Amy Winehouse RIP

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Amy Winehouse RIP

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I would have only known her music through a few singles, but it just shows what addiction to alcohol and drugs can do. Over the years there have been many features on Amy Winehouse, most memorably on Victoria Derbyshire's programme on BBC Radio 5 Live where Amy's family have been interviewed over the last number of years.

Pete Doherty, who would be more my kind of singer and musician, might just take notice now.

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

RIP Amy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

Having been around on the net i can't get over how unsympathetic people are towards drug or alcohol addicts.

one person mentioned that 'she brought this upon herself and wonder how people who have had to deal with really bad stuff in their lives through no fault of their own view her death' or words to this effect, ya know ya get the drift................. 'she deserves it cos its self inflicted therefore i have no sympathy' type of attitude.

MY question is: Would these same people have more sympathy for people that self harm severely? as in cutting up etc.

I would hazzard a guess and say yes they bloody well would be more sympathetic.

But I ask you WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE between someone that self harms via drugs and alcohol and someone who cuts up?

If you ask me theres virtually no difference at all.

Its still a getting away from something, still a relief to either inject that heroin/cocaine, take that E pill, drink a pint of vodka or CUT YOURSELF DEEPLY to the point of needing a fair few stitches.

So they can put that in their pipe and smoke it!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

A person who suffers from addictions deserves as much 'blame' as someone with cancer. They have no control over it, they did not ask for it. It is an illness in the same way. It just happens to be a disease that occurs in the mind rather than the body. People do not understand addiction.

I am right with you.

musicmania · A Hold of Me

I agree ladies. No one chooses to become an addict. People are so quick to condemn those with addictions and mental illness. What they should realise is it can happen to anyone and some of the comments I've seen since Amy passed away have left me cold. I do wonder if these people have a heart at all.

JoanOfArc · The Fine Art of Surfacing

i find it really sad when i see such a lack of compassion. sometimes, when i read comments from people that seem to shut down their capacity to feel for others and/or who seem to want to villify others for 'making their own bed', i think to myself 'is it any wonder that people want to get totally out of it if this is the sort of attitude they have to deal with'.

i am convinced that the sort of attitude in this country coming from some and that tends to be nurtured by much of the media just amplifies the pain and suffering that is felt by some. a bit of kindness can go a long way i think. i do think we need to be getting away from blaming victims so much.

ya know that old argument that has often cropped up on discussion forums i go on, ya know the Society's responsbility Vs Individual responsibility - ya know what really gets my goat sometimes are the people who rant about it all being down to the individual. Well according to quotes on panorama this evening thats 9 million of us in this country that drink more than is healthy for us. Alcohol related hospital admissions have doubled in the last 10 years. I think its time this society took some responsibility don't you? We can go on and on blaming individuals but i really don't think its gonna get the baby washed at the end of the day........

i think its a sad sign of the times............. and i think we need to look at why this is happening so much......... its difficult to draw conclusions from so little information.......... but expect a lot of us could hazzard a few good guesses.

i think we feel stifled in this country, i think we feel oppressed, i think there are few meaningful alternatives to alcohol............... its as though we are caught in a rut (certainly if our current political system is anything to go by!) running around like hamsters in our wheels, running around in circles.............. and there are people dying off as a result......... we need fresh new movements.......

i don't think it takes politicians talking same old dreary rubbish they've been talking about for the last 100 years to bring on a new fresh movement, nor celebs, nor authorities... I think it takes us bunch of general jo public to pull together without the auspices of the 'big society' or any other stuffy establishment that seeks ultimately to have some control on the matter....... too many minds wasted, too many people without a voice, too many people feeling isolated, not enough sharing and too much crappy mindless tv.