Amy Winehouses health battles leading up to death – from depression to bulimia
Amy Winehouse’s contralto vocals on the track Back To Black led to international fame at the age of 23.
While her distinctive voice garnered a large following, her destructive lifestyle attracted the headlines of the media.
It had been well-documented that she had problems with heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol, but repeatedly refused rehab or psychiatric help.
In an interview on The Album Chart Show, while still alive, Amy said: “I do drink a lot. I think it’s symptomatic of my depression.”
And it was alcohol toxicity that was reported on the coroner’s report when Amy passed away on July 23, 2011, at the age of 27.
READ MORE… Simon Cowell believed his depression was ‘just his character trait’
The Grammy award-winning singer had joined the 27 Club – a list of celebrities, mainly musicians, who didn’t make it to another year.
The drink and drugs took their toll on Amy, but it was an eating disorder that fatally weakened her, according to her older brother Alex Winehouse.
Speaking in 2013, he said his sister’s long battle with bulimia “left her weaker, and more susceptible”.
He added: “She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia.”
Speaking to mark the opening of an exhibition dedicated to his sister’s life at the Jewish Museum in Camden, north London, her system had been fatally weakened by years of bulimia, a disease in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by depression and self-induced vomiting.
He said: “Had she not had an eating disorder, she would have been physically stronger.”
Alex shared Amy had developed bulimia in her late teens but never managed to shake off the illness.
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Depression
Mental health charity Mind defines depression as “a mental health problem that involves having a low mood or losing interest and enjoyment in things”.
It adds: “The symptoms you experience may vary. How intense they are, how long they last, and how much they affect your daily life can also vary.
“If you experience milder depression, you might have low mood but still be able to carry on with your daily life. But things may feel harder and less worthwhile.
If you have more severe depression, you might find day-to-day life much more difficult.”
Common symptoms of depression can include feeling:
- Down, upset or tearful
- Restless, agitated or irritable
- Guilty, worthless and down on yourself
- Empty and numb
- Isolated and unable to relate to other people
- Finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
- Angry or frustrated over minor things
- A sense of unreality
- No self-confidence or self-esteem
- Hopeless and despairing
- Feeling tired all the time.
A person who is suffering from depression might:
- Avoid social events and activities you usually enjoy
- Self-harm or suicidal behaviour
- Difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions
- Losing interest in sex
- Difficulty remembering or concentrating on things
- Using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
- No appetite and losing weight, or eating more than usual and gaining weight
- Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
- Moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are also considered a mental health condition where you use the control of food to 1cope with feelings and other situations.
The NHS explains: “Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.
“Anyone can get an eating disorder, but teenagers between 13 and 17 are mostly affected.
“With treatment, most people can recover from an eating disorder.”
Mind charity offers an infoline at 0300 123 3393 to discuss mental health problems, where to get help near you, and treatment options.
If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can.
You can also talk in confidence to an adviser from eating disorders charity Beat by calling their adult helpline on 0808 801 0677 or youth helpline on 0808 801 0711.
Amy Winehouse – The Day She Came to Dingle is on Saturday, September 9 on BBC Two at 9.35pm.
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