June 2005

Secret Keepers in the News

by John Prin
Addiction Counselor
Did you hear about the daughter of the Guinness brewery family whose husband died secretly from a multiple drug overdose? That's right, Catherine Hesketh said she "had no idea my husband took drugs" and found the father of three, 48, dead from a mixture of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol after locking himself in a bedroom of their manor estate in Wiltshire, England. She expressed shock that he could have been taking drugs without her knowing: "I have never seen him take drugs," she said. *

Did you hear about the Minnesota State Trooper who received 34 letters of commendation for meritorious service but was charged with seven counts of sexual contact with a 14 year-old neighbor girl? Lt. Scott Trautner, 40, faces a 12-year prison sentence if convicted. His chief found the charges hard to believe and said, "These charges are counter intuitive to the stellar 19-year professional career of Lt. Trautner, who has an exemplary record of service for our agency." **

These are just two of the thousands of high-functioning folks whose double lives caused them, and loved ones, anguish and harm. They show the effects of secret- keepingSM behavior on the persons closest to the individuals, and the irony of such privileged and decorated people having such dark secret lives -- as I myself once did until I learned to conquer the same secret-keepingSM syndrome. If I can help you, or someone you know with similar impulses, please be in touch.

Email John Prin your thoughts.

You can also reach me at 952-941-1870 or read my books, Stolen Hours: Breaking Free From Secret Addictions. and the sequel, Secret Keeping: Overcoming Hidden Habits and Addictions.

* London Daily Mail, June 7, page 27
** Mpls. Star Tribune, June 10, page B7