"Gargoyles & Graffiti"chronicles architectural elements that I find interesting or unique in my travels. Gargoyles are my passion, but today graffiti (which I hate but am learning to love as it is everywhere) is as much a part of architecture as the gargoyles and decorative railings that thrill me.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Cause of Death for Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse Inquest


The cause of death is finally in on Amy Winehouse. She had five times the legal limit of alcohol in her system when she died. Her alcoholism killed her. I have to admit it really bothered me when her father would be on TV, saying she had kicked drugs three years before. He seems like a wonderful man, don't get me wrong. But the ignorance of people not realizing that alcohol is a drug is what I find frightening. She never found sobriety. As long as she was drinking, she was not sober.


Alcohol is a legal drug, but for many of us, it is really a liquid poison. One drink is too many, a thousand never enough. For those of us whose last drug of choice is alcohol, we know all too well that life goes down very quickly. Alcohol was my last drug of choice. I took my last drink when I was 31. I am now 56. 


I only wish Amy Winehouse could have found the joy I found, and the pain. Because life without drinking or drugs can be very joyful, but also very painful. When we begin to feel again, it sometimes seems overwhelming. That is where the concept of one day at a time comes in. For me, I have even practiced one moment at a time. 


The fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous makes it possible to learn a new way of living without the crutch of alcohol or drugs. What most people don't realize who are not alcoholic is that drinking is but a symptom of a greater problem. The problem is in ourselves. We are people who cannot deal with life and so we drink or take drugs. Stopping the drugs or alcohol is only the beginning. We need to find real sobriety, but all I can say to someone out there who is sick and tired of being sick and tired, just go to one meeting. All you need to join is a desire to stop using drugs or drinking alcohol.


I got where I am today one day at a time with Alcoholics Anonymous. Thank you, AA. And for those of you still suffering, there is a way out. Just come to one meeting. It is a program that we work one moment at a time if necessary. 


Amy, we will miss you. I only wish you could have found what I did. RIP

5 comments:

  1. Someone wrote on facebook that we should enjoy her music and forget the rest, but I totally disagree. If one person can be helped by her story, then it is worth telling.

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  2. Have to agree with you. What I saw the family say on Anderson Cooper was criminal. Talk about confusing the public. First the father says she died from abstinence of alcohol. Then on Anderson Cooper said something about she had some alcohol in her system. Some .... 5 times the legal limit to drive, and said she died of a seizure. This misinformation is not good. Had to agree with Dr. Dru, as you pointed out, if she was still drinking, she was not in recovery.

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  3. Could not agree more as well. The misinformation of the general public is frightening. Alcohol kills more addicts than any other drug. Spread the word.

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  4. This seems to be a common theme. AA has been around since 1935, so why do so few people other than addicts realize what happens to people who drink too much? Why do people still think that all an alcoholic needs is to cut back and have strength. Inner strength helps but it is the spiritual nature of the program which really makes a difference.

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  5. So true, Sarah. Heather, I saw that Dr. Dru interview. I was so glad somebody called it on Mitch Winehouse. As I said, he seems like a very caring man, but his misinformation and denial is scary considering he plans to take people's money for the foundation. On the other hand, he has Sarah Graham involved and she is a very smart cookie and very aware. In the interviews she did with Mitch, she kindly tries to point out that Amy was never in recovery as long as she continued to drink, but he really never listens.

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