I too am an Amy fan and it brings me no pleasure to see such a beautiful and talented person waste away before our eyes. And she really was beautiful, if you look at pictures of her when she was first starting out she looked lovely, and healthy. Makes you wonder what the heck happened but I could ask that of myself, as well.

Having never been wealthy or famous, I can't begin to imagine what it's like. I do wonder why people with so many resources and options let this happen. I wonder why the people in her life aren't insisting that she get help. There's probably a lot we don't know. The only thing I do know about this is that addiction obviously does not discriminate. My prayers go out to her and everyone else who is in trouble.

FD

No, I wasn't being judgemental at all - I just get sick of seeing some 'celebrities' almost revered because of their problems if you understand what I mean. Here, we are subjected daily, to newspaper photos of this or that famous person falling out of some club or other; jokes are told on tv programmes about how much so and so had to drink last night etc. It angers me that people are quick to 'admire' and very slow to offer help.

sas

Hi SAS, I understand where you're coming from. But I do feel sad when I see anyone struggling, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, young, old, whatever, 'cuz I definitely can relate. I will say that if I had a lot of money in the bank, I would check myself into rehab, like yesterday. It would be a vacation for me. And I thank God that no one has ever taken my picture stumbling around drunk and laughed about it on the nightly news.

"It angers me that people are quick to 'admire' and very slow to offer help."

I agree with this too. Everyone loves you when you're at the top, but when you hit bottom you really know who your friends are. But ultimately it is up to the addict to seek help, because most times "the calvary ain't comin".

OK...didn't read all the thread so forgive me if i repeat or whateve....

I was dirt poor and had no resources when I got sober the first time. I was pretty middleclass i guess this time. My epxerience for what it is worth....

poor or not....the addiction had me. circumstances, money, friendship did not change that i was alchoholic.

when i was poor and got sober I had much fewer options for help....not much medical care, no treatment, and i "woke up to huge financial stress that made everything harder.

When I was average income with health care and a reputation at work...I had more options and didn't have to worry about the cost or time off work so much as just doing what was necessary.

Frankly...i got happier faster with a good income than I did with a low income. It was different. I don't think I would say it was "easier" to stay sober, just the life stuff was less of an issue. Or lets say the financial probelms were at a completely different level though just as real...I do have a lot of problems today but i would have been happy to have had those problems the first time around!

As far as getting sober intitally...well I can remember daydreaming that if I won the lotto i could have a personal assistant and people at my beck adn call so i could just drink non-stop with out effort...so i'm not sure that lots of money would have made it easier to decide to get sober...might have made it harder.

I am so grateful that I didn't have to be on probation or go through the court system because i think that is a really added burden to the early days of sobriety...I'm amazed by how people deal with that!

anyways just wanted to share my expereince (certainly not a celeberaty :lmao) And hope it didn't come accross as critical or arragant!

Wasn't that you on CBS in 2006 with Paris and Lindsay?

I'm certainly glad I've never seen the pictures from my bachelor party--get a bunch of off duty bartenders and their regulars together with insane amounts of alcohol and $1 bills and watch out! I do remember something about handcuffs and high-heels stuck in the wall, though. Ugghh, how boring I've become now. I feel like William F. Buckley on Valium.