Fans of the Canadian musician and actor Cory Monteith were devastated to hear of his death last week at the age of just 31. Initially, there was a great deal of uncertainty about the cause of his death, but it is now known that he died from an overdose due to mixed drug toxicity. Cory is best known for his part in the hit TV show Glee. His career was really only starting to take off and he was beginning some exciting new projects just before his death.
Addiction Problems of Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith had been dealing with addiction problems from a young age. He entered rehab at nineteen for his substance abuse problems. Apparently, he began abusing alcohol and drugs during his early teens. He was very open about his addiction problems but it was hoped that he would be able to put all of these problems behind him.
In April this year, Cory once again checked himself into rehab. He managed to complete this programme but he relapsed soon after he returned home. It now seems that Cory failed to really build a strong life away from addiction, so it was very easy for him to slip back into old habits. It is a terrible shame because there is no doubt that his addiction robbed the world of a great talent.
The Death of Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith had been staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver. His body was discovered after he failed to check out of the hotel. Reports say his room was full of drug paraphernalia and it is believed that he was alone when he overdosed. He died on July 13. Reports now say that his death was due to mixed drug toxicity. This means that it was the combination of heroin and alcohol that caused his death.
The Difficult Transition from Rehab to Home
Questions are now being asked about how Cory Monteith could die so soon after successfully completing a rehab programme. Many people feel that his willingness to see his treatment all the way through should have meant that he was strong enough to stay sober. There are concerns that he was not given enough support during the difficult transition from rehab to home. Few people are claiming it was the fault of the rehab, but there are questions about why more wasn’t done to prevent him from relapsing.
We may never know about the aftercare package that was offered to Cory Monteith, but we do know that even the best aftercare package in the world will not guarantee a safe transition from rehab to home. The problem is that it is always going to be up to the person to make their new life work. The resources they need to do well in recovery will usually be made available but nobody can force them to use these tools. Maybe in the case of Cory, he could have benefited from staying in rehab longer – perhaps spend some time in a half-way house – but it is very easy for people not involved in his treatment to second guess those who were.
The death of Cory Monteith should be viewed as a warning to anyone going through rehab. The ability of people to prepare adequately for their transition back home is vital, and their failure to do this could mean they follow the same path as Cory. The key to success after rehab is to have plenty of support, and it is important to avoid the old triggers that can pull people back into addiction.
