I woke up that Sunday morning just two days into my own withdrawals and recovery from my Opiate/Norco addiction and to my husband saying "I'm following the News and you know that Brittany Murphy girl, the one you said is a friend of your cousin's?" I got this huge knot in my stomach and replied, "Uh yeah... Omigod, did she die or something?" and when he said yes... I was just in absolute and complete utter shock! Even more shocked into the reality about the effects of the abuse and lethality of opiates (Oxicontin, Vicodin, Norco, Morphine and the list goes on). That could have been me I thought and broke down... Sadly, I was diagnosed with a dehabilitating disease after nearly dying in a hospital from being septic w/infection. After many months of ER visits and unable to manage my pain/symptoms I finally received a rather devastating diagnosis but learned that it was some ways manageable. I was prescribed Norco (each one equal to two 500 mg strength vicodin) for pain. Unable to physically and mentally cope with my disease I first took the Norco for pain... than I took it to prevent the pain... and when I did not have pain I would continue to take this prescribed medication every day because of the high and the seemingly numbing feeling it would provide to me; I felt able to cope. It got to the point where I'd run out of my prescript early (unfortunately I had a doctor that would give them to me early or provide me with higher dosage whenever I asked and even deterred me from getting help when I came to her and asked her not to prescribe them to me anymore)... I'd borrow pills from friends, family and buy from other sources and when I would run out, Iâ??d even resort to the use of oxicontin (a very deadly and scary drug). It took me a year to realize what was happening to me (and many nights on very high overdose levels of prescription drugs, forcing myself to breath and honestly afraid to fall asleep or that I might not wake up) and to admit to myself that I â??am an addict and I'm abusing my prescript drugs; drugs nonetheless... less than two months to the day that I admitted to my husband that I had a severe problem (by then everyone in my immediate family had started to take notice and concern), and I asked him to take control my prescription and hand them to me like a child until I reach the courage to seek help through a place that provides help of detox and recovery. That day came sooner than I thought and Iâ??m so happy I made the choice of life and to free myself, and my family from my addiction; just two days before the death of Brittany! This isn't just some thing (disease and addiction) that happens in Hollywood. People (hundreds of thousands, maybe millions?) everywhere are either dying from or becoming addicted to drugs of all kinds everyday even when it's not at first non-intentional (I became a victim of my own genetic disease and in the process acquired an addiction)... It can happen to anyone and it hurts everyone! I wish Brittany could have saved herself! All I know is that she died at the age of 32 from â??Cardiac Arrestâ?? and that's NOT NATURAL... She obviously died of something disease related, whether it is the drug addiction disease, eating disorder disease, genetic disease; or combination of the three. So very sad, may she rest in peace and that her family finds peace! If you are a person reading this that may think that they may have any drug or disease related addiction or a eating disorder please be strong enough to seek help, and don't live another day in your battle in fear that you may not wake up to see tomorrow... YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There are so many caring and understanding people in recovery clinics or your primary healthcare that can help get you through, and help you to overcome your disease/addiction. I ask that you put your pride and any embarrassments aside and GET HELP NOW AND NOT PUT IT OFF TO LATER... Brittany ran out of time (she will be missed...), you do not have to do the same...

One of the ways my husband and I have always clicked over the years has been our mutual taste in actresses and actors and the specific roles theyâ??ve played. This actress and the role she played in "Girl, interrupted" is an example of that. When I told my husband a favorite actress of ours died suddenly he was as sad as I was.

what a great movie! i loved her role. what a great dark comedy. maybe it wasn't a comedy but i thought it was hilarious.

I forgot about this role. Remembering it now makes me feel even more sad about her death because it has reminded me of her talent and potential as an actress. RIP, chick.