The toxicology reports showing that heroin played a part in the death of Peaches Geldof did not come as much of a surprise to many in the media. There have been so many celebrities lost to drug addiction that a 25-year old losing her life this way is no longer treated as such a big deal. It is almost as if fame and substance abuse is expected to go hand-in-hand, which may be part of the problem. Peaches Geldof had so many wonderful things going for her, yet her life ended before it had hardly started. The tragedy is made worse by the fact that her mother, Paula Yates, died of a heroin overdose – now it appears as if heroin has also robbed Peaches’ children of a mother.
The Lost Talent of Peaches Geldof
Peaches Geldof grew up with famous parents, so she started making a name for herself back in 2004 when she began working as a journalist for Elle Girl (she was only fourteen at this stage). In 2005, she presented her own TV show aimed at teenagers, which was followed by more TV work. In 2009, she began modelling, earning a six-figure sum from her first twirl on the catwalk. Peaches went on to create her own brand of clothing, while also finding time to marry and start a family.
There were rumours of Peaches Geldof having problems with drugs; apparently, she almost lost an important modelling assignment once, being told to clean up her act. The extent of her drug use was not clear, but there is now growing evidence that, despite her success, she struggled in life and turned to heroin for comfort. She also developed an obsession with the music of the singer Elliot Smith who had his own struggles with heroin and committed suicide. It seems that Peaches never really got over the death of her mother, but the pain of losing her to heroin was not enough to protect Peaches from the drug.
Could Peaches Geldof Have Been Saved
The exact circumstances Peaches Geldof’s death may never be known by the public, maybe not even by her family. Did she accidently overdose or did she decide to take her own life? The question on many people’s minds is if more could have been done to save her from her demise. There is no way that Peaches didn’t appreciate the dangers of heroin as she had already seen what it did to her mother; she must have known what she was getting into.
The fact that Peaches was mostly able to keep her drug use out of the public eye probably meant there was less pressure on her to change. Maybe she believed that as long as she was able to perform her roles in life, she could get away with her secret habit. Heroin is an incredibly addictive substance, offering users a sense of comfort that is hard to obtain any other way. It sounds as if Peaches was dealing with a great deal of emotional pain, so it could have felt to her that heroin offered the ideal solution.
The Dangers of the Celebrity Drug Culture
The news that another celebrity has died due to drugs is no longer shocking, but it should be. More needs to be done to prevent these famous people from falling into this trap. The first step is to stop glamorising drug addiction and, instead, treat it as the danger to society that it is. It is also important to debunk the idea that creative talent and drug use go hand-in-hand.
