Celebrity Rehab Sober House

It’s coming! If you liked VH1’s Celebrity Rehab Season 2 with all your favorite underdogs—Amber Smith, Steven Adler, Nicki McKibbin, Jeff Conaway, Sean Stewart, Rodney King, Tawny Kitaen—then you’ll be happy to hear that VH1’s latest little celebreality venture will bring back some of your favorites in Celebrity Rehab Sober House.

Who Will Be On Celebrity Rehab Sober House?

We’ve got a lot of people from Season 2 like Steven Adler, Rodney King, Nicki McKibbin and Amber Smith but we’ve also got some from Season 1 like Mary Carey and Seth “Shifty” Binzer. Well, technically, Shifty was on both Seasons 1 and 2. But there’s promise of lots of drama, an arrest for possession and more than a few episodes focusing on the antics of those who don’t stay sober at the house.

How is Celebrity Rehab Sober House Different from Celebrity Rehab?

Well, for one thing, there’s not the same focus on treatment and recovery in Celebrity Rehab Sober House as there was on the Celebrity Rehab show. Dr. Drew will make a few appearances and comment on the action, but he won’t be as present in the day to day workings of the establishment as he was on the first incarnation of the Celebrity Rehab. No more cameras horning in on personal one on one therapy sessions and no group therapy sessions, I don’t believe. They will actually be able to leave the house and go out if they wish as long as they’re home by curfew. They’ll be expected to hold down jobs, real jobs despite the fact that most of them have few if any skills outside of their skills as entertainers.

The Only Issue Is…

Like the Celebrity Rehab show, it doesn’t seem to be long enough or restrictive enough or… helpful enough. It seems a little exploitative, to be honest. Though it’s true that most sober living facilities are far less restrictive than rehab facilities, most people who enter them have undergone extensive inpatient drug addiction treatment. They are still new in recovery but they have more than a few weeks or a month sober and are slightly better prepared to make the next right choice that will keep them clean and sober. “Slightly” may not sound like much, but it’s a lot during the first year of recovery. Watch it and tell me what you think.

Check out graduation for the Season 2 guys and get a preview of Celebrity Rehab Sober House!

Drug and alcohol addiction doesn’t just run through your life in a simple straight line. It has ups, downs, stops, starts, and even twists. You will likely need a variety of drug treatment options throughout your life, including times of sobriety and relapse. This is a brief overview of the kinds of drug treatment and support available across the United States today.

Residential Drug Rehab

A residential drug rehab center is the most formal and structured types of of drug treatment. A person is admitted and lives on the campus, usually with very limited or no freedom to come and go off the property. What a person staying in a drug rehab center gives up in freedoms, they gain in professional and co-resident support and attention.

Some drug rehab centers have features such as a holistic treatment approach, large private grounds, and sometimes luxurious rooms and landscaping. In addition to top-level drug treatment, some drug rehabs offer nutritional counseling, exercize programs, and yoga classes.

Sober Living Homes

Sober Living is a type of living arrangement for drug addiction recovery. It has more freedoms than a residential drug treatment but offers more structure and guidance than completely independent living.

It’s a great choice for a person who has completed a more formal structured drug treatment program but isn’t quite ready for the openness of living back at home. Sober living allows residents to establish good independent living habits in a home-like environment.

Outpatient Drug Treatment

Outpatient drug treatment is a good option for someone who is able to live in their home environment while participating in regular treatment. It can vary from once a week to a more intense schedule of two or three times a week. Intensive outpatient treatment groups commonly go several weeks with several meetings per week.

Individual sessions can be done while in the midst of a group treatment series. Or, they can stand alone for a person who still needs professional support and help but does not have the need for an intense treatment regimen. Male and female counselors of all ages are available around the United States. It’s important to find a good fit between you and your drug treatment counselor.

Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous

Whatever type of addiction you have, there is probably some form of support group that fits you. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two well known groups across the United States and beyond. A group for family member of addicts is known as Al Anon.

Over the last few years, the internet has allowed for a tremendous expansion of online support groups. It’s been appealing to people not living close to an active group, people who haven’t found a helpful group in their neighborhood, or people who simply prefer the online format. Whatever your preferences, it is simply best that you find a support group that works for you and that you commit yourself to it.

Drug Treatment Options Cover Everyone’s Needs

Whether you need a full drug rehab center experience or you are in the midst of maintaining your sobriety, today’s drug treatment options cover a wide spread of needs. If you think you are in need of drug treatment, contact The Canyon to find answers to your questions.

You probably know someone in your life (now or in the past) that really needs to go to alcohol treatment. They probably deny they have a problem, say they could quit drinking any time they want to, and maybe portray themselves as someone who “goes with flow.” However, these could be signs of a person needing alcohol rehab. Loss of control with drinking is a big sign of a problem. Alcoholics become good at distracting others from their behaviors with nice promises and smooth explanations. Look past these comments if you have concern – believe your eyes, not your ears.

Multiple Failed Attempts To Quit or Cut Back Drug and Alcohol Use

An alcoholic may say they can quit anytime and that they don’t have a problem. However, a clear sign of alcoholism is the inability to actually quit. In fact when they say they’ve quit several times before (as proof that they can), it really show shows that they can’t maintain sobriety.

This also holds true for just cutting back to a more healthy social amount. If they have already gotten out of control with their habits, this is kind of like trying to get the cat back into the bag after it’s been used to being out. Very difficult to do alone. Alcoholics drink as a coping mechanism, so really, they don’t have much motivation to quit or reduce their drinking until they understand the full scope of their problem. In the short term, less drinking means they aren’t able to get as numb as they are used to.

It’s About Impulse Control

Someone says, “Hey, let’s go to the bars,” or “Have another one,” and the alcoholic has little ability to stop themselves. The impulse wins nearly every time because their skill at delaying gratification or using good judgment about drinking has been disabled.

It’s partly because one strong effect of alcohol in the body is a loss of impulse control. A person who normally only has one or two can have this effect for a short time without completely losing their ability to make good choices. Of course, anyone having even one drink needs to be smart about choosing to drive each and every time. But if their pattern is controlled social drinking, it is likely to stay that way over time.

Poor Judgement On When To Say When

An earlier post described how alcoholics have great difficulty tracking the amount they drink. They may say they’ve only had “a few” but they may have actually had several times that amount. Their tolerance is probably higher, so they may not report as much impairment as a true social drinker. However, that does not mean they are actually less impaired.

A person drinking socially and safely generally has a good sense about their physical sensations, knowing they should keep track, and understanding how their drinking fits into the bigger picture of their activities for the day. In other words, they most likely know if they are drinking socially before they get on the road, they will only be able to have a certain amount within a certain amount of time so they can drive safely. An alcoholic has no ability to do this.

Alcohol Rehab Can Get Life Back In Control

Of course, nobody is ever completely in control of their life. That’s pretty unrealistic. However, everyone has a great deal of control about their behaviors and choices. Losing control of the ability to manage alcohol use is destructive and sometimes deadly. Alcohol rehab can restore a person’s ability to monitor themselves and make good choices.

Here are a few numbers and statistics according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) about drug and alcohol addiction as well as the number of those who are seeking treatment.

* 22 million Americans have a substance abuse or dependency problem
* Only 2.5 million of them enter a hospital or clinic for treatment
* Number one drug of abuse in the United States: Marijuana
* Number two drug of abuse in the United States: prescription painkillers
* The amount that the U.S. Federal Government will spend fighting drug abuse: $12 billion

The Problem With Statistics

Dr. Wilson Compton is the director of the Division of Epidemiology Services and Prevention Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. He says, “The bottom line is, we learn about drug use by asking people about their behaviors. But because it’s survey research, there are multiple ways it can be improved.”

The problem with this is that there’s no way to know who’s telling the truth, who’s embellishing, who’s claiming an addiction problem when there isn’t one present or, more likely, claiming no problem with drug abuse or addiction when there is one. Hoping for a more truthful result, SAMHSA began using handheld computers so that people could answer the questions without facing another human in a face to face survey. They’ve also begun offering $30 as an incentive to get people to respond. And now, translation of Spanish answers that vary from Puerto Rico versus Cuba or Mexico is their current issue.

These surveys are cross referenced by checking the number of drug-related arrests in the area, drug seizures, emergency room visits related to drug use, abuse and/or overdose, mandatory drug tests at local companies, and deaths due to overdose. Of course, dealers and addicts who manage to stay below the radar are not counted.

New and Innovative Ways of Tracking Drug Addiction

One new way of determining who’s doing what and where is by taking samples from untreated sewage in a community and testing for the chemicals that the body creates when processing certain drugs. It’s very region specific and only tells the story of a short period but with regular samples, it could give a good indication of drug use in a particular area.

Changing Definitions and Drug Statistics

The other issue with statistics on drug abuse and addiction once the numbers are in is the language itself. American society tends to change its definitions of what constitutes abuse versus addiction, even whether or not something is a drug or not. Even if it is classified as a drug medically, many have a lax attitude about the harmful nature of certain drugs. For example, many don’t believe that marijuana is addictive or even consider alcohol a drug because of its legal status.

Have you ever answered one of these surveys? Where do you fit in the statistics?

The bigger they are, tnd he harder they fall. This phrase could easily describe some of the celebrities that have fallen into the drug addiction lifestyle. Even a minor celebrity experiences more of their life in the public eye than most people do in their entire lives. This plus inherited factors, plus connections with free-flowing sources of drugs and alcohol – it can all add up to time in drug rehab.

Celebrity Drug Rehab on VH1

The famous Celebrity Drug Rehab show has brought attention to many famous people struggling with addiction. Some celebrities have made positive change, others seem to demonstrate just how deeply they are tormented.

The most recent “reunion” is of the 2007 series, reviewed in more detail here in the Meditox blog. Of the celebrity attendees, Bridgette Nielson (actress), Ricco Rodriguez (fighter), and Seth Binzer (Shifty from Crazytown, musician) all seemed to have the most positive outcomes.

Unfortunately, some celebrities like Steven Baldwin (actor) and Jessica Sierra (Am Idol) were absent. Those on “in between” ground included Chyna (wrestler), Jeff Conoway (actor), and Mary Carey (actress). Unfortunately, one child star appeared to go back to active drug use – Jaimee Foxworth (actress) from the show Family Matters.

Media Articles and Pictures Of Celebrity Drug Rehab and AddictionIt’s been hard to escape footage and photos of Amy Winehouse and her scattered appearance. Media has even helped expose her drug use. There’s an infamous shot of her doing drugs outside while appearing half-dressed. Nick Nolte had an exceptionally unflattering photo from a DUI arrest a few years back – wild hair and an odd facial expression included.

Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr, Natalie Cole, and Drew Barrymore appear to have maintained sobriety and pulled their lives in good directions. Of course, anyone with an addiction history is at risk for relapse and should always be proactive about their sobriety. However, the headlines have not tracked recent drug addiction problems for any of them lately.

Drew and Natalie have the longest period of sobriety of these four people. They have established good consistent performing careers and have spoken out about their drug rehab experiences. Robert Downey, Jr. spent time in drug rehab and jail several times. However, he has had a recent surge in his career along with maintaining five years of sobriety.

Lindsay seems to have held together about 18 months of sobriety to this point. Her last arrest and drug rehab was in the summer of 2007, and it was reported that in August of 2008 she had hired a sober companion to help her remain sober.

Celebrities Benefit From Drug Rehab And So Can You

Ultimately, it’s important to realize that celebrities are people with the same kinds of vulnerabilities as anyone. However, they also have the added pressure of doing it all in front of everyone. While many people would love the rich lifestyle a lot of celebrities have, not many would want the added scrutiny that celebs go through when they go through drug rehab, get tangled in legal problems, and fall apart in the public eye.

That said, it seems that many celebrities have also found help by going to drug rehab. Celebrity drug rehab has all the added health and esthetic benefits of a spa, coupled with top-notch drug treatment. You can experience the privacy of a holistic celebrity drug rehab at The Canyon, but without the paparazzi after you finish.

It’s probably not a shock to learn that there is an issue with prescription drug abuse and addiction in the Army. It’s probably not even very shocking to learn that when soldiers can’t get what they need from their prescription that they’re buying pills not only from each other but from commanding officers as well. No community is immune to drug abuse and addiction, especially one that is fraught with injuries like any of our country’s armed forces. It’s not the fault of the Army, nor the men and women who are enlisted. It almost seems like an occupational hazard of sorts. So what is the Army doing about it?

The Army’s Way of Dealing With Prescription Drug Abuse

Court martial! That’s right. If you’re addicted to prescription drugs and you’re in the Army, you’re going to trial if you’re caught using your medication in any way that is not exactly according to prescription and you might end up dishonorably discharged. Everyone seems to know that this is problematic, but no one seems to know how to change the policy.

Dr. Les McFarling heads the Army’s substance abuse treatment program and says, “You can put soldiers at risk when you’re managing their pain.”

What The Critics Say About the Army’s Drug Abuse Policies

Those who disagree with the way the Army handles soldiers who are struggling with prescription drug addiction are calling their policies ‘a broken system.’ Rather than viewing the problem of addiction as a health issue, the Army tends to view it as a discipline issue. Reduction in rank or pay or dishonorable discharge won’t help a medical problem that requires medical treatment.

There are cases pending across the country in which whistle blowing soldiers claim that the Army is exhibiting misconduct in some of its drug abuse policies. In certain cases, the Army is considering the abolishment of its policy of notifying a commanding officer when a soldier voluntarily requests ASAP counseling. In one case at Fort Leonard Wood, soldiers claim that cases are being misfiled as non-addicted in order to keep the case load down for the understaffed substance abuse department. Also cited is the fact that one of the employees in that department lacks the required mental health certification.

The Stats on Army Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction

Army records show that the use of legitimate painkillers by troops injured in the line of duty has increased by about 70 percent in the past six years. Surveys of soldiers show that the issue of prescription drug addiction has increased accordingly, but they aren’t sitting back and accepting it; they’re looking for help from Army medical professionals and counselors. Enrollment in the Army’s ASAP counseling program is also at its highest in the past six years since the beginning of the Iraq war.

Whether it’s right or wrong may not be the issue across the organization, but if it’s not working, then something must be fixed. Anyone know any more about these cases?

Bulemia, anorexia, drug addiction, and alcoholism. All of these problems are about compulsion and a quick emotional fix. They devistate lives and create years of emotional pain. Many people seek eating disorder treatment or drug rehab more than once. You might be surprised to learn how similar these problems really are.

Addiction Is Empty Shortcut To Happiness

True happiness and content is from doing healthy things. People are rewarded by their body in the form of positive emotions, pleasant physical sensations, and good thoughts. Exercise, eating in a healthy way, having fun, being passionate, finding love, they all trigger the body’s reward system. These actions are perpetuated because of the reward and because they are good for human beings in general.

Addiction shortcuts around the positive healthy reactions, directly stimulating the reward center of the brain. Of course, when a person is rewarded, they tend to want to keep doing the thing that produced the reward. Enjoy a good meals every day, enjoy time with friends, spend time doing things you are passionate about. Or, for a drug addict, keep taking more and more drugs to get the emotional and physical rewards.

Quick Fix Approach Linked With Addictive Behaviors and Neurochemicals

Eating disorders are similar to addictions in that they also use artificial quick-fixes to get rewards. Their personality and patterns rely on lots of rewards and instant gratification. Eating disorders and addictions are compulsions, meaning a person loses control and centers their entire life around their dysfunctional activities. People with eating disorders and addictions also report a great deal of anxiety. They also report that their nerves are calmed by drinking, drug use, or misuse of food.

Both eating disorders and addictions have been linked with changes in neurochemicals in the brain. Of course, if a person is at risk for one problem they may be at a risk for the other. People can even have co-occuring eating disorders and addiction. The neurochemical changes can go both ways – addicted person developing an eating disorder, or a person with an eating disorder developing an addiction.

A person with either a drug addiction or an eating disorder often go to great lengths to maintain their compulsion. They can and often do develop increasingly severe behaviors and consequences as a result. Sadly, addictions and eating disorders are tremendously difficult to give up. They sometimes damage their body so badly that they put their very life at risk. Sometimes even this does not keep them from continuing.

Eating Disorder Treatment Has Similarities To Addiction Treatment

From recent research, it appears that eating disorders can be successfully treated if they are approached as an addiction. Many of the mental and emotional components are similar. Drug treatment and eating disorder treatments can be done on an outpatient or residential basis. Relapse happens with both disorders, and management is generally lifelong for both.

As you can see, both eating disorders and drug addictions are serious health problems. Both drug rehab and residential eating disorder treatment can turn someone’s life around, maybe save their life. Specialized treatment for co-occuring issues like an eating disorder and an addiction can be found at The Canyon. No need to go to a separate eating disorder facility and drug rehab center.

Drug Rehab and Eating Disorder Treatment In One Place

Your ideal treatment option is the Canyon where co-occuring disorders are treated simultaneously. Dual disorders are nothing to mess with on your own. If you know you are at rock bottom and need eating disorder and drug rehab together, contact the Canyon today.