Almost losing her life during her own battle with opioid addiction, the daughter of Elvis Presley says she is grateful to be alive and hopes to help others who are still struggling.
- June 7, 2019
AceShowbiz - Lisa Marie Presley almost lost her life during a battle with opioid addiction.
The daughter of Elvis Presley is revealing she is grateful to be alive in the foreword for Harry Nelson's new book "The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain".
The star delves into her own struggle with drug abuse in the essay, noting her addiction issues began when she was given a short-term prescription after giving birth to her twin daughters, Vivienne and Finley, in 2008. Describing her "difficult path" to recovery, Presley explains she wanted to be open with her experience in order to help others.
"It is time for us to say goodbye to (the) shame about addiction," she writes. "Across America and the world, people are dying in mind-boggling numbers because of opioid and other drug overdoses."
"Many more people are suffering silently, addicted to opioids and other substances. I am writing this in the hope that I can play a small part in focusing attention on this terrible crisis."
Presley also references a specific incident during an appearance on America's "Today" show in August, during which she commented on drug dependency running in her family.
Presley wrote, "I'm not perfect. My father wasn't perfect, no one's perfect. It's what you do with it after you learn and then you try to help others with it."
Elvis, who died in 1977, famously grappled with substance abuse and dependency.
"I had never openly spoken in public about my own addiction to opioids and painkillers," Lisa Marie adds. "I wasn't sure that I was ready to share on such a personal topic."
