Woes multiply for Grammy-winning Winehouse

Winehouse, born to a pharmacist mother and taxi-driver father, grew up in the London suburbs and attended performing arts schools. She found critical and commercial success with the release of her first album, the jazzy "Frank," when she was just 20 years old. But even then her alleged drug use was becoming fodder for London tabloids.

Dr. Charles Sophy, an addiction specialist who works with celebrity clients, said that shining moments can often cause a relapse: "The trigger can be the emotional discomfort of things being happy ... it becomes that uncomfortable self-sabotoge where they don't know how to deal with something so wonderful and they get scared."

When Winehouse performed at the Grammys from London via satellite, taking a respite from rehab, some wondered whether that distraction was wise for someone battling a serious addiction. Now that she is attempting to resume performing, the question remains.

But Sophy said it could be a boost for Winehouse to do something that reaffirms a positive aspect of her life: "Anybody building on their strengths is the best thing to do."

In addition, Krim believes Winehouse's management and record label have her best interests in mind: "If they're going to have her perform on (the Mandela show), I think the people around her feel she's ready to do it."

She may be ready for Friday's performance, but doubts linger about when — or if — she'll be ready to resume her career. She had been working in the studio but reportedly stopped even before her recent hospitalization: Producer Mark Ronson, who won a Grammy for his work with the singer, recently said she wasn't "ready to record any music."

Meanwhile, her near-tragic personal life is keeping her in the headlines. If her troubles remain, the public may lose interest in that part of her life, too.

"This is very early in a career to have now to deal with all of this stuff," said Light, pointing out celebrities who have had monumental crashes — Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and even Britney Spears — were in the public eye for years before their downturns.

"Once you've been a train wreck longer than you've been the pop star," he said, "I don't know how long people really care."

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