Elvis Presley's health deteriorated, mainly due to drug use, but the late King of Rock and Roll reportedly did not believe he had substance problems.
Elvis Presley's drug use has been a hot topic since his death on Aug. 16, 1977. He took prescription drugs to make himself fall asleep hours before his death.
His doctors eventually ruled his cause of death as a heart attack due to his addiction to prescription barbiturates. But before his passing, the late "Can't Help Falling in Love" hitmaker refused to believe he had problems with drugs.
Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla, revealed the details during his interview for David Ritz's book, "Elvis by the Presleys: Intimate Stories from Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, and Other Family Members." According to the matriarch, Elvis never saw himself as an addict in any way.
As for the reason why Elvis Presley refused to believe his problems with drugs, Priscilla said the singer thought everything was safe as he was taking prescription medicines.
Per the matriarch, that fact "made a big difference in his mind."
Presley even helped organizations and groups to fight the war on drugs across the US, showing that he truly had no idea he was getting addicted to substances.
"He hated street drugs and campaigned for their elimination. So how could he be an addict himself?" Priscilla continued. "[Elvis] refused to believe he had a problem."
Priscilla Presley Tried Saving Elvis Presley
Priscilla also opened up when he confronted her ex-husband to urge him to undergo intervention. She also tried to explain to him his unhealthy drug habits.
However, he just laughed off her plans.
She then shared a theory explaining why Presley became dependent on drugs over the years. Per Priscilla, the "You're the Devil in Disguise" hitmaker was hurting more and more in the years leading to her death.
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Presley's drug use reportedly began in 1973 around the time they got divorced. Unfortunately, no one was able to save him as he ultimately died inside his Memphis mansion. He was found dead on his bathroom floor.
Aside from his drug use, he also faced problems due to other health issues, including pneumonia, pleurisy, hepatitis, and an enlarged colon.
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