EVER since the existence of media, celebrities have always attracted the attention of millions. Many people look up to them as icons. But celebrities are not invincible. They are just human beings who die from everything that normal people can die from, including drowning, and overdosing on drugs and alcohol.

The death of Michael Jackson shocked the entire world. According to reports from the TMZ website that broke the news of Jackson’s death, the King of Pop is said to have used a powerful anaesthetic, besides painkillers and anti-depressants. However, Michael Jackson is not alone in this category. Marilyn Monroe, the celebrated American actress, singer and model, who spent the final years of her life battling illness, personal problems, had a reputation for being unreliable, difficult to work with. She died at age of 36 from an overdose of barbiturates. Though, officially classified as a ‘probable suicide’, the possibility of an accidental overdose has not been ruled out, while conspiracy theorists argue that she was murdered.

Elvis Presley, the American singer and actor, a cultural icon and sometimes also referred to as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, died due to polypharmacy, according to a lab report. Another report revealed “the detection of fourteen drugs in Elvis’ system, ten in significant quality”. In his later years, the singer allegedly spent at least $1 million annually, on drugs and doctors’ fees/inducements.

Our own Meena Kumari (also known as Mahjabeen Bano), a prominent actress of Hindi cinema, died of liver cirrhosis in 1972. It is said she spent the last years of her life playing the doomed woman. As a result of heavy drinking, she lost her good looks, and was reduced to playing character roles in B-grade films.

The list of troubled stars is endless and the facts of their case, often compel us to wonder why celebrities take drugs when they know it leads to self-destruction? Medical researchers believe drugs are used to seek relief from pain and boredom and to receive pleasure or discover new experiences, which rather than mitigating any problem, has the potential of leading to other disorders like ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), major depression disorders, and drug use disorders.

Of course there are obvious challenges in the lives of celebrities, like the need for constant improvement, and to be at the top, that lead to unmanageable stress. As Marilyn Monroe herself said, “Fame is fickle and I know it. It has its compensations, but it also has its drawbacks and I've experienced them both.” But to deal with stress in this way (resorting to pharmaceutical assistance) is not feasible.

Besides leading to disorders, drug dependency causes fatigue, sleep problems, discomfort, nausea, high blood pressure, impotence, gastritis/diarrhoea, slowing of mental functions leading to injuries and accidents, memory loss and commonly noticed blackouts and hangovers, depression, increasing relationship problems, anxiety/stress increasing irritability with family and friends, and aggression.

Sangeeta Das