New episodes of “True Life” are coming this month to MTV.  It’s award-winning, provocative television that has shown audiences the stories of people with drug and alcohol addictions. Fatal Dose, the shocking first episode,  is one of the most memorable in its depiction of heroin addiction, but other past episodes told the tales of being an alcoholic or hocked on OxyContin.

What do you think of reality shows like “True Life” and how they portray drugs and alcohol? Can you or do you know someone else who can relate to the stories about substance abuse in “True Life”? Or do you find that “True Life” just isn’t true enough?

Last year was a rough one for Lindsey Lohan. She was in and out of drug and alcohol rehab, with DUI charges against her. Ten months later, her past behavior is still catching attention. As reported by CNN, her mug shot from July 2007 was used in an anti-ignition lock device legislation advertisement that was paid for by the American Beverage Association. The ad argues that ignition-interlocking systems are a bad idea for casual, low-alcohol level drinkers and a good idea for someone with multiple DUI offenses, such as Lindsay Lohan.

The article raises a lot of really good questions about both alcohol and advertising. Is it fair for Lohan’s mug shot to be used in an advertising campaign when she is nearly a year free of DUI charges? Is it fair for the ad to be printed without letting the public know it was paid for by the American Beverage Association? Should ignition-interlocking systems be mandatory in all cars, just like seat-belts? Will these systems mean the end of drinking at parties and ballgames or will it just mean more responsible drinking?

What do you think?

With Major League Baseball starting anew, the headlines return to the Mitchell Report and visions of The Steroids Era are renewed in everyone’s minds. This year the league will have to work a little harder to test its athletes for illegally juicing up and to restore their credibility. The whole scenario has become a controversy. Some baseball fans wonder why is it that the athletes have to be tested for drugs? If it helps the players score big, why shouldn’t they take drugs?

Many steroids and other performance-enhancement drugs can be used legally to help treat people suffering from serious ailments. When someone healthy takes them, it is true that their muscles and bodies may become superhumanly strong, but it’s not without a price. The side-effects from using these drugs can be short and long term, and they can include serious conditions like liver and heart damage. For teens, the risks are most high, because they can stop bone growth and cause other hormonal complications during the most critical growing period of a teenager’s lifecycle.

Despite the health consequences, there is also the ethical dilemma. Using drugs is against the rules of the game, it’s illegal, and it showcases the players as poor role models for the young adult fans. Athletes, in any sport, should be proud to play clean and to win thanks to their own hard work.

Actress Kirsten Dunst has checked in to rehab and is also apparently involved in a rehab romance. It is not known who this mystery man is but relationships while in drug and alcohol rehab is never a good idea. There are multiple reason why, but the most important are because the addict needs to focus on herself. Part of any successful rehab program requires that the addict do self-realization activities in order for that person to understand why he or she started using drugs and/or alcohol. When a person’s attention is focused on someone else, there is little time left for the all-important self-reflection.

Another reason why a person in rehab should not be involved in a rehab romance is because when the relationship in question turns sour, a relapse could, and often is, triggered. Not only is the addict not making recovery the priority, he or she hides the ugly side of addiction. It is human nature to show a more favorable side when starting a new relationship. This is normally innocent but admitting the negative sides of oneself is crucial for any shot at sobriety once outside of treatment.

The U.N. drug control agency has issued its annual report and in it they condemned celebrities for their drug abuse and the judicial system for its leniency toward them. “Cocaine-abusing celebrities are glamorizing the use of narcotics and encouraging more young people to use illegal substances,” the United Nations has warned. The International Narcotics Control Board says that celebrities should be treated the same as non-celebrities and this leniency is sending the wrong message about our judicial system to the public while it encourages teens to abuse drugs, thinking they will also be able to get away with it.

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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Gatehouse Academy is an extended care treatment center for young men and women in need of long term drug rehab or alcohol rehab. We offer the opportunity for young adults from the ages of 17-25 to learn life skills, continue formalized education, enhance physical well-being, and recover from the detrimental effects of chemical dependency.

If you have any questions please contact us.

The long time feud between Lindsay Lohan and her father seems to be over.  Her father reportedly visited her in rehab yesterday.  This is very positive for Lindsay as addiction is a "family disease" and working things out with loved ones is vital to a successful recovery.

Michael Lohan’s much anticipated reunion with his estranged daughter finally happened in the confinement of the rehabilitation clinic where Lindsay Lohan has been recovering over the last several weeks.

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