Why is this particularly worthy of our attention, among all the other untimely deaths in the same period?
Nothing against it. Just wondering.
I'm reading now that it was a suspected overdose (though I don't know if that's been officially confirmed)
It comes on the heels of Rob Reiner's son killing his father (his son also had a known drug problem)
Perhaps it's just that these things make into the news more when it involves celebs, but it seems as if there are certain patterns and catalysts that exist in that environment.
So it is possible that it's a "visibility bias"
While there's not extensive research on it with regards to all substances, there's some non-peer reviewed write-ups that suggest that young adults who grow up in famous families are three times more likely to end up abusing alcohol.
And per Psychology Today, they speculate that a potential link could possibly be attributed to the one or more of the following factors
- Early exposure and access - Greater proximity to environments where substances are likely to be present, plus financial means to obtain them.
- Pressure and scrutiny - Growing up in the public eye can create unique stressors, identity challenges, and pressure to live up to expectations.
- Parental availability - Demanding careers may sometimes limit parental presence during critical developmental periods.
- Social circles - Possible exposure to peer groups where substance use is more normalized.
And while they didn't discuss this particular aspect, I've always wondered if the removal of the "afraid to have to go to the bad neighborhood to get it" organic barrier plays a part as well.
For example: a person may say "there's no way I'd be caught dead going to that part of town to try Drug XYZ", but if that drug happens to be available and getting passed around at a swanky party in a comfortable/"safe" environment like a mansion or a $2,000/night hotel suite...hmmmm, maybe I'll give it a try"
For instance, I can't tell you that I've ever even been exposed to someone doing heroin in-person. I know of people who've done it, and obviously we've seen pics and videos of people engaging in open-air usage in certain bad neighborhoods that I wouldn't step foot in after dark. But for the majority of us, I would venture a guess and say that most of us have never been exposed to hard drug use in a "cushy" "comfortable" environment (which would make the prospect of use seem less threatening and more approachable for some people)
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