Good-bye Amy Winehouse

Sometimes is just best to let someone go down the path of destruction they've chosen. I'm all for giving second, third and fourth chances. As long as a person is making a genuine effort to turn things around I have no problem helping him out. When that person repeatedly continues to behave in a self destructive way and each episode is worse than the last, it is time to let go. In my opinion Amy Winehouse has reached that point. It's not really the amount of times she's drugged up and overdose that would turn me away from her if she were a friend or relative. It's actual amount of drugs and the increasing amount that she's allegedly taking. The latest news reports indicate that Winehouse went on a 36 hour marijuana binge.

Reports state that as a result of her latest binge she may have brain damage. Allegedly she's had two overdoses in the last year. Judging from the reports it appears that her problems are only getting worse and her attempts fail.

I know each case is different but the effort just doesn't seem to be there. Winehouse doesn't appear to be making any effort to try and rehab and stay sober. Of course, if the reports are true that she's brain damaged then it may be too late regardless of her efforts. She just might not be in her right mind to make the decisions to stay clean anymore. No matter what effort she puts in the capacity to think straight and make rational decisions may be gone.

What's a friend or relative do? It must be hard and heart breaking to see someone so close and that is loved to destroy herself like this. Evidently her father has put in a herculean effort to help her but so far all for naught. I have to wonder if there will be a point where raises his hands and gives up. I sincerely doubt it. The only way I see him giving up is if she is beyond reach mentally. I think she'd have to reach a near vegetative state for him to give up. And judging from reports, she just may be there now or very close.

It's sad to see someone with such talent waste away. I personally don't like her music.

I ask myself what would I do if I had a friend or relative in her shoes? I think at this point I'd have to let them go down their chosen path. If repeated efforts fail miserably and the amounts of drugs or alcohol are increasing, I'd just have to walk away. It would break my heart to do it but sometimes the effort isn't there or the desire to remain sober lacks. Why put myself through the emotional and physical exertion if the person isn't willing to help herself? All I would do is point them to a hospital or rehab center and go my own way. I would turn my back not out of lack of caring but because I care. If I put in all my time and effort to help someone and they can't put in the effort it would eventually take a toll on me. It would wear me down. It would make no sense for me to keep hitting my head against the wall. Also it would bring me down emotionally and I just couldn't bear to watch someone I love destroy themselves. It would be a defense mechanism to walk away. The addiction cuts both ways. It hurts the user and those around them. I just would have to protect myself and my well being by going in a different direction than the addict. It's sad but it's the truth.