Fame is something that not everyone can handle. That being said, different people respond to stress differently.We are constantly hearing about celebrities going to rehabilitation centers, mainly Lindsay Lohan.
While the focus is on drugs such as marijuana, meth, etc., not all people go to rehab because of those reasons.
Rehab is for addictions. Some addictions may include sex and alcohol. Addiction is a drug. One can even look at it as a disease.
Demi Lovato checked herself into rehab last year because of emotional and physical issues. The Disney star was accused of assault by backup dancer Alex Welch while on the Jonas Brothers World Tour.
“Your support is what got me through this,” she said (via Cambio). “The journey has been very, very difficult the past few months. I was dealing with issues that I know not only girls just my age but of all ages are dealing with.”
Why do many addicts and alcoholics flock to that modality of drug treatment? Twelve-step drug rehabilitation programs have extremely low success rates. Many of these programs receive state funding and the required meetings are free.
But is addiction a disease? Does this belief aid the addict in overcoming the addiction?
Twelve-step programs emphasize that there is “no known cure.” This contributes to high relapse among members.
If an addict believes that he or she suffers from an incurable disease, his mindset is already preset for failure.
In 2003, the Baldwin Research Institute published an article, “Alcoholism: A Disease of Speculation” that declared that addiction is not a disease.
The article stated, “The disease concept has proven to be far more damaging to the substance abuser then anyone could have predicted.
Therapists claim the disease concept helps the patient to understand the seriousness of [his/her] problems. But in reality, this idea has backfired.
“The disease concept strips the substance abuser of responsibility. A disease cannot be cured by force of will.”
According to drugrehab.net, “Not only does the addict believe that he must abstain from drugs by sheer force of will, but he also believes that his addiction is a ‘disease,’ an ailment outside of his control.”
For some, “rehab” stands for “hip and trendy.” It’s close to impossible to ignore the level of media coverage celebrities receive when they enter rehab.
The value to the media in terms of viewers, as well as monetary gain is enormous. Therefore, the celebrity’s lifestyle will always be under a microscope.
It is not only the rehab story the media focuses on, but also what got them there. The media loves celebrities doing drugs and making sex tapes.
Perfect example: Lindsay Lohan. She may have not made it on Celebrity Rehab, yet, but it may be in her future. Not only will she get the exposure she may want, but also she could possibly be cured, somewhat. Over the past few years, Lohan has been in and out of jail and rehab.
That brings up the next issue. Someone can only be cured if they want to be cured, whether they go to rehab or not.
One can interpret addiction as a disease and a drug. Rehab could possibly be the cure for some, but not for all. The best way to not get addicted to drugs or whatever else is to not try it.
The media must accept their share of responsibility. Rehab is not a situation to be taken lightly and if celebrities get this message across, the battle against addiction will be closer to being won.