At the age of 27, Stevie Nicks rose to the position of definitive figure in the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, earning her the nickname ‘Queen Bee’.
Prior to this point, her creative endeavours focused on songwriting and harmonies with her longtime partner, Lindsey Buckingham. During this time, she had avoided using drugs; however, her life was about to change dramatically.
She quickly became ensnared in the depths of drug dependency. She succumbed to the allure of cocaine, alcohol, sleeping pills, and cigarettes. These substances set off a series of negative consequences, causing her health to deteriorate. Nosebleeds, on-stage falls, blackouts, and dangerous semi-overdoses plagued her life. The intoxicating descent began.
“There was no way to get off the white horse, and I didn’t want to,” she said. The train was travelling so quickly that there appeared to be no end in sight. Before the first night of the Rumours world tour, Nicks attended a party with her bandmates that was, even by their exuberant standards, the height of wildness. The celebration was in response to the news that their album had been certified platinum.
This celebratory marathon lasted nearly 48 hours and resulted in an unfortunate situation in which Nicks forgot to remove her contact lenses. The prolonged use of the lenses caused erosion of her cornea, putting her vision in jeopardy. Fortunately, the band’s tour manager stepped in just in time. But on the eve of their first tour date, she found herself receiving emergency medical attention. Her eyes bandaged to prevent blindness.
Her drug consumption slowed only when her doctor’s grave warnings became clear. The enduring irreversible mental and physical harm, combined with the ominous prospect of a brain haemorrhage or premature death, was undeniable.
However, Nicks quickly became romantically involved with Eagles’ Joe Walsh, resulting in a relationship that became heavily dependent on cocaine once more. Walsh became so consumed by the drug that she went weeks without sleeping, and she eventually walked out the door in an attempt to prevent the situation from worsening.
Her bandmates planned a crucial intervention, which marked a watershed moment. Their combined efforts were instrumental in ensuring her survival, and the urgency to seek transformation became clear. This lead her to the Betty Ford Centre — a decision that unquestionably saved her life.
She embarked on a journey of rehabilitation, overcoming one addiction and entering the world of therapy. Nonetheless, the next nine years marked the beginning of a new chapter, defined by dependence on an anxiety-prescribed drug. This transition set off a major struggle for her, resulting in a prolonged period of depression and weight gain.
Years later, Nicks would reflect on her addiction, saying that the only thing she regretted more was not quitting to have a baby.
