VH1 will roll out a new Dr. Drew-hosted show, but this time those receiving addiction treatment in front of the cameras will be regular people.

What is the VH1 show Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew without the celebrities? Rehab With Dr. Drew. After recent speculation about the future of Celebrity Rehab, which was noticeably absent from the spring and summer schedule, the network announced that Dr. Drew Pinsky will host a new show tentatively titled Rehab With Dr. Drew that focuses on regular people undergoing treatment for addiction.

Those real-life participants will be young adults – the network’s core demographic – but we’ll still get the same voyeuristic view of the detox and treatment process that we witnessed on Celebrity Rehab. The show will begin airing in summer 2012, introducing audiences to Dr. Drew’s first cast of non-celeb 20- and 30-somethings hoping to get clean and gain a fresh start.

In a statement issued by Pinsky, he said, “the stigma and shame associated with drug and alcohol addiction prevents many from getting the help that they need. It is my sincere hope that this show will encourage people who are struggling to seek the help. Treatment works and there is hope and recovery is possible.”

The original show came under fire from some critics for making the treatment process public, with experts weighing in on the effect that could have on those in the program and their future chance at sobriety. In addition, two Celebrity Rehab alums died in 2011 from addiction-related causes. Former Alice In Chains bassist Mike Starr died in March of an overdose while actor Jeff Conaway died of an infection after years of health problems that led to and exacerbated his opiate abuse. Of course, the show has also had several celebrity success stories.

Addiction Rehab at The Canyon

If you or someone you love needs help with drug or alcohol addiction, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about addiction treatment, financing or insurance.

Dr. Drew and his crew aren’t scheduled to return in 2012, but VH1 isn’t saying the show’s been cancelled.

The official word from VH1 is that the popular show Celebrity Rehab is not cancelled, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are no current plans for it to air in 2012. This has some people questioning whether VH1 has quietly pulled the plug on the show and its spin-off, Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House.

While the Dr. Drew-hosted show has been popular, drawing a lot of publicity for the network, the idea of taking the very private process of substance abuse treatment public and showing it on the small screen has been questioned. Proponents argue that the celebrities who appear on the show ARE getting professional help — despite the cameras.
Tragedy struck last year, though, when two previous participants died. Jeff Conaway, who appeared on season two of Celebrity Rehab, passed away from complications from taking prescription medications. Season three participant and former Sober House resident Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr died after mixing Xanax and alcohol.

The network aired five seasons of Celebrity Rehab, including two editions in 2010, EW.com reported. The show, set at Southern California’s Pasadena Recovery Center, was considered a success for the network, averaging about 1 million viewers per episode, higher than the network’s 600,000 primetime average.

The shows could still return, but they remain off the schedule for now and Dr. Drew is currently focusing on his daytime CW talk show, Lifechangers.

Drug and Alcohol Rehab at The Canyon

If you or someone you love needs help with drug or alcohol abuse, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

What does the New Year mean for you? It’s not too late to set goals to take you to the next level in 2012.

As we begin another new year, TV shows, magazines, newspapers and the Web are filled with ideas for creating a new you, keeping resolutions, making changes inside and out. They shout at you with promises of 10 easy steps or five quick tips.

For those in recovery, every day is New Year’s Day – another chance to start fresh, to make positive choices and to claim victory over substance abuse or alcohol addiction. Anyone working a program knows change isn’t a one-time thing, it’s a daily process. There are no shortcuts and no quick fixes. A healthy, substance-free life is hard work. But the rewards are oh-so worth it.

That said, the New Year does provide a unique opportunity to take stock. It’s a good time to examine patterns and routines that could use some tweaking or set new goals that can take you to the next level.

You overcame your addiction, facing it head on. Now what healthy, new challenges do you want to tackle in 2012?

Addiction Help at The Canyon

If you or someone you love needs help with alcohol addiction or drug abuse issues, call The Canyon at the toll-free number on our homepage. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

Comedian Darrell Hammond’s new book tells the behind-the-scenes story of abuse and addiction that fueled his need to be funny and how he eventually achieved sobriety.

There’s a dark side to comedy, and Saturday Night Live alum Darrell Hammond is speaking out about it. In his raw, honest new memoir, God If You’re Not Up There, I’m F–ked, SNL’s longest-running cast member admits to struggling with alcoholism, crack and cutting.

Hammond doesn’t blame the popular comedy show for any of his issues, though. His demons date back much further than his SNL days, stemming from an abusive childhood, which he also addresses in the book. “I don’t have anything bad to say about anyone [at SNL],” he told the New York Post, adding, “They all really went above and beyond the call for me.”

Hammond, who appeared on the show for 14 seasons — 270 appearances – found fame with his hilarious impressions of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Sean Connery and others. But at the same time he was making America laugh, he was fighting to suppress his childhood trauma. Some of the book’s more shocking admissions include being taken from the NBC building in a straightjacket, keeping a pint of Remy in his desk at work to quiet the disturbing images in his head, and cutting himself when alcohol didn’t work to numb the pain.

Cocaine use turned to addiction in 2002 for Hammond, escalating to crack use in 2009, during his final season on SNL. After finding himself in a crack house in Harlem, he went to rehab. Like so many who seek help for addiction, Hammond faltered in 2010, relapsing with Vicodin. He re-entered treatment that same year, and this time it stuck.

His newfound sobriety has led to a fulfilling second act for Hammond. He starred this past summer as Truman Capote in a one-man show in New England, and is now making the rounds promoting his book. He’s also involved in fellow comedian Will Ferrell’s “Funny or Die” website.

Alcohol Rehab

If you or someone you love is in need of alcohol rehab or help with co-occurring disorders, call The Canyon at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

The Blink-182 drummer overcame a painkiller addiction in the wake of the horrific accident that nearly took his life in 2008.

Three years after the South Carolina plane crash that killed four and critically injured Travis Barker and DJ AM, Barker is speaking out about the positive changes that resulted from the horrific accident.

The heavily tattooed, hard-rocking musician told Rolling Stone he’s been vegan since leaving the hospital where he was treated for severe burns suffered in the crash. He also makes exercise more of a priority. But the most important change was probably weaning himself off the prescription medication he was dependent on before the accident.

“In the hospital, I promised myself that if I ever walked again, that I would eat well and swim every day. Before the plane crash, I was battling a painkiller addiction. For years,” he says. “I can proudly say I didn’t even take any pain medication after I got out of the hospital. They told me I’d be on some of the medicine for the rest of my life, but I got off all of them. They made me a completely different person.”

Barker, 35, admitted one other change that resulted from the crash. He no longer flies, limiting his touring opportunities. It’s something he hopes to eventually overcome, though.

Prescription Drug Addiction

If you or someone you love is in need of prescription addiction treatment or help with other substance abuse issues, call The Canyon at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

New research shows that substance abuse is not a weakness of character or a choice but a clinical disease in need of professional treatment.

It’s official: the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has officially recognized that addiction is not solely related to substance misuse and is, in fact, a chronic brain disease.

For decades, addiction specialists and those battling substance abuse have had to fight against the stigma that addiction is some sort of character flaw or personal weakness. But experts have long known that “at its core, addiction isn’t just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It’s a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas,” ASAM Past President Michael Miller, MD, said in a news release.

“The disease is about brains, not drugs. It’s about underlying neurology, not outward actions,” added Dr. Miller, who oversaw the development of the new addiction definition.

This new definition of addiction was based on findings from brain circuitry studies prompted by more than 80 experts who came together four years ago to begin the process. Previous research has shown that addiction affects neurotransmission in the reward area of the brain, triggers craving of addictive behaviors based on memories of previous experiences, and alters areas that govern impulse control and judgment.

Addiction Definition

Highlights of the new definition include a description of addiction as a primary disease, which means “it’s not the result of other causes such as emotional or psychiatric problems.” ASAM also notes that addiction is a chronic condition, and so should be treated, managed and monitored over a lifetime. The new definition also acknowledges that the disease drives behaviors that others might not understand. It also makes clear that addiction is not a choice, even though choice plays an important role in getting help.

Experts hope this new definition will help decrease the stigma of addiction. By decreasing the stigma, treatment professionals believe it will lessen the barriers to individuals getting the help they need.

Drug Addiction

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National Recovery Month aims to bring hope to the issue of substance abuse, despite a continuing perception problem.

It’s National Recovery Month, a time to shine a light on the problem of addiction and celebrate the heroes who are winning their battle with substance abuse every day. Unfortunately, unlike cancer or heart disease, substance abuse must overcome a perception problem that has many viewing it as a character flaw rather than a disease. When it comes to addiction, there’s the erroneous thinking that the sufferer’s behavior alone is to blame, that addiction is a matter of choice. For those who heroically fight every day to stay sober, they know that couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s similar to the problem faced when AIDS first came to light. Many Americans felt detached from a disease that seemed highly concentrated in the gay community and even laid some blame on those who were sick. As time went on and AIDS’ reach was felt everywhere, support grew. Today, education campaigns have done their job and AIDS is battled aggressively and sufferers are treated compassionately. Those fighting the disease of addiction are simply hoping for that same kind of support and understanding.

Many entertainment programs and websites are only too happy to post unflattering mug shots or photos and speculate about a celebrity’s addiction issues. There is much less reporting about substance abuse success stories. Fortunately, National Recovery Month 2011 aims to change that. This year’s theme — Prevention Works, Treatment Is Effective, People Recover — takes a hopeful approach by showcasing all we have to celebrate.

At the top of that list is the reality that treatment has come a long way in recent years, with experts gaining a better understanding of how addiction works and the relationship between substance abuse and mental health issues. Studies estimate that more than half of all addicts also suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder. When treated together in a “dual diagnosis” model, treatment success rates increase greatly. We are also seeing the social stigma around addiction and mental health disorder decrease as education increases.

Drug Treatment

If you or someone you love is in need of drug treatment, alcohol treatment or other help, call The Canyon at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

What do you think are some common misconceptions that people have about addiction?