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Charlie Sheen Rants Display the Need for Drug Rehab
By Stacy Barnes | March 3, 2011
A month ago Charlie Sheen was re-entering rehab, voluntarily even and for a brief moment it seemed like the actor was finally (and again) taking a step in the right direction.
“Charlie Sheen has voluntarily entered an undisclosed rehabilitation center today,” his rep Stan Rosenfeld said on Jan. 28. “He is most grateful to all who have expressed their concern.”
Enter the media frenzy responding to Charlie Sheen’s completely off-the-wall interview answers a month later and we can clearly see that Sheen did not take his rehab stint seriously, nor does he think he needs any outside help to cure his drug addiction, which he made very clear in his recent interview on The Today Show:
“I closed my eyes and in a nanosecond I cured myself.”
His interviews almost seem like they have been scripted, his answers so bizarre and out there it’s as if they were cleverly written for him. Another sitcom that his audience (our society) could sit back and laugh at, each line delivered better, each one funnier than the last. The sad thing is, this is real life.
“I am on a drug. It’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available. If you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.”
At this point, his loved ones have to be at a complete loss. Of course no one wants to point fingers and accuse someone of alcoholism or drug addiction, let alone tell a loved one they are not mentally stable and try to force him or her into an addiction treatment facility. And no one knows if Charlie Sheen really does know how to cure his drug problems with “my mind” or if his addiction is simply one to his own ego, aka the drug “Charlie Sheen”. But there is one thing a person cannot deny and that’s the behavior that they publicly display to the rest of the world. As much as Charlie Sheen wants to tell us that there is nothing wrong and he’s just enjoying life (while running on Tiger’s blood) a 36 hour bender with porn stars that lands you in the hospital combined with answering serious interview questions with things like “The run I was on made Sinatra, Jagger, Richards, look like droopy-eyed, armless children.” doesn’t exactly seem normal by any standards.
Getting a loved one help when they don’t think they need it is by far a difficult feat. The illness itself can cause a person to believe they are physically and mentally fine. They also may not see what they are doing as a problem per say or they may think that receiving help for their addiction is a sign of weakness. Some believe mental illness itself is a sign of weakness when in fact it’s considered a biological illness. Psychosis, which can go hand in hand with substance abuse, is a mental condition (sometimes seen in schizophrenia or bipolar disorders) in which someone loses touch with reality. In these cases, someone’s beliefs may become so distorted nothing can save him but psychological treatment in a qualified drug rehab.
There are no easy rules for helping a loved one, but there are ways you can address specific issues in hopes that they will get the help they need. Stating your observations can be effective. When these observations (not accusations) come from an outsider it may cause a person to become bitter and defensive, but when they hear the same things from loved ones, in other words people that they trust and who wouldn’t have any reason to lie, it may strike a different cord. Interventions and turning to other people yourself for support can also aid in talking to a loved one about their problem. Refrain from giving your loved one an ultimatum to get help and instead simply let them know how much they mean to you and remind them that you have faith in their ability to better their future.
In the end, being there for your friend or family member is the most important thing you can do and helping them realize that they may have a problem is a great first step towards their recovery. Unity Recovery Center has trained professionals waiting to help your loved one down their road to self-discovery and an addiction free life. If you need help referring a family member to rehab, please call us at our toll-free helpline at 877-772-5505 or visit our drug and alcohol rehab facility online.
Topics: Alcohol Rehab, Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehab, Substance Abuse | Comments Off
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