T.I., Drugs, Celebrity and Understanding The Cost of Fame

Although celebrities are often in the spotlight for drug abuse, making it seem that it’s more accessible to the rich, experts say that income is not a deciding factor. “Money does not cause drug addiction,” said Pillay. “ Drug addiction knows no socio-economic boundaries; however, money can enable this habit.” Nonetheless, fame is a factor. The

association between “the artist” and drug use is not totally bogus according to Pillay. “The human brain, when it taps into its creative side, places people at greater risk of being impulsive,” he said, adding that “fear of success often leads people down a self-destructive path because fame has its price as well.”

Fame is a complex and complicated matter. It is alluring and luminous but at the same time, as evinced time and time again, can be toxic. As a result of T.I.’s new prison sentence, not only has he compromised his freedom, but he will also suffer on the business end as both AXE and Remy Martin have cut their endorsement deals with him.  When

asked how someone like T.I., who is at the top of his rap career, could so easily jeopardize his success, Dr. David Sack, CEO of Promises Treatment Centers, drew from his own experiences working with celebrities to explain the kind of stress that drives reckless decision making.

“They know that they have to make every day count and even then they know that they will [be] passed up for the next big thing in ten years, and often less than five years,” he said. “At a point where successful professionals are starting to peak, performers are likely to be marginalized.  While the public may envy a celebrity’s beauty or wealth, the actor or musician struggles with a faltering sense of success and self worth.”