On Tuesday, former Alice in Chains band member and bassist Mike Starr was found dead in a house in Salt Lake City. He was 44 years old. Band members Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney both gave their thoughts and prayers to the Starr family and asked for privacy to grieve during this difficult time. Starr, who participated in shows including “Celebrity Rehab” and “Sober House”, has faced drug and alcohol addiction for a number of years. Many friends and acquaintances spoke out about the tragedy via social messaging sites like Twitter. Dr. Drew Pinsky, the host of both shows that Starr participated in, spoke about his sadness over losing another individual to addiction. Nikki Sixx, Mötley Crüe bassist, who has struggled with heroin abuse during his career, tweeted: “RIP Mike Starr. Another fallen Soldier to addiction.” Although details about his death were not immediately released, many who spoke out related drug-awareness messages and the serious consequences that addiction can have in one’s life, noting that it was almost certainly a contributing factor in Starr’s death. Unfortunately, Alice in Chains is not new to losing members to drug and alcohol addiction. In 2002, the band’s lead singer, Layne Staley, died at the age of 34 due to a heroin and crack addiction. It is estimated that in the United States alone, over 23 million people are suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction. Because addiction has many contributing factors and can strike anyone, it is necessary to find a recovery program that is tailored to a person’s specific recovery needs. When this occurs, it is much more likely that they will become one of the almost 20 million individuals and their family members who are currently living in recovery, showing that a sober lifestyle is possible with proper support. Starr’s name is joining a sad list of celebrities who have succumbed to addiction and highlights the ever-growing need for drug and alcohol addiction programs that seek to cure not only the addiction itself, but the underlying causes. For more information on substance abuse and drug treatment programs, please visit dmclarityway.wpengine.com. (photo via)
