
Drug abuse was rampant on The Brady Bunch. No, it wasn’t written in the script, and it wasn’t a load of subliminal messages in the writing. It was in hiding, but it was serious.
You see, Maureen McCormick, the actress who played the famous character of Marsha Brady, was suffering from drug abuse. This abuse was occurring while she was filming the show.This is the perfect cross comparison of how drug abuse can be hidden from others. Maureen McCormick was a national figure; the Brady Bunch was a huge phenomenon. The show continues to air through re-runs today. Everyone knows of the Brady Bunch, and how badly Jan hated Marsha (who hasn’t heard of “Marsha Marsha Marsha!”?). No one suspects the drug abuse was something that was running rampant through one of the characters.
While some may chalk up the drug addiction to the time period in American society, it is still something serious. While she is now clean, McCormick had to deal with rehab to take care of her drug abuse. Some may argue that it was the spotlight that forced her into drug abuse. Others may speculate that it was the stardom that lead her to the people who would get her into drug abuse.
In the end, however, it doesn’t matter. McCormick’s example shows that anyone can easily fall into drug abuse. Substance abuse is dangerous and harmful; the scariest aspect, however, is the fact that it can happen to anyone, and can easily be hidden. Even on a national stage, McCormick managed to hide her drug abuse from everyone. Although she is currently clean, her example should still ring true for those around someone who may be into drug abuse. You might not see it, you might not notice it or expect it, but it could be there.
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