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Following her tragic death of an accidental drug overdose in February 2007, Dr. Nathalie Maullin — a psychiatrist at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — testified in court that Anna Nicole Smith struggled with substance misuse, a condition now revealed to have been caused by her numerous cosmetic surgeries. According to Missy Byrum, the Playboy model developed an unhealthy relationship with painkillers after undergoing a breast augmentation procedure. “God, it … it was painful,” Byrum said of the procedure. “You know, it was horrible to watch somebody go through that because it hurts like hell. And that is when she started on her, uh, pain pills. Valium, Xanax, Lortabs, Vicodin, and the Klonopin.” From that moment onward, Byrum noted, there was no stopping for the model.
Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, Smith’s former psychologist, made similar suggestions about the star’s dependence on drugs in his 2017 memoir “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor: My Life Before, During, and After Anna Nicole Smith.” Kapoor explained to Fox News, “She had back pain, she had some issues with her breast implants, and had several injuries. She had been dealing with pain for many years and had tried to deal with it.”
According to “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me,” the Playboy model also developed an eating disorder near the start of her controversial career, reportedly stemming from often being told to lose weight. “Her weight swings were not just about greed or drugs,” director Ursula Macfarlane told Vanity Fair. “They were someone who was suffering with eating disorders, which is obviously psychological pain.”
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA’s Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
