The office of the New York City medical examiner has released a statement stating:

"Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.  We have concluded that the manner of death is accidental, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications."

In fact, Heath Ledger's death was not accidental, and it sends the wrong message to others struggling with addiction to label it so. In some way, each of us who abuses drugs and alcohol is seeking to harm ourselves, and death is not an uncommon result.

There have been a string of stories over the past year featuring the exploits of Lindsay Lohan, Brittney Spears, and other celebrities suffering from addiction. Many of these stars are surrounded by a tight circle of business people who profit from their continued work rather than a reorganization of their lives that would place recovery before profitability.

After a few weeks in rehab - often with stints of work, nightclubbing, and shopping trips thrown in - the celeb is perceived to have been cured. This superficial view of the disease of addiction does a disservice to those whose lives spiral downward regardless of their fame.  

Heath Ledger's path to addiction seems to have been largely private but concerned his loved ones to such an extent that his wife and child were no longer present in his life.

Because his misadventure was, for the most part, not recorded and broadcast as embarrassing gossip, he was never subjected to the public scorn that has followed many other stars. However, he must have been aware of the havoc wrought on the lives of his peers through substance abuse.

What does labeling Heath Ledger's death an accident matter? For the millions of others, famous and anonymous, who are in the grip of addiction, it sends the signal that Ledger was somehow just unlucky.

In fact, the young star died by his own hand. Whether or not the dangerous mix of pills he took was intended as suicide is quite beside the point and is, in any case, truly unknowable.  For any human being to be in such emotional pain that they would ingest such a brew indicates that they have chosen the worst possible remedy for emotional and spiritual pain.

Recovery from addiction is possible and personal responsibility is essential in beginning the journey back from the brink. Heath Ledger was unfortunately not willing to seek help. His death was not a tragic accident but a sad, destructive choice that others need not make if we begin to talk more plainly about addiction.


The Principles
by Patrick Moore
Available now on Lulu.com, Amazon.Com, and BarnesandNoble.com.