There's kind of an interesting story on cnn about how celebrities like Lohan are making rehab into a joke, which I think is sadly true.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/07/25/celebrities.rehab.reut/index.html

However, I always thought rehab is a joke, particularly when people are forced to go to rehab. No one's gonna change if they don't want to. And this is the situation criminals are often placed in....common crimes like DWI and drug possession often start out with a stint of probation, including time in rehab. The alternative is to go to jail.

I think the problem comes from people trying to treat addiction as a "disease" rather than a bad habit with physical side effects. Real diseases don't get cured by personal decisions.

Rehab isn't the joke, celebrities are the joke.

As for us normal people, I agree with your statement, mostly. Some people can actually change for the better, most will not however, and that is because alcoholism and addiction are actual diseases as far as I'm concerned.

There's kind of an interesting story on cnn about how celebrities like Lohan are making rehab into a joke, which I think is sadly true.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/07/25/celebrities.rehab.reut/index.html

However, I always thought rehab is a joke, particularly when people are forced to go to rehab. No one's gonna change if they don't want to. And this is the situation criminals are often placed in....common crimes like DWI and drug possession often start out with a stint of probation, including time in rehab. The alternative is to go to jail.

I think the problem comes from people trying to treat addiction as a "disease" rather than a bad habit with physical side effects. Real diseases don't get cured by personal decisions.I saw the son of Alex Baldwin on Larry King the other night. Only saw part of it. Think his name is Doug. He has been through rehab 9 times now.

His opinion (and it would certainly be an experienced one :D) is that the places that are set up for celebs cater to them. They leave to go out for lunch. They leave to go work out at their gym. You can keep your cell phone. In his opinion they are too catered to.

He says he did not get straight until he began to follow a hard line 12 step program.

These stars need people who are willing to get real with them and force them to get real with themselves.

It makes sense to me that much will depend upon the program. It also seems like if they are forced into rehab they are gonna cherry pick the place.

As for forcing people into the program I think yes, force them. Let them listen to others who have been where they are. Even if they get out and use immediately they have had some exposure to others who are now clean.

I believe it is a disease and that some people are just more prone to it genetically. I can't drink much. One or two glasses and I am done. One of my girlfriends can drink for hours and you would never know she had any alcohol in her at all. Her liver can process it better... I know her dad's sure could before it killed him.

And addiction is never cured. Like any other disease it too is affected by how one behaves: eats, drinks, works out etc. It is controlled but no dry alcoholic that I know will ever tell you they are cured. They are one drink away from total indulgence. One drink is too much, a thousand is not enough.

Rehab can be effective if the individual wants to do the work of facing themself honestly and changing. It can just be a way to evade responsibility for a crime if they don't want to do the work. It is worth trying a time or two as an alternative to sending someone to prison. After that, or in more severe cases, rehab can take place in prison.

Celebrities ARE a joke, but for regular people rehab and recovery are usually good things.

I should know, I've been attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings since I was a very small child and still do occasionally with my dad and step-mom. My step-mom, who became a PCP addict as a young woman, has now been clean and sober for longer than I've been alive - and yet she still goes to at least 2 meetings per week. Addiction is a lifelong disease without a cure, and most addicts recognize that. You relapse when you lose or abandon that support system of other recovering addicts.

My father has not been so fortunate. He has relapsed several times since I have been alive. This is because he has been cursed with a bad back and what I think is called degenerative disk disease. He has already had to have two surgeries on his neck/back and is looking at another one in the next few months. Unfortunately this means that he has to be on painkillers, generally narcotics, to even function normally. Since addiction is NEVER cured, painkillers evoke his brain's response to narcotics and generally make him go off the deep end and relapse, ending with shooting up heroin and smoking crack if someone doesn't catch him and put him in rehab in time. He's quite sneaky though, so this time my step-mom got smart and told him that he'd have to take urine tests and if they come up positive for anything but the medicine he's taking, she'll divorce him.

I know that was a little long-winded, but I think it's relevant.

Rehab can be effective if the individual wants to do the work of facing themself honestly and changing. It can just be a way to evade responsibility for a crime if they don't want to do the work. It is worth trying a time or two as an alternative to sending someone to prison. After that, or in more severe cases, rehab can take place in prison.Bingo!:drinktoth

Celebrities ARE a joke, but for regular people rehab and recovery are usually good things.

I should know, I've been attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings since I was a very small child and still do occasionally with my dad and step-mom. My step-mom, who became a PCP addict as a young woman, has now been clean and sober for longer than I've been alive - and yet she still goes to at least 2 meetings per week. Addiction is a lifelong disease without a cure, and most addicts recognize that. You relapse when you lose or abandon that support system of other recovering addicts.

My father has not been so fortunate. He has relapsed several times since I have been alive. This is because he has been cursed with a bad back and what I think is called degenerative disk disease. He has already had to have two surgeries on his neck/back and is looking at another one in the next few months. Unfortunately this means that he has to be on painkillers, generally narcotics, to even function normally. Since addiction is NEVER cured, painkillers evoke his brain's response to narcotics and generally make him go off the deep end and relapse, ending with shooting up heroin and smoking crack if someone doesn't catch him and put him in rehab in time. He's quite sneaky though, so this time my step-mom got smart and told him that he'd have to take urine tests and if they come up positive for anything but the medicine he's taking, she'll divorce him.

I know that was a little long-winded, but I think it's relevant.

It's more than relevant, DF... that's the whole point!

Rehab can be a life-saver for people like your dad. Even if he goes thru it 100 times, he's still ALIVE. Which is saying more than might be said if he was just allowed to have all the drugs he wanted with no consequences.

Concerning the 'meetings' -- I think some people get as addicted to them as they did to the drugs or alcohol. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does appear to be trading one addiction for another. Do you agree, DF?

Obviously, what celebs do is mostly use rehab to get out of trouble.

SMW

Concerning the 'meetings' -- I think some people get as addicted to them as they did to the drugs or alcohol. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does appear to be trading one addiction for another. Do you agree, DF?If I can cross talk and jump in: even if it is another addiction, and I allow that it well appears that way sometimes, no one is jailed for Driving Under the Influence of a Higher Power, as they see Him. Bus stops don't get mowed over by people working a 5th Step. And houses don't get burgled by folks trying to raise for for self-supported meetings! A good trade, all around, no?

If I can cross talk and jump in: even if it is another addiction, and I allow that it well appears that way sometimes, no one is jailed for Driving Under the Influence of a Higher Power, as they see Him. Bus stops don't get mowed over by people working a 5th Step. And houses don't get burgled by folks trying to raise for for self-supported meetings! A good trade, all around, no?

Agreed, Shiloh. Good addictions exist as well as bad... but they're still addictions. Heck, (notice I didn't say Hell), I've known people I thought were addicted to church!

SMW

Agreed, Shiloh. Good addictions exist as well as bad... but they're still addictions. Heck, (notice I didn't say Hell), I've known people I thought were addicted to church!

SMW

Hell yes there are good addictions. I know this girl, whom is addicted to sex, and well, I'm not complaining. Haha, really.

Hell yes there are good addictions. I know this girl, whom is addicted to sex, and well, I'm not complaining. Haha, really.Cute, but this can actually become a very real problem. Maybe not for you, but for her.

Cute, but this can actually become a very real problem. Maybe not for you, but for her.

I agree and actually it could become a problem for you Pyrex as sex addicts are rarely monogamous.

I think Celebrities use rehabilitation as a cover. To avoid bad press and to avoid criminal prosecution.

I can not for the life of me figure out why celebrities seem to have a high drug and alcohol usage rate. Maybe they don't. Maybe it's just because they are in the lime light. I'll have to do some reading. :P

I saw the son of Alex Baldwin on Larry King the other night. Only saw part of it. Think his name is Doug. He has been through rehab 9 times now.

His opinion (and it would certainly be an experienced one :D) is that the places that are set up for celebs cater to them. They leave to go out for lunch. They leave to go work out at their gym. You can keep your cell phone. In his opinion they are too catered to.

He says he did not get straight until he began to follow a hard line 12 step program.

These stars need people who are willing to get real with them and force them to get real with themselves.

It makes sense to me that much will depend upon the program. It also seems like if they are forced into rehab they are gonna cherry pick the place.

As for forcing people into the program I think yes, force them. Let them listen to others who have been where they are. Even if they get out and use immediately they have had some exposure to others who are now clean.

I believe it is a disease and that some people are just more prone to it genetically. I can't drink much. One or two glasses and I am done. One of my girlfriends can drink for hours and you would never know she had any alcohol in her at all. Her liver can process it better... I know her dad's sure could before it killed him.

And addiction is never cured. Like any other disease it too is affected by how one behaves: eats, drinks, works out etc. It is controlled but no dry alcoholic that I know will ever tell you they are cured. They are one drink away from total indulgence. One drink is too much, a thousand is not enough.

I completely agree with everything you've said, Sal. Well done! :thumbs: