Heath Ledger's Accidental Overdose - Discussion Thread (Was: Breaking News)

[TOoP/Bruce]

I don't know enough about any of this to be comfortable pointing the finger of blame at anyone for what happened.  Things that seemed to be reported as fact two weeks ago, now seem to be in question.  I honestly don't know how much of what I even think I know is real.

I do know that with regard to his creativiy, I considered Heath Ledger a force to be reckoned with, and with his passing, I feel we are all much the poorer.

[Verona]

If you are not taking the drugs as perscribed you are a drug abuser. If you call your Dr. and ask him what is safe to take you are not.  Just taking hand fulls of pills without talking to a Dr first is drug abuse. You have a brain, use it please.

Um, Ross, I was referring to an example I gave in a previous post:

There are times when I have allergy problems and take an antihistamine. Then later on in the day, I get a bad headache, and unthinkingly take a few ibuprofen. I have epilepsy, so I take that at night, also unthinkingly. And then I feel awful and can't sleep, so I might take a couple of Tylenol PM.

This is a scenario that no one would consider "drug abuse" or even particularly odd. I don't take "a handful of pills," EVER. And rare is the day when I take more than Advil. Anyway, Benadryl, Advil and Tylenol PM are not prescribed. Taking one or two of an OTC pill cannot be considered "drug abuse," and to take something for allergies and a headache hardly puts me in the "has no brain" category. Chill.

[souxi]

I don't know enough about any of this to be comfortable pointing the finger of blame at anyone for what happened.  Things that seemed to be reported as fact two weeks ago, now seem to be in question.  I honestly don't know how much of what I even think I know is real.

I do know that with regard to his creativiy, I considered Heath Ledger a force to be reckoned with, and with his passing, I feel we are all much the poorer.

Your right Bruce. At the end of the day, does it really matter who or what is to blame? The fact remains that a young man and a devoted father has died. A young talented man in the prime of his life, who had so much to live for and so much more to do with his life. It was just a tragic accident and no one can do anything about it now.  

[mvansand76]

I do know that with regard to his creativiy, I considered Heath Ledger a force to be reckoned with, and with his passing, I feel we are all much the poorer.

{{{{{Bruce}}}}}

[moremojo]

I think one positive outcome of this story may be in reminding us all that prescription drugs are still drugs, and that they can be used and abused in any number of potentially harmful ways, just as illicit drugs can be. We in the West are very much a drug culture, throwing pills at every imaginable kind of problem, avoiding the behavioral therapies that earlier eras used (and, admittedly, not always successfully) to grapple with emotional and mental stress. We don't see how our very lifestyles can become toxic--Heath's schedule leading up to his death sounded positively inhuman. So we take uppers (caffeine), downers (alchohol), and everything in between (cigarettes, chocolate) to cope.

Drugs can be wonderful tools in bettering our lives, but they must be used with moderation and wisdom. And in the drug-obsessed culture in which we now live, wisdom in this area is often in short supply.

[mvansand76]

If you are not taking the drugs as perscribed you are a drug abuser. If you call your Dr. and ask him what is safe to take you are not.  Just taking hand fulls of pills without talking to a Dr first is drug abuse. You have a brain, use it please.

And are you claiming that Heath did just that? Were you in the room with him when it happened?

[Verona]

Your right Bruce. At the end of the day, does it really matter who or what is to blame? The fact remains that a young man and a devoted father has died. A young talented man in the prime of his life, who had so much to live for and so much more to do with his life. It was just a tragic accident and no one can do anything about it now. 

I also don't understand the need to "blame" anyone for it. It's something that happens time and time again, that people just don't know enough about what they're putting in their bodies... they think anything given to them by a doctor is OK to take, without realizing that even grapefruit juice can react badly with what they're taking. I know this, but I am not going to act all superior and accusatory if someone else doesn't.

[souxi]

And are you claiming that Heath did just that? Were you in the room with him when it happened?

(((((((((((((((Mel))))))))))))))))

[Verona]

And are you claiming that Heath did just that? Were you in the room with him when it happened?

No, I am the brainless junkie being referred to, because I sometimes take Benadryl in the morning, Advil during the day and Tylenol PM at night if I'm not feeling well.

[Artiste]

Tha father said:

Kim Ledger, the actor's father, said the family was humbled by the outpouring of support from fans around the world and asked to be allowed to grieve privately.


"Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts," he said in a statement.


"While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy."

I, WE all of us surely, pray for his father... and  others!!

Hugs to him and to all!! (Hugs are always need in dire times!!)