The star-studded showbiz galaxy of glitz and glamour is a grand illusion of modern times. Behind all the make-up and costumes is a world of shadowy corners and dark secrets. Most often than not, we hear about the involvement of celebrities in extreme drug and alcohol abuse. Every time after such incident comes to light, one group of people comes out in support of the targeted celebrity while another group naturally criticizes the irresponsible behavior exhibited by a public figure.

Another group consists of silent spectators who are secretly drawing inspiration from the wild ways of their favorite celebrities. This group is comprised primarily of teenagers.

This is where the role of parents comes in to teach their impressionable teen kids about the valuable life lessons extracted from the deviant ways of celebrities. So, here goes nothing.

Charlie Sheen: The wild lifestyle followed by this star is an open secret inside and outside the showbiz community. The career of the Two and a Half Men star has been tainted with constant allegations of drug and alcohol abuse. When time proved the allegations right, Charlie saw a downward spiral in his acting career and even lost the contract to the above mentioned sitcom due to allegations of substance abuse.

A few years back, reports coming from sources close to Charlie hinted that the actor was spending up to $2,000 per day on drugs. Above all, he also looks quite old for his age as drugs have almost drained the life force out of this controversial star.   

Heath Ledger: Every fan of world cinema knows that Heath Ledger was a great actor and could have become a legend in his own time if he had not overdosed on prescription drugs. He was supposed to deliver the dark character of Joker in the movie The Dark Knight, for which he secluded himself in a rented apartment to absorb his dark side.

Ledger’s toxicology report identified his cause of death as “acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepan, alprazolam and doxylamine. In short, he was addicted to sleeping medication.

If a star’s death from OD’ing on prescription drugs is not lesson enough, read on for another famous death in the ongoing year.

Philip Seymour Hoffman:  Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead due to heroin overdose inside a Greenwich Village apartment earlier this year. New York City police reports stated that a hypodermic needle was still stuck in the actor’s arm when they found him lifeless. Hoffman had a long history of struggling against substance abuse.

The lesson for teens here is that heroin is extremely addictive and leads to sudden death of the user. Always remember this; if you keep on “chasing the dragon” the serpent would one day gulp you down.

Justin Bieber: This young lad is scuttling towards a deadly situation due to his deviant public antics. Earlier this year, Bieber was arrested in Miami on charges of initiating a drag race in his rented Lamborghini while being under the influence of alcohol and drugs. In addition, he was also charged with resisting arrest.

This incident has an important lesson for teens. Mixing alcohol with prescription drugs can put a person in coma and even cause sudden death. This practice is called “potentiation”. Surely, you don’t want to try this at home.

Image credit: Dutourdumonde Photography / Shutterstock.com