“Thats showbiz for you,” reporters say after hearing tragic tales of celebrities falling into a dark, seemingly inevitable fate. As inevitable as addiction seems in an industry full of crime and substance glorification, are those behaviors really unavoidable? Are the behaviors these influencers, movie stars, and otherwise famous people partake in the fault of the culture, or the fault of the individual? Industry or impulse? In reality, issues such as these tend to have more to them than the average black and white, and seem to fall into a gray area. Addiction is a disease and is much harder to dig yourself out of, especially when it seems like the hole was already dug for you, waiting for you to fall inside.
The pressure from the public merged with the peer pressure from others in the industry to create a breeding ground for addiction that has become increasingly common in recent years. According to the American Addiction Centers, an organization that treats drug and alcohol addiction, “The rate of drug-related celebrity deaths has nearly doubled in the 21st century” (Kaliszewski). Clearly, this issue has been prominent for years, but recently the problem has gotten much more potent. Of those recent deaths caused by overdose, over half of those were entertainers. There are a few distinct reasons for the increase in substance abuse including easy access to substances, peer influence, and pressure from the public. Entertainers have access to a lot of money and connections that allow them to acquire drugs and alcohol much easier, especially if they have been in the industry since childhood. A massive part of having substance abuse issues pairs well with having a disposable income that allows for the purchase of this detrimental habit. Since entertainers are paid quite decently for their labors, they are not turned off by the price tag. Furthermore, since this career path is intertwined in many ways, the connections within the industry are vast and often destructive. Ponder the saying, “if all of your friends jumped off a bridge would you do it too?” The action of taking an addictive substance once creates a greater chance for it to happen again, especially if it seems like every turn you take, the impulse follows. If it wasn’t bad enough seeing a glorious amount of friends and foes participating in these behaviors, the public eye increases the pressure they face exponentially. Not only addiction, but also mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, are common in the entertainment industry. Harbor Mental Health states, “What’s more, despite the hard work of many, there is still a stigma associated with mental health. This is especially true in the entertainment industry. Actors, musicians, and other performers face unique challenges. They have chosen to use their creative talents and skills to build a career and find fulfillment, but with this path comes a certain amount of uncertainty” (HMH). The privilege fame allows celebrities to have is undeniable to an extent, but the pressures they face in everyday life should not be ignored. Self esteem issues and feelings of inadequacy pile up and, understandably, they try to find a way out of those thoughts. Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol seem like the easiest fix, but it snowballs extremely quickly and most times, that is not recognized until it is far too late.
Clearly, addiction is a widely known struggle that should be dealt with and understood with far more courtesy than it is now. Though the entertainment industry’s struggles seem superficial, their struggles are real and should not be ignored. The question of industry or impulse remains, but the industry aspect of these issues should be taken into consideration far more than the social limitations our society has allowed.