His final two July 12 tweets read: “What the crap is a Sharknado” and “oh IT’S A SHARK TORNADO.”
Perfectly fitting comments for a Gleek.
Yet, Cory Monteith died a day later from causes alarmingly unfitting for a charter member of Glee.
The 31-year-old Calgary-born actor was found July 13 in a Vancouver hotel room. Toxicology reports indicate Monteith had overdosed on heroin and alcohol. Totally incongruous with the squeaky-clean image he portrayed on the popular television show, and in his final Twitter posts referring to the campy TV movie and popular Internet meme.
So what can we take away from this?
Things aren’t always as they seem.
Monteith was candid about his struggles with substance abuse and had recently completed treatment in rehab, yet he still slipped through the cracks after the cameras and microphones switched off. It turns out his public persona was the antithesis of his private life. He was, in effect, living two distinctly separate lives. It can make it difficult to spot someone grappling with substance abuse.
Those who don’t want anyone to know are good at hiding it. But there are signs of addiction that include mood changes, secretive behaviour, irritability, hyperactivity, changes in behaviour and/or eating habits.
Monteith poisoned himself with alcohol and heroin. Methamphetamine, cocaine, codeine, barbiturates, oxycodone, marijuana; all have profound and deleterious effects on the addicted. And there is no such thing as a stereotypical substance abuser.
A recent visit with friends in Whistler, B.C., who had just moved away from Salmon Arm, revealed a compelling observation that went something like: “In Salmon Arm you can spot addicts because they are usually needy and homeless. In Whistler, they are beautiful and affluent.”
But what can you do if you, or someone you know, is suffering from an addiction?
Get help.
Your family doctor is a place to start. And if your doctor can’t help directly, you’ll be referred to someone who can.
If you don’t have a family doctor, or don’t want to go that route, there are numerous “help” lines providing referrals, comprehensive assessment, treatment planning, and individual and group therapy.
Resources like Alberta Health Services addiction help line (1-866-332-2322) offer referrals for numerous treatment options of all addictions. Family and Community Support Services of Cochrane (403-851-2250) also provides guidance and referrals.
While tackling substance abuse head-on may seem daunting, coping with an addiction or an addict is substantially more arduous. And dangerous.
Hard decisions have to be made to defeat substance abuse. But, with informed help and resolve, the result is absolute.
It doesn’t have to end the way it did for Cory Monteith.
