During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s Robert Downey Jr became better known for his drug and alcohol fueled legal issues than his work as an actor. In 1999, the once promising television and film actor had hit rock bottom, ultimately spending a year in a California prison. After a relapse in 2001, Downey spent a year in an extended residential treatment center and has maintained his sobriety ever since. This Spring, Downey will be starring in the much anticipated “Iron Man”, based on the Marvel comic books of the same name. There is something much different about Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, than other comic book heroes. All heroes seem to have their own demons, but Mr. Stark is a recovering alcoholic. This overtly human defect is largely what has made the “Iron Man” series so popular and what makes Downey so perfect for the role. The article below gives a glimpse into the film.

“The best and worst moments of Robert’s life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That’s Tony Stark. Robert brings a depth that goes beyond a comic-book character who is having trouble in high school, or can’t get the girl. Plus, he’s simply one of the best actors around.”

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Our hearts go out to Amy Winehouse, hit singer of the song "Rehab", and her friends and family.  Winehouse is the latest celebrity to have her drug use projected for the world to see.  She was photographed last week smoking crack cocaine at her home in London.  Family, friends, and fans of the singer have urged her to get help for some time now and Winehouse did enter treatment briefly last year, but left soon after.  We hope that Amy will decide to get some more help.

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Information on cocaine addiction treatment. 

Rehab was a very popular spot for celebrities over the course of 2007.  From Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan to John Goodman and "Miss America" Tara Connor, it seemed like more stars were seeking help than ever before (or society has been paying much more attention).  It is no surprise that TV executives have decided to capitalize on the "Rehab Craze" by putting out a show full of B-List celebrities trying to get sober.

At first "Celebrity Rehab", which appears on Thursday evenings on VH1, was thought to be a show of little substance bordering on the offensive, but it is far from that.  The show gives us a no-holds-bar look at various celebrities using drugs, detoxing and reaching for recovery with the help of Dr. Drew Pinsky and his Pasadena Recovery Center.

"I don't know how to stop drinking," adult film star Mary Carey tells Pinsky in one of the many one-on-one interviews that are a staple of the show.

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More information on alcohol addiction treatment.

Are we as a society obsessed with celebrities? Perez Hilton’s Hollywood gossip site had a record number of page views the day after Brittany Spears hit the news on January 4^th.   In the course of 24 hours, the site had over 10 million page views. To quote Perez “That’s insane!” 

A large percentage of people with drug and alcohol addicitons, both in recovery and not, are suffering from a dual diagnosis. This means they not only have substance abuse issues, but also issues concerning mental illness. The latest speculation on Britney Spears has been that she is in need of dual diagnosis treatment.  I hope and pray that Britney seeks help once again and that any underlying mental issues can be treated as well.

With the proper care and desire, even those with the most severe dual diagnosis can recover. 

According to Dr. Diana Kirschner, who has not treated Spears but is an expert on the subject, "people who show patterns of behavior like Britney are suffering from a dual diagnosis. They have both a substance abuse problem and a bipolar disorder or manic disorder."

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Nothing says drug addiction more than a needle and syringe. But that's exactly what two Baylor College of Medicine scientists based in Houston believe can help people with a cocaine addiction kick their habit. The researchers have developed a vaccine that creates antibodies that bind to the drug and prevent it from travelling from the bloodstream to the brain. The result?  The drug can’t produce a high because it can’t penetrate the brain. This would be quite incredible. Imagine a future where along with vaccinations for typical one time deadly childhood diseases such as measles and mumps, that vaccinations were also given that protected against future drug addiction…… Wow!

It's a very clever idea," says David Eagleman, a Baylor neuroscientist. "Scientists have spent the last few decades figuring out reward pathways in the brain and how drugs like cocaine hijack the system. It turns out those pathways are difficult to rewire once they've seen the drug. But the vaccine just circumvents all that."

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