(1) Janis Joplin is well known for her ways of changing the jazz and rock and roll scene of music. She was one of the very first female jazz, blues, and rock and roll singers of her time which gained

(1)

Janis Joplin is well known for her ways of changing the jazz and rock and roll scene of music. She was one of the very first female jazz, blues, and rock and roll singers of her time which gained her fame and attraction extremely fast. Sadly, her life was cut short at the age of 27 due to a heroin overdose in the year 1970. Janis suffered from bullies growing up due to her acne, weight, and looks, but not only did she suffer in school, but she also suffered at home. Her mother intended for Janis to become immensely popular and be like most girls in high school whether it be by joining the cheer team or their beauty. Because Janis was nowhere near being popular and was rejected by her classmates she rebelled and began to drink with a group of classmates that were in the same category as her.

Soon after high school, Janis left for California to try and fit in over there, which is where she sadly began her substance abuse with both alcohol and heroin., met her fiancé, and her career took off. After being on drugs most of her musical career she wanted a new life for herself and her future husband, so she made the decision to try and get sober, that was until she had a relapse which was the relapse that killed her. Campbell (2000) wrote that “The drugged escape from her own internal demons put a tragically fitting end to a woman torn apart by conflicting urges to embrace and to reject the values of her Port Arthur, Texas, childhood” (Campbell, 2000, p. 101). Janis never had court recommendations or orders to enter rehab but instead wanted to do to get clean to better herself and her future.

Because Janis died before I was born, I grew up listening to her music and learning everything about her so therefore her death never hit the heart because it was before my time, but rather it was sad to know that this world would never have her and her uniqueness back again. Janis’s music has made an impact on thousands of people around the world and will continue to do so because of her authenticity. Her music and her story will live on forever and will continue to change people and potentially stop them from substance abuse.

(2)

The Flight of Icarus

Blessed with an extraordinarily beautiful voice, the amazingly talented Whitney Houston is dead at the age of 48. In a luxury hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills, California, she slipped into a quiet darkness and drowned. Her toxicology report revealed cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Flexeril (muscle relaxant), and Benadryl in her system. Years of addiction led to her early demise, complicated by heart disease. (Pearse, 2012). Cancellations of concert obligations, extreme thinness, and health problems were most likely warning signs of her addiction (biography.com, 2021). Ironically, her daughter, Bobby Kristina met with the same fate three years after the legendary Houston died. Drowning in a bathtub with drugs in her system at the tender age of 22 (Bertram, 2021).

As is common with addictions, there were many contributing factors. Early childhood circumstances most likely put her on the path to dependency. Raised in a dysfunctional family in which there was marital infidelity resulting in divorce, a famous, absent mother, who left the young Whitney in the care of a relative who allegedly sexually abused her, and a brother who gave her a gift of cocaine and marijuana for her sixteenth birthday, created the groundwork for addictions. Exceptional fame, unlimited funds, difficult concert schedules, and the celebrity environment who glamorized drug use most certainly contributed to her chains of addiction (Reynolds, 2018). After her marriage to Bobby Brown, who also abused drugs, life became even more complicated due to domestic violence (biography.com, 2021). A near arrest in Hawaii for possession of marijuana further complicated her life, however, the charges were dropped, and a certified substance abuse counselor asserted that no treatment was required for drug abuse (Billboard Staff, 2001). After the birth of their daughter, Bobby Kristina, drug use for Whitney increased. When Bobby Kristina was a preteen, she often witnessed her drugged or intoxicated parents’ erratic behavior in public, causing her shame and embarrassment. Sadly, she followed in her mother’s footsteps (biography.com 2021).

Like many people, it was shocking to hear of Whitney Houston’s early death. However, it is common in the celebrity arena. Hopefully, her audience can learn something from her untimely death, and take steps to prevent such tragic accidents.

Drug and alcohol abuse usually begins in the family of origin, and the effects can be devastating. This seems to be where Whitney Houston’s addictions began. In a study on the effects of addiction on the family, 12 current and past residents of Higher Ground, a residential treatment center in Auckland, New Zealand were studied. All were raised in dysfunctional families which led these residents to ultimately abuse drug and alcohol. The study revealed that family members play an important role, because there is a strong connection between family dysfunction and substance abuse. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse are contributors, as well as unhealthy family dynamics such as neglect, abandonment, or complete absence of the parents. Additionally, if the parents were addicted to drugs and alcohol, the residents in the study believed it caused them to engage in substance abuse and dependency. Sometimes, as a show of loyalty, some of the participants claimed they would use drugs and alcohol to fit in with the family group. Some of the residents claimed that because they were neglected and abused, they, in turn, neglected and abused their own children, continuing the vicious cycles of a of maltreatment and addiction (Schafer, 2011).

While the study on examining the causes of substance abuse within the family system did a great job of detailing how the dysfunction of the family leads to dependency, it only used a sample of 12 participants, therefore limiting the relevance to the larger population. Otherwise, it was a useful study. Future studies should include the indigenous people (Maori and Pacific) for insight into other cultural family structures. This study was limited to Zealanders of European descent (Schafer, 2011). 

Sadly, the struggles of addiction remain a major problem in society. The flight of Icarus in Greek mythology reminds me of addiction because the story is often used as a warning of the dangers of recklessness. Flying on wings made of wax to escape prison, Icarus took off and flew higher and higher. The closer he got to the sun, the wax begin to melt, and his wings dissolved. Consequently, he fell into the ocean and drowned (greekledgensandmyths.com, n.d.). In the same way, those who are entangled in drug addiction recklessly use more and more, and like Whitney and her young daughter, figuratively fall into the sea and drown.

Fortunately, there is hope. Prevention is perhaps the best way through education, good role modeling, and awareness. But for those who are addicted, there is still hope. Grace and mercy from God, support groups, treatment centers, and social support are all ways to fight addictions. Addiction does not have to be a death sentence and there is a good life waiting for those who have the courage and support to seek help.

IN 4-5 LINES, RESPOND TO THIS TWO DISCUSSION BOARD