Corey Haim's Sad Lifelong Struggle to Stay Sober
Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage.com
Before he died Wednesday at age 38 of an apparent overdose, Corey Haim spent most of his life trying to kick myriad substance-abuse problems.
At age 15, he began to drink beer on the set of the 1986's Lucas. A year later, while shooting The Lost Boys, "I smoked my first joint," he admitted in a 2004 interview with British tabloid The Sun.
"I lived in Los Angeles in the '80s, which was not the best place to be," Haim told the paper. "I did cocaine for about a year-and-a-half, then it led to crack."
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After several stints in rehab, he was put on prescription drugs.
"I started on the downers which were a hell of a lot better than the uppers because I was a nervous wreck," he told The Sun. "But one led to two, two led to four, four led to eight, until at the end it was about 85 a day.
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"And that was just the Valium," said Haim, also who filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1997. "I'm not talking about the other pills I went through."
In 2001, he reportedly suffered a drug-induced stroke.
In a 2007 interview on CNN's Larry King Live, Haim claimed he kicked drugs while promoting his A&E reality TV show The Two Coreys, costarring his childhood friend Corey Feldman.
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Asked why he finally stopped abusing drugs, he said: "I didn't like looking in the mirror anymore. I couldn't do it."
Haim told King he had an addiction "to pretty much everything.
"I mean, I have to be very careful with myself as far as that goes, which is why I have a support group around me consistently," said Haim, who referred to himself as "a chronic relapser for the rest of my life."
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In 2008 -- after his A&E show was canceled after two seasons -- Feldman said he was no longer speaking to Haim until he got sober. (One clip of their 2007 reality show has Feldman and his wife, along with two other former teen stars, urging Haim to admit he needs help.)
Haim died at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. Cheryl MacWillie tells UsMagazine.com.
Four prescription bottles were found by Haim's body, Los Angeles Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter tells Us. No illegal drugs were found at Haim's Burbank, Calif.-area apartment. Winter described the drugs as "normal prescriptions."
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34When i herd that Corey died i was in shock. I didn't beleave it at first and then i saw it on the news. I was about 10 when he was 14 and i had him up on my wall from bop to teen mag i was in love with him. Its been almost 3 weeks sence he's been gone and im still in shock that hes gone. he was a very beautiful person, i loved his movies and Corey Feldmen im so sorry your best friend is gone. My heart and soul goes out to you and Haim's family. R.I.P. Corey you will be very missed by me and all your fans. Love Ya Haimster.
When Megan Fox said that everyone in Hollywood does drugs and that she only knows 5 people around her who is substance free I think she was right. I thought I would just help people clue in more to how bad Hollywood is when it comes to drugs! Here are just some of the celebrities I know of who has done drugs and are still using. Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Heath Ledger, Kate Moss, Jim Carrey, Charlie Sheen, Snoop Dogg, Anna Nicole Smith, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Robert Downey Jr, Amy Winehouse, Sylvester Stallone, Tara Reid, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oliver Stone, The Baldwins, Nick Nolte, George Michael, Michael Jackson, Brad Renfro, Howard K Stern, Macaulay Culkin, Tom Sizemore, Chris Benoit, Tatum O'Neal, Madonna, Jada Pinkett Smith, Andy Dick, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Melanie Griffith, Naomi Campbell, Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson, Colin Farrell, Steve-O, DMX, Chyna, AJ Maclean, Aaron Carter, Angelina Jolie, Kirsten Dunst, David Hasselhoff, DJ AM, Joaquin Pheonix, River Pheonix, John Mayer, Mary Kate Olsen, Elvis Presley, Kristen Stewart, Nick Carter, Mischa Barton, Pete Doherty, Lil Wayne, Keifer Sutherland, Janice Dickinson, Charles Barkley, Brad Pitt, Artie Lange, Eminem, Coolio, Heather Locklear, Boy George, Ryan O'Neal, Craig Robinson, Sean Paul, Steven Adler, Ron Wood, Gary Dourdan, Chris Farley, Natasha Lyonne and the list goes on and on. I think this says alot and that's a pretty good chunk of people! And there will be plenty more drug related deaths in Hollywood to come because celebrity drug use will do nothing to change the situation! We are experiencing a overdose epidemic people! Accidental deaths from illegal and legal prescription drugs have increased in the last decade! 22, 000 Americans died from this in 2008. This a terrible example for our youth! Any celebrity out there who's addicted to drugs or alcohol...PLEASE GET HELP NOW!
This is so sad, may he rest in peace...I loved The Lost Boys!
AMANDA u r a HEARTLESS WENCH! RIP COREY!!! LUV YA BRO, SEE U UP IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY!
I hate that he is gone! I am sure Feldman will milk this for whatever publicity he can get out of it! Haim wouldn't have been so messed up if Feldman hadn't taken him to MJ's house knowing what he wanted!
Amanda and everyone else with cold hearted comments - if you don't care, don't post....You cared enough to read the article about this sad soul that lost his life too soon, but you post hateful comments about why anyone should care about the loss of his life...Wow,,,,it's sad to know there are such horrible people such as yourselves in the world....may Corey rest in peace....
US MAGAZINE --AS USUAL,SLIMING UP A DEATH BEFORE THE FACTS ARE IN. NO SHOCK. And to the negative posters, Didn't ANYONE learn their lesson with Brittany Murphy to just keep your mouths shut ? You all made FOOLS out of yourselves with her didn't you ? I'm still laughing at the posts between here OMG and YOUTUBE about Murphy. Those who said SHE overdosed were proven WRONG. NO illegal drugs were found in his apartment. Sounds like the same circumstances, who knows. Lets just all keep our mouths shut until the autopsy results are in. At least this is a better picture . I loved Haim and was VERY sorry to hear this , my husband woke me with it , poor Corey Feldman must be a mess , they were good friends. I'm sure the trolls will be on here all day , hating. Whatever , we know we're better. God bless his family.
So sad today... RIP Corey, thank you for your movies... You will always be my #1 heart throb from the 80's. I hope you are comfortable and we will see you one day again!
@ angela and simone I think addicts switch from illegal to prescription because our society accepts that. Its fine if he had 1,000 hydrocodone pills at once as long as it was prescripted to him, but on the latter he could have one crack rock. It is a lot of drs out there where dollars signs are more influentual to them than their integrity.
I honestly believe people who started drug usage before the 90's didn't know what they were getting themselves into. I think they had the preseption that all drugs would have the same effect as marijuana. I really feel bad for the family he left behind it is a very tragic way to lose a loved one.Hopefully his death will be an eye opener for the people who are struggling with drug addiction today.
So sad but not surprising. Hollywood (agents, pubs, and doctors) has a lot to answer for. They take young talent and corrupt them to the point of no return. Poor Corey never stood a chance... RIP
Addiction is such a hard thing to overcome and Corey was right when he said it was a life long struggle. I hope he is now at peace. Rest in Peace Corey, you will be missed
Might I suggest not using "big" words if you can't even spell them? i.e. surcome? I am sure you meant...succumb? Good grief.
My heart is breaking. I will miss you Corey Haim. Rest in peace.
To Amanda, don't be such a hard hearted woman. To alot of us he was a childhood icon, Lost Boys - LEGEND FILM.. Not just the young who succumb to the lure of drugs, feel very sad he's passed away. RIP Corey, you meant alot to people even though you seemed not to realise it. xxx
Our society underestimates the dangers of prescription pills. Doctors need to stop overprescribing and need to inform their patients on the addictive properties as well as dangers of overdose and mixing drugs. Adderall = addictive, Xanax (and other anxiety meds) = addictive, painkillers and sedatives = addictive. You mix these drugs and you are in dangerous territory. When you abuse prescription drugs you are no better off then buying/using street drugs. Look at this poor guy, he switched from crack to prescription pills. What killed him? Prescription pills not crack. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
to all the peoples,dont try to take drugs....
To Amanda: His family and friends care about him... I would say that you are the loser for being such an inconsiderate, heartless Human Being...
Like so many addicts, he traded illegal drugs for prescription drugs, which he abused. I hope he's in peace now.
@ TX GIRL Well said. I feel exactly how you feel. I wouldnt' trade my life for the life in hollywood either!