I was sadden to hear that Mindy McCready committed suicide yesterday. Mindy was a celebrated country music star, but in the reality TV world she is most known for her appearance on Celebrity Rehab. First, let’s look at what may have contributed to her choice to take her own life. As we saw on Celebrity Rehab, Mindy fought substance abuse issues. Next, according to McCready insiders, Mindy also faced battles with depression. Lastly, Mindy’s boyfriend committed suicide less than a month ago.
When I first heard about the suicide yesterday, my heart broke. I can not fathom how depressed someone must have to be to take their own life. In addition, I did not want to write about her death right away. I wanted to wait and see what other details would unfold. Besides the emotional battles that Mindy fought, I also know that she was a loving mother. Mindy was only 37 years old when she allegedly killed herself on her own front porch.
Mindy McCready Photo
So what does Dr. Drew Pinksy (he counselled Mindy on Celebrity Rehab) think about this tragic turn of events? To start, Mindy is the 5th celebrity rehab patient to pass away. As Dr. Drew, and co-counselor Bob Forest always note, the cards are stacked against addicts. However, Dr. Drew is still an advocate for treatment, and has many patient’s that have turned out to be success stories. Other Celebrity Rehab patients that have passed include: Joey Kovar (The Real World), Mike Starr of Alice In Chains, Actor Jeff Conway, and Rodney King.
Yesterday, Dr. Drew reached out to People Magazine to share his thoughts on Mindy. Dr. Drew states: ”I am deeply saddened by this awful news. My heart goes out to Mindy’s family and children. She is a lovely woman who will be missed by many. Although I have not treated her for a few years, I had reached out to her recently upon hearing about the apparent suicide of her boyfriend and father of her younger children. She was devastated.” He followed up with this comment: ”Although she was fearful of stigma and ridicule she agreed with me that she needed to make her health and safety a priority. Unfortunately it seems that Mindy did not sustain her treatment.”
Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to Mindy’s family. I will never be able to understand why someone would take their own life, but she must have been in a very dark place. It is so sad that a vibrant woman’s life ended this way. I hope that this is a lesson to others to stay away from drugs, alcoholic, and seek treatment if they / you are depressed. Life does not have to turn out the way it did for Mindy. Mindy McCready R.I.P.
Dr. Drew Pinsky Photo
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