It has been awhile since I have written about addiction and recovery and as such, I decided it was time to put together a post on the subject. After spending a couple of minutes surfing the net, I stumbled upon a fascinating article about Lady Gaga and her cocaine use. I was intrigued. When I expanded my search, I began to realize that this was a controversial subject, that was evolving into a major debate on the internet. It wasn’t because Lady Gaga was taking cocaine, but rather it was the fact that she claimed she was an “occasional” user, even though she had battled drug addiction earlier in life. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Lady Gaga talked about her drug use and her refusal to go to rehab :

‘I was completely mental and had just been through so much…” Instead of rehab, though, when disaster struck, Gaga “went home.” ‘All I will say is I hit rock bottom, and it was enough to send a person over the edge…”

So you would think, that somebody who has experienced drug addiction and the hell that comes with it, would quit all together. But that was not the case. It soon came out that Lady Gaga was an “occasional” cocaine user, who claimed that she only did it a couple of times a year. This is where the story becomes very interesting. Boy George, the androgynous singer of the 80′s, came out with a  ferocious attack on Lady Gaga blaming her for being a bad influence on her fans. Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper, published a detailed article on the Boy George argument:

Former drug addict Boy George has hit out at Lady Gaga over her recent confession to Vanity Fair that she is an ‘occasional’ coke sniffer.

In a ranting blog on Paper magazine’s website, the 80s icon preaches that Gaga should only have admitted her habit if she were about to ‘be exposed as a drug user’, and questions her reasons for coming forward.

‘Why offer up this information on a whim? Could it be that her use of coke is not so “occasional?”‘ he asks.

‘As a recovering addict who knows how dangerous “occasional” use is, I can think of no reason for Gaga to reveal this to her young audience.’

The Paparazzi singer gave a frank interview to Vanity Fair, telling the magazine, ‘I won’t lie; it’s occasional. And when I say occasional, I mean maybe a couple of times a year.’

She warned her young fans not to copy her, saying, ‘I do not want my fans to ever emulate that or be that way.

‘I don’t want my fans to think they have to be that way to be great. It’s in the past. It was a low point, and it led to disaster.

But nevertheless her admission has been slammed by not only Boy George, but health professionals, who say impressionable fans may follow her lead.

Dr Alex Yellowlees, Medical Director and Consultant Psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital Glasgow, told the BBC: ‘Cocaine has a more refined image than other drugs because it is often seen to being taken by glamorous celebrities.

‘But the more accepted it is as ‘normal’ the more people could try it who are susceptible to developing problems or addictions.

Drug use has a wide ranging negative effect on the human body.’

The Culture Club singer, 49, even let his mother Dina to weigh in on the subject, who said: ‘She’s reached the stage where she feels untouchable, you all get there – you did, son.’

George certainly knows how to stir up trouble, and went on to say: ‘One has to wonder how much of a grip Gaga has on things.

‘Up until now she has seemed almost annoyingly professional and focused and this seems out of character!

Although some might claim that Boy George is using this as a way in which to garner more attention for himself, I disagree. Boy George is right. Lady Gaga should not have talked about her “occasional” cocaine use in a national magazine. Not only is it hurtful to her young fans, but it sends out the wrong message to recovering addicts who have worked hard to break free from their addictions. Her statements are no different than the alcoholic, who claims to only drink during parties. The fact is, they are still alcoholics.

Having been an addict myself, I find it appalling she could take such nonchalant stance on drug use. She is using this as shock value to sell more records, without realizing the negative impact her words are having on people. However, there is another point that must be addressed. In her Vanity Fair article she claims that she never went to rehab, instead she just went home, and everything worked out for the best. I call bullshit on this. You can’t magically wave a wand and make addiction go away. It’s a serious disease that needs to be addressed. This was just as hurtful to the recovery process as Amy Winehouse’s rehab song, when she sung about refusing to go to rehab, making it cool to rebel. It might sell records but at the same time, it fucks over people’s lives.

As I stated previously, I am a recovering addict, and I take this subject seriously. It has not been easy to stay sober, as I have battled numerous ups and downs leading me closer to relapse. However, I have been able to conquer my demons and take hold of my addictions. But in doing so, I have realized that I can never drink alcohol again, I can never smoke weed again and I can never take pain medication, again. That means “occasional” use is out of the question, because I know the moment I take another pill, smoke another bowl or drink another drink I will spiral out of control destroying the progress I have made.

Addiction is not something to take lightly.

Dave.