Elvis' Mother

[utmom2008]

He wasn't in long enough and didn't get the proper treatment. An addict needs counseling as well as a detox program or he will go right back to it nine times out of ten.

Diane

Right Diane. It takes months of counseling, and only a few days to actually detox. Detoxing is the easy part of recovery..it's what follows that is hard. Even after months of treatment the relapse occurence is staggering.

[KPM]

In one book that I read, it was stated that when he went into the hospital the first time in 1973 and the doctors treated him and he went through detox, he was down to 1 very mild sleeping pill at night, but.....I guess once he got home..........

In the hospital its a very controlled situation-"they get you up on their schedule" they close down the halls "on their schedule" so someone else is controlling situations around you which force rest. If you do not sleep the night before-you can not sleep till noon the next day, they get you up for tests, breakfast, clean the room take your vitals etc....so eventually you begin to get into a better pattern of being so tired you sleep better.
(I have always hated that about hospitals the constant intrusions which actually wake you at all times of the night)
But sleep problems which start in childhood need alot of work to overcome-something caused them and a short trip into the hospital will not cure them.

[KPM]

He wasn't in long enough and didn't get the proper treatment. An addict needs counseling as well as a detox program or he will go right back to it nine times out of ten.

Diane

Detoxing just helps get the junk out of your system.
"Follow up" in the form of the counseling or therapy is vital -as you have said.
Also the battery of tests to find out if you have lack of certain hormones like melatonin etc...which cause sleep problems.
His sleep problem was not recent-it was a lifelong battle long before his fame hit-so the fame did not cause this IMO (it may have made it worse but was not the cause)

[utmom2008]

good points and l agree too

Jen, I have heard you say on more than one occasion that you give all the credit to your friends for making you see that you had a problem. You have said that they helped you so much during a time when you didn't think you had any problems. That makes me wonder why you agree here......it's the opposite of what you have said in the past.

[utmom2008]

His sleep problem was not recent-it was a lifelong battle long before his fame hit-so the fame did not cause this IMO (it may have made it worse but was not the cause)

[presley31]

Jen, I have heard you say on more than one occasion that you give all the credit to your friends for making you see that you had a problem. You have said that they helped you so much during a time when you didn't think you had any problems. That makes me wonder why you agree here......it's the opposite of what you have said in the past.

Elvis was addicted to drugs. Quite the contrary. All I suggested is that Elvis was much smarter than many give him credit. He didn't take these drugs without the realization that he was doing serious damage to his personal and professional life. Linda Thompson says that he admited that he was self-destructive


This is what l thought were good points cause thats the same with me l knew what drugs did to my body and did them without thinking of what could of happen. when you high you really don't have a care in the world till you life ruins out you don't get a second chance like elvis and than theres others who get saved and get to see another day. BUt l do agree with Linda that elvis was destructive and elvis really thought he could do anything and live to tell the stories. I only wish elvis friends and family were like me and saved elvis when he really needed.

Yep like elvis l didn't think l had a problem but elvis drug problem was worse than mine.

[Unchained Melody]

Its interesting, elvis always would tell those around them when they were worried about him that he would live to see their graves...

[tlcElvis]

I voted no but I think there is a gray area. I really think that if Elvis felt he had someone in his life who truly loved him for who he was and not what he had become, perhaps he wouldn't have felt so lonely. I guess in that sense his mom could have saved his life. I think she would have been perfectly happy having him as a furniture salesman...actually I think she would have preferred that to be his occupation. Perhaps loneliness helped fuel his drug use. I never got the feeling that he was really close to his father...or at least not anything like the relationship with his mom.

Off topic but perhaps drug use runs in Priscilla's family too. There is a story about Navarone using drugs at the link below. It's from a gossip site so the validity of the story is in question. I never see any pictures of him but there is one included with the story.

http://janetcharltonshollywood.com/g...y_20080726.php

[Elvisgirl]

i don't think elvis died because he never got over his mothers death, but maybe he never got over her death......without that having anything to do with his own death, it's not strange to never get over someones death, if they were close to you. but no one knows if elvis did get over it, or not

[utmom2008]

Off topic but perhaps drug use runs in Priscilla's family too. There is a story about Navarone using drugs at the link below. It's from a gossip site so the validity of the story is in question. I never see any pictures of him but there is one included with the story.

http://janetcharltonshollywood.com/g...y_20080726.php

He's also the story this week in the National Enquirer, of course they used Lisa's picture on the cover. Navarone is a real "looker", isn't he? The kind you want your daughter to bring home.

[The King's Queen]

He's also the story this week in the National Enquirer, of course they used Lisa's picture on the cover. Navarone is a real "looker", isn't he? The kind you want your daughter to bring home.

YIKES SPIKES! Wow! She should have stayed in Elvis' genepool for reproducing kids...Lisa sure looks much better than Navarone! And as for his being on drugs...I must ask, What would you expect??? After all, Pris isn't exactly the model parent, so his weird appearance and his alleged drug use does not surprise me one bit.

[The King's Queen]

Thank you Betti, you always have the kindest words. I know you understand my point because you have been down the same road....and your father was gone long before his time due to his addictions. It's not easy to watch a loved with a terrible addiction deny that anything is wrong(the Dr. kept prescribing more) and that the drugs have completely changed their lifestyle and their health. Quite the contrary...since a Dr. prescribed them, then they must certainly need them.

Very well said Rosie! And when a "Doctor" does continue to prescribe them, they do think that their problem is not a legitimate PROBLEM! My Dad is partially in the shape he is now because of a kook of a doctor who prescribed more narcotics than anyone would ever need! Dad thought that the fact that they came legally meant that he was NOT a junkie or addicted to them. WRONG!!! Elvis thought the same, I'm sure. Once addicted, the person doesn't see things clearly anymore and without the constant support of friends/family members, they rarely (if ever) manage to make it to get help.

[Diane]

That is the way that addictions work and if you have a doctor who either doesn't understand or doesn't care then the patient has a BIG problem.

It wouldn't surprise me if Navarone had a drug problem as I've heard that both boys did but with the article being in the Inquirer....taking that with a handful of salt!

Diane

[Unchained Melody]

In one book that I read, it was stated that when he went into the hospital the first time in 1973 and the doctors treated him and he went through detox, he was down to 1 very mild sleeping pill at night, but.....I guess once he got home..........

And that was the problem like many have said, it didn't do any good no matter how many times they detoxed him, soon as he went home, he hit the stash. There was no stopping it.

[utmom2008]

And that was the problem like many have said, it didn't do any good no matter how many times they detoxed him, soon as he went home, he hit the stash. There was no stopping it.

There is no stopping ANY addict if all they do is detox. That never ever works!!! There has to be lots and lots of counseling that goes along with it. This is one area where Elvis was NO different than than the average person on the street corner....no one stays clean and sober without therapy or counseling!!!!!!

[Unchained Melody]

There is no stopping ANY addict if all they do is detox. That never ever works!!! There has to be lots and lots of counseling that goes along with it. This is one area where Elvis was NO different than than the average person on the street corner....no one stays clean and sober without therapy or counseling!!!!!!

I think Elvis had to much pride to admit he had such a problem.

He was a very proud person, proud of who he was, what he become, and theres nothing wrong with that.

But he just didn't have it in him to say you know I think i have a problem and maybe I should check myself in. He would have never done such a thing.

[The King's Queen]

I think Elvis had to much pride to admit he had such a problem.

He was a very proud person, proud of who he was, what he become, and theres nothing wrong with that.

But he just didn't have it in him to say you know I think i have a problem and maybe I should check myself in. He would have never done such a thing.

Hmmmm.... Not so sure about that. Elvis was a very proud person, that is true. And even, I believe, proud to a fault at times. But on the other hand....

If we are to believe certain individuals who were around him quite a bit, he supposedly made mention to them on various occasions that he knew he had a problem and was (always) going to get some help or quit on his own. I don't know that I believe that he would have checked himself into a rehab center, but I do believe that he could have been coersed into seeking some form of help had those around him persisted and the "enablers" in his life chosen NOT to be such. Elvis had far too many willing accomplices when it came to scoring med's....

[Unchained Melody]

The only thing i've read or heard about him actually saying he had a problem was when Linda Thompson was quoted as saying in a moment of real brutal honesty I think my worst trait is that I have a streak of self-destructiveness

Also in 1977 Billy said that Elvis mentioned to him once when they were alone talking that he may sometimes take a little more medicine then he should have.

So sad

[Diane]

I think he did realize at times at the end that he had a problem but he was too addicted by that time to take control. It should have been done in the early 60's before it got too serious, but then it wasn't really bothering him so he still thought it was prescription so it was fine and safe. I do blame Dr. Nick and the other doctors who kept passing it out to him....very unethical even if he was Elvis. Dr. Nick could have nipped that in the bud as soon as he hit the scene. Even the Colonel could have stepped in right at the beginning had he cared enough but maybe it was to his advantage and made Elvis more controllable..don't know.

Diane

[KPM]

There is no stopping ANY addict if all they do is detox. That never ever works!!! There has to be lots and lots of counseling that goes along with it. This is one area where Elvis was NO different than than the average person on the street corner....no one stays clean and sober without therapy or counseling!!!!!!

You are correct 100% the drugs were not the problem- it was the mindset which said drugs are the answer to every problem.
If you do not investigate the mental and possible physical reasons someone has an addictive problem-detoxing is a short term temporary help.
You are addressing the effects of addiction in detox-but little of the causes.