Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Any Fleetwood Mac fans out there? If so, you might find this piece from The Daily Beast/Newsweek interesting. In it, Stevie Nicks details how drugs ruined her life.
But it wasn't cocaine--which she was addicted to and had to go to rehab for--that did it. It was Valium. What happened was this: after she checked out of rehab for her cocaine addiction, "feeling buoyant and saved and fantastic," she made the mistake of taking her friends' advice to go see shrink. Her friends told her, “We’re sure you’re going to start using again. You should go to a psychiatrist.”
So she did. And here's what the psychiatrist told her: “In order to keep you off cocaine we should put you on the drug that we’re using a lot these days called Klonopin.”
Nicks agreed to get on Klonopin, which is in the Valium family, and as a result, "the next eight years of my life were destroyed." Her shrink "watched me go from a beautiful, 125-pound, newly sober woman who had the world at her feet to a 170-pound woman who had the lights go out in her eyes."
More from Nicks:
What started happening was that if I didn’t take it, my hands started to shake. I felt like I had a neurological disease or Parkinson’s. I started not being able to get to Lindsey Buckingham’s house on time, and I would get there and everybody was drinking, so I’d have a glass of wine. Don’t mix tranquilizers and wine. Then I’d sing horrific parts on his songs, and he would take the parts off. I was hardly on Tango of the Night, which I happen to love.
I thought this part of her story was particularly interesting: getting off of Klonopin made detoxing from cocaine look like a "cakewalk":
Finally, in 1993, I’d had enough. I said, “Take me to a hospital.” I went in for 47 days, and it made Betty Ford look like a cakewalk. My hair turned gray and my skin molted. I could hardly walk. You can detox off heroin in 12 days. Coke is just a mental detox. But tranquilizers—they are dangerous. I was terrified to leave, and I came away knowing that that would never happen to me again.
You can read the full story here, which really is a cautionary tale in how drugs can ruin someone's life.
And here's a little Fleetwood Mac for your enjoyment:
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Apr '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
I find it interesting that she we place the blame on the psychiatrist and/or Klonopin. I hope she had fun with the coke but I hope I will be spared any moralizing about those employed to help her secondary to misadventure.
Sep '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Messing with the neurotransmitters in your brain is frightening. It doesn't surprise me at all that after cocaine depleted her reserves the Klonopin just about destroyed them.
Sep '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Stevie Nicks is a love! It has not been much publicized, but during the Iraq war (and probably still) she made several visits to Walter Reed, spending hours with injured vets, asking them to tell her what happened and thanking them and giving them free iPods (or whatever the player was at the time) donated by a group of seventies musicians. In interviews, she refused to get into the politics of their injuries. All she would say is, these are my guys.
Edited on May 4, 2011 at 8:00amFeb '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
My wife is a primary care NP and also teaches pharmacology, among other subjects. She is scathing on the subject of psychiatrists over prescribing and their penchant for almost casually using highly problematic and physically damaging medication regimens. She has had numerous patients who have improved radically after being taken off the bizarre drug cocktails that they have been prescribed. I have long maintained that the average psychiatrist is sicker than his patients. My wife fully concurs.
Aug '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
One of the things that led to my mother's path down heroin road was Valium prescribed by a Psychiatrist. Certainly, my mom's life choices -- that led to her addiction to other substances first -- contributed as well, but it was the numb feeling that Valium gave her that made her pursue a better version of that high.
I pray that Stevie remains healthy and clean.
Mar '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
I hate to sound like Tom Cruise here... I don't believe the whole field of psychology is fraudulent, just some of it... but it's hard to fault her for feeling angry at the shrink. If you're worse off after seeing a shrink that you were before seeing him, well... draw your conclusions.
My mockery of the "social sciences" also includes psychiatry, which has all the chutzpah of sociology with the doubly dangerous fact that they can prescribe drugs. There are good shrinks out there, ones that act more like MD's than Sigmund Freud with a prescription pad, but there are farrrr too many faddish types that see your childhood as one big case of PTSD, and want to drug you into "recovery".
Aug '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
I've heard of psychiatrists telling their patients things like, "Well this antidepressant tends to cause weight-gain, but if that's a problem for you, we can just prescribe another one on top of it that tends to cause weight loss," or "If this medicine causes you to sleep less, we'll give you a tranquilizer on top of that."
It's not their logic that bugs me so much as their casual attitude to piling 'em on. I mean, if the first medicine helps so much, isn't it worth risking gaining weight or changing your sleep schedule?
If the risk isn't worth it, why take the first medicine to begin with?
Maybe a few people really are better off with meds and meds to take care of the side effects of meds, but so many?
Edited on May 4, 2011 at 9:08amJul '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Oh those evil drug companies making a pharmaceutical agent that enhances the neurotransmitter GABA for the purposes of alleviating seizures, panic attacks, and providing relief for restless leg syndrome. What's worse is those evil quack physicians who are taking out tonsils instead of treating them for allergies. It is fairly well known that benzodiazepines can be addictive and ceasing medication can be tricky due to dependency issues, especially in those with addictive neurochemistry.
But yeah, great story.
I would point out to Douglas that there is actual biochemistry that takes place that doctors who practice psychiatry understand. Contrary to some misunderstanding, the pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and even those in academia understand a bit of this kinetics, thermodynamics and metabolism pathways and seek to make active ingredients that provide relief for many people afflicted with neuropsychological disorders.
I think Michael J. Fox is a fan...
Feb '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
It's not their logic that bugs me so much as their casual attitude to piling 'em on. I mean, if the first medicine helps so much, isn't it worth risking gaining weight or changing your sleep schedule?
Much of the problem stems from the use of drugs that are far more potent than the severity of the original condition called for. In virtually every instance, my wife has switched patients to less aggressive treatments that adequately controlled the original issue without the severe side effects. In many cases multiple drugs had been prescribed with utter disregard - occasionally bordering on malpractice - for well documented drug interaction issues that compounded the problems. Many of the more widely used psychiatric drugs have long term negative physiological consequences that are also ignored. Another issue is inadequate follow up and monitoring. Most patients reported having their prescriptions renewed over long periods with nothing more than an occasional phone call and few if any had been required to undergo follow up or periodic physical exams and blood work.
Aug '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Is this a story about drugs being evil, or is this a story about risks, costs, and benefits? And patients making informed choices for themselves?
Patients can refuse a particular course of treatment if it seems too dangerous for them, even most mental-health patients (most aren't "too crazy" to be responsible for themselves, though a few, tragically, are).
I've always been "that girl" -- the one in school who's running to the restroom to hurl before a Big Exam, not from anorexia, but from sheer nerves; the one whose hands shake too much to give her piano recital, despite hours of practice. By any measure, I have "performance anxiety". I want to just chill, but can't make myself.
I've been offered tranquilizers and anti-anxiety meds for this, but for various reasons, decided they weren't for me. I didn't like their potential costs (costs for me, that is), and I thought I could (eventually, with enough hard work) get most of their benefits in other ways.
My decision is not the right one for everybody with this problem. My point is that I decided, after informing myself and talking with my doctor.
Mar '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Let me preface this by saying I am not a psychiatrist. I've never been to a psychiatrist. I've never taken any anti-depressants or mind-altering drugs for the simple fact that I've never needed them. So, I am not sure I know the terrain as well as other people. Having said that . . .
I am inclined to give psychiatrists a bit of a pass on this. Given our "results now!" culture, my suspicion is that many patients don't want to go through all it takes to return to mental sanity. Re-living their bad decisions? Admitting their errors? Confronting their fears? Probing deep inside searching for whatever led them to this low point in their lives?
OR
They can take a pill and feel happy again in an hour?
It should be no surprise that a lot of people take the easy way out. A pill is technically a "cure" and these patients are responsible for their own health, so what's a doc supposed to do? It's not like every adult in the 21st cent. doesn't know the medication is addictive. That they complain after the fact does not ring true to me.
Apr '11
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
I would point out to Douglas that there is actual biochemistry that takes place that doctors who practice psychiatry understand. Contrary to some misunderstanding, the pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and even those in academia understand a bit of this kinetics, thermodynamics and metabolism pathways and seek to make active ingredients that provide relief for many people afflicted with neuropsychological disorders.
I think Michael J. Fox is a fan... · May 4 at 9:17am
So there are doctors & other pharmacological scientists who understand (debateably so) how the substances and their uses can provide relief for people suffering from neurological/neuropsychological disorders. Michael J. Fox isn't being treated for Parkinson's by a psychiatrist, though.
The fact remains, psychiatry is still a very inexact field. Stories like Stevie Nicks' are examples of just exactly how that is still the case. Depending on the situation, patients are at their doctors' mercy.
Midget Faded Rattlesnake, you're probably the exception to that rule. They are, after all, seeing a shrink because they're struggling to cope with psychological issues and seeking professional guidance. Many patients feel like they have no choice but to listen to the doctor.
May '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Nice to see you haven't forgotten about us, Emily.
Jul '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Gen. Victor Ball
So there are doctors & other pharmacological scientists who understand (debateably so) how the substances and their uses can provide relief for people suffering from neurological/neuropsychological disorders. Michael J. Fox isn't being treated for Parkinson's by a psychiatrist, though.
No, he isn't but some of the breakthroughs made in neurochemistry have been made by MDs in psychiatry, which is why some departments of psychiatry have a Division of Neurochemistry. And lo and behold, people who study cocaine addiction are also investigating Parkinson's Disease.
Oct '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
"...after she checked out of rehab for her cocaine addiction, "feeling buoyant and saved and fantastic," she made the mistake of taking her friends' advice to go see shrink. Her friends told her, “We’re sure you’re going to start using again. You should go to a psychiatrist.”
Seems like the blame is with herself and her friends. Most people should know that if you walk in to a Dr's office with some type of "mood disorder" complaint that has a potential pharmacological solution, you will walk out with a prescription for a mood altering drug. You don't have to take it if it is not working for you.
Aug '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
jrb
Much of the problem stems from the use of drugs that are far more potent than the severity of the original condition called for. In virtually every instance, my wife has switched patients to less aggressive treatments that adequately controlled the original issue without the severe side effects.
I've noticed this happening to friends and family. Mood stabilizers or antipsychotics for depression, or for the side-effects of the antidepressants they're already taking. They usually seem to perk up once switched to less elaborate treatment (though I realize there's the potential for me to be confounding cause and effect here).
Totally anecdotal, but illustrative: One of my close physics buddies got put on an antipsychotic for his depression. Found that it made it much harder for him to do simple algebra, much less solve integrals. Talk about a side-effect that'll make a physics student feel depressed and crazy! His doctor was very resistant to him stopping this drug, though, even though he seemed emotionally no worse off without it when he finally insisted. And he could do his math again, and succeed at what he loved.
May '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
Thanks for the post Emily. I'm a Fleetwood Mac fan.
Sep '10
Re: Stevie Nicks on How Drugs and a Shrink Ruined Her Life
She has had numerous patients who have improved radically after being taken off the bizarre drug cocktails that they have been prescribed.
Amen.