins
      Teri Hawkins  •  10 mths ago
      My heart goes out to all those who loved her. Addiction is so hard and unless you have been down that road don't judge her. A talent that no one ever saw how far she was capable of really going. Much love and support to her family and friends.
    • Dave Z.
      Dave Z.  •  10 mths ago
      Such a sad waste of human life. She still had so much left to do.
    • Phyllis
      Phyllis  •  10 mths ago
      I am surprised at all the neg. remarks. Every life is precious. When we know someone like Amy, we need to find a way to get inside their head, so to help them. I know from experiance that it's easy to turn your head and think the problem will go away. I did that, and I no longer have a brother..Now I will be more able to help others. God bless her family, and comfort thoes who loved her. RIP Amy.
    • Ary
      Ary  •  10 mths ago
      I I think we all learned something here: If u need help and need to go to rehab, Just Go, Go, Go
     Post a comment
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