Celebrity Drug Overdose-Who’s Really Responsible?
By Stacy Barnes | March 23, 2011
In 1962, Marilyn Monroe overdosed on Pentabarbital, aka Nembutal and Chloral hydrate (sleeping pills). She was found dead at the age of 36 in her Los Angeles home. While her “barbituate poisoning” was deemed a possible suicide, many still speculate that it was an accidental overdose.
On February 8, 2007, the controversial TV personality and model, Anna Nicole Smith, was found dead in a Florida hotel. Contributing to her overdose were eleven drugs that included Klonopin, Ativan, Serax, and Valium, all of which had been prescribed to her by her doctor.
The list of celebrity overdoses on prescription drugs only continues to grow, each year without fail adding another name to its list. Heath Ledger died while on his prescribed cocktail of Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Diazepam, Alprazolam, Temazepam, Vicodin, Xanax, Restoril and Unisom. Michael Jackson on his that included Valium, Lorazepam, and Midazolam, plus the painkiller Lidocane, topped off with Propofol.
When looking at the amount of drugs these celebrities are taking at once, it almost seems blatantly obvious to anyone that a mixture of that many pills can be lethal. So maybe the celebrity is to blame for the overdose, they should clearly know that juggling so many prescriptions at the same time could possibly be fatal. But what if that person is struggling with an addiction to the pain pills? What about the doctor who is prescribing the medication? What if they trust that a doctor wouldn’t prescribe them such medications if it weren’t safe? Shouldn’t he be held accountable?
The official cause of death of Elvis Presley at 42 was cardiac arrhythmia, but it is believed that prescription drugs contributed to his heart condition. Dr. George C. Nichopoulos, Presley’s doctor, explained the singer’s open attitude toward prescription drugs: “He felt that by getting pills from a doctor, he wasn’t the common everyday junkie getting something off the street.”
Why would Elvis’s doctor continue to prescribe him medication knowing such information? Eminem, who had his own struggle with substance abuse treatment, gave one possible answer. In an interview for Vibe magazine he spoke out against irresponsible doctors, stating that celebrity doctors “want to stay on a celebrities radar”. Money, money, money.
While it does take two to tango, and the patient is the one who in the end makes the decision to take the drugs, there is a reason that we go to doctors for our medication. They are qualified in the medical field. And because they are qualified, we trust them to know what’s safe for us and when to stop prescribing or increasing our amount of medications if it could prove to be potentially dangerous, or fatal. We trust them to monitor our medication intake so that we won’t become addicted and land ourselves in a drug rehab center. They are the doctors after all, the experts in good health.
Simply put, there really should be closer monitoring of what doctors are prescribing. While a doctor and patient may be equally to blame in the case of accidental overdose, very rarely is a doctor, who might have prescribed irresponsibly, held accountable, which doesn’t quite make sense.
Celebrities are not immune to the same addictions we as every day people face. An addiction, no matter who you are in the world, is still an addiction and it needs to be treated. If you find you are struggling with an addiction to prescription painkillers and need to get help, whether it is in a support group or through drug rehab, please do so as soon as possible.
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The Struggle of Addiction to Painkillers
By Stacy Barnes | March 18, 2011
Recording artist Eminem, otherwise known as Marshall Mathers, recognized for his popularity, fortune and recording contract, was incapable of keeping away from the damaging world of drugs. Celebrities believe that if they’re able to avoid illegal substances they’re in the clear. However, Eminem’s problem with addiction wasn’t related to an illegal substance that was purchased through a dealer on the streets, but rather a drug that was prescribed to him through his highly respected physician.
Eminem’s world hit rock bottom when it was apparent that he had a painkiller addiction. It was said he would consume up to as many as 20 pills a day to satisfy his needs. Medications such as Vicodin, Ambien and Valium were primarily taken and constantly being mixed together. Fortunately, he took notice of his problem and admitted himself into a rehabilitation facility. But accepting his addiction and going through the necessary steps of his individualized treatment program wasn’t easy for him. When he withdrew from drug rehab for the first time, it was only soon after that he nearly overdosed on methadone pills that were given to him by a friend.
Eminem subsequently experienced a knee injury that needed surgery, but due to his addiction to painkillers he was unable to be prescribed anything for the pain. He reacted by rummaging around his belongings in search of a left over stash of pills that he could use for the pain and sure enough found extra strength Vicodin and Valium. It was at this exact moment, when he relapsed, that he had finally come to terms with the fact that he had a drug addiction problem and one that would be difficult to overcome.
Taking the first step towards accepting that you have a problem with addiction is the hardest part. It’s scary to know how easy it is to relapse even after a long stay in rehab. Those trying to overcome an addiction are constantly being exposed to addiction causing triggers on a daily basis. Stress, anxiety, and the constant battle against neurochemical changes in the brain caused by addiction, can often lead them back to where they began. This is why continuous care is vital. A drug rehab center that provides treatment programs sensitive to one’s individual needs during their stay and continuous care even after the patient has left treatment can greatly assist in a healthy recovery.
Customizable treatment programs are meant to successfully address each addict’s problem individually and cure them of their addiction. If you are struggling with an addiction to painkillers and need help taking the next step, please contact Unity Recovery Center as soon as possible.
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Substance Abuse & Pregnancy
By Stacy Barnes | March 15, 2011
Pregnancy is a motivating factor to stop drug and alcohol abuse, this is a delicate time for both the woman’s body and the fetus and can be easily complicated when substance abuse is involved. “When you are pregnant, it is important that you watch what you put into your body. Consumption of illegal drugs is not safe for the unborn baby or for the mother. Studies have shown that consumption of illegal drugs during pregnancy can result in miscarriage, low birth-weight, premature labor, placental abruption, fetal death, and even maternal death.” (www.americanpregnancy.org). According to the US National Institute of Drug Abuse, the most commonly used substances during pregnancy are nicotine (20%), alcohol (19%), marijuana (3%) and cocaine (1%). The use of these substances can cause both short-term and life-long physical and behavioral problems for the fetus. The high levels of stigma attached to substance use and pregnancy could make it more difficult for these women to seek help.
If you are struggling with a substance abuse problem during your pregnancy it is not too late, it is critical you seek help! Individual counseling, support groups and drug rehab centers are all places to receive help. According to Unity Recovery center “Traditionally, barriers to entering drug and alcohol treatment for women have been their life roles. Women will often identify themselves as a part of other relationships; therefore, women frequently position caretaking and nurturing roles ahead of their own needs, and may postpone seeking help for their drug and/or alcohol addiction. Negative emotions, such as fear, guilt, shame, embarrassment, and low-self-esteem also discourage addicted women in search of help.” (www.unityrehab.com). It is important to seek out a program that is sensitive to your needs; a treatment program that provides alternative means to treatments such as: massage, acupuncture, and yoga have exponential benefits for pregnant woman. Do not wait both you and your child are worth the healing!
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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.
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The Models of Alcoholism
By Stacy Barnes | February 23, 2011
There are many different theories and explanations that illuminate why people develop drinking problems. Some of these theories focus on the features and characteristics of the individual who develops the illness, while others concentrate on the environmental or outside influences that lead to alcoholism. Much of the research in this field, however, examines issues of chemical dependency, drug addiction, and substance abuse, instead of honing in strictly on alcohol addiction. Most studies usually address only the broader topic of addiction. This is because alcohol is not only classified as a drug, but also because most people who report alcohol abuse regularly use other types of drugs. Still though, there are theories out there that can help to explain alcoholism. These theories are described as “models of alcoholism” and they provide more or less detailed explanations for its occurrence.
The psychoanalytic model of alcoholism defines alcohol addiction as a symptom of a dormant, underlying personality disorder. Proponents of the psychoanalytic model blame alcoholism on a potential unresolved inner conflict that may stem from an individual’s early childhood. According to psychoanalysis, the human mind develops through a series of stages. If a certain traumatic, or otherwise severe event causes that process to stop, the affected individual can become stuck at a certain stage and will not progress out of it. Psychologists who follow this model believe that alcoholism is likely the result of an individual whose mental development was interrupted during the “oral stage of development.” Furthermore, it is believed that the only way to cure this type of alcoholism is to resolve the associated mental conflict. According to this model, in-depth psychotherapy in addition to alcohol rehab would be the required treatment.
According to the Family Interaction Model alcoholism is a family problem, not an individual one. In this case, alcohol treatment would explore the various relationships in the alcoholic’s family, such as a spouse, sibling, or child. Drinking behavior in the family realm can be traced back to stress that is caused by strained family relationships. Because this model emphasizes the importance of how family relationships are associated with alcoholism, this model requires treatment that involves the entire family. Ultimately, according to the family interaction model, the goal of alcohol rehab is to help each family member to recognize how they contribute to the alcoholic process.
The Behavior Model of alcoholism works by defining alcoholism as a behavior rather than a disease. Similar to the Family Interaction model, the behavior model identifies instruments that promote and allow problem drinking. Generally, theorists who follow the Behavior Model believe that an individual who drinks heavily continues to do so because they are receiving positive reinforcement for the behavior. Types of positive reinforcement include: approval from friends and peers, feelings of euphoria, and the potential to maintain certain relationships with others who drink. Basically, according to this theory, alcoholism is a learned behavior. In the same fashion that one can learn to become a problem drinker, it is believed that an individual can learn to abstain through the use of positive and negative reinforcements.
There are no studies that have found a clear biological link to explain alcoholism, but there are a number of them that have suggested the possibility of some sort of biological predisposition to the condition. Studies of the biological contributors to alcoholism have identified two kinds of predisposition. These predispositions exist as a result of genetic variations at the molecular level that affect alcohol-metabolizing enzymes (enzymes that help to remove alcohol from your body). “Male-limited susceptibility,” as it’s called, affects only men – giving them a much greater chance to inherit behaviors such as early-onset drinking. The other biological predisposition is called “Milieu-limited susceptibility,” which affects both sexes. This one however, only produces its effect in reaction to environmental triggers. At any rate, both of these biological features can make a person vulnerable to alcoholism.
The Medical Model treats alcoholism as a physical illness, likening it to any other disease. Advocates of this model suggest alcohol recovery through medical measures. The disease concept is very popular way of thinking about alcoholism, likely due to the fact that proponents of this model view the behavior as morally acceptable, rather than “bad” or “sinful.” Accepting this model, however, and regarding problem drinkers as victims of an illness implies that they cannot accept responsibility for their behavior. Regardless of its connotations though, the medical model has proved successful for many patients who have attended a medication assisted alcohol rehab center .
It should be noted that the various models of alcoholism are purely theoretical. Often times, there are many, many factors that lead to alcoholism that these specific models cannot accommodate. These models do, however, offer valuable resources in helping problem drinkers better understand their condition. It is important to research your condition and the various drug and alcohol rehab centers available before making a decision on addiction treatment.
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