Stevie Nicks released a new album entitled “24 Karat Gold.” The album was compiled after the singer found old demos of songs that she wrote between 1967 and 1987. One track that meant the most to Nicks, spoke of her struggle with addiction to cocaine.
ABCNews says that Nicks wrote the song after she watched a film whose star was also dependent to cocaine when she was alive. In an interview with Out Magazine she told of how this film was life changing for her. “In 1985, I was dancing at the edge of danger myself, just like she was. I was just doing so much coke. And it already backfired on me completely. I saw this documentary, and I felt this union with her: Oh my God, the same thing that happened to this woman in the ‘20s is happening to me in the 80’s–how can this be? Then she died, and that really scared me. She was rich, she was famous, she had everything. She had it all. And I very well could have died just as easily as she did.” Nicks sentiments show us that the disease of addiction does not discriminate. Young, old, rich, or poor, addiction can afflict anyone.
The singer admits to using both cocaine and aspirin. After continued usage, a doctor found that she had created a large hole in the cartilage of her nose from inhaling aspirin. The doctor informed the singer that this hole could have led to a severe brain hemorrhage as a result of her use.
Nicks later spent time at the Betty Ford Center where she received treatment for her addiction. It was there that she was prescribed medication. She told the magazine that she continued with this prescription for over 8 years but it was during a moment of reflection that she decided to abstain from taking all drugs.
The singer completed a detoxification that lasted 47 days. Following this detox she has not used, and has continued to live a life of sobriety.
Nicks believes that the song on this album, entitled, “Mabel Normand”, will help others who are struggling with the disease of addiction. The song writer said, “I wanted it to be something that somebody [struggling] with [chemical dependency] can sit down and listen to [the song] 5,000 times… let it [the song] an epiphany for you [to start your recovery journey].”
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