Drug Rehabilitation

McSteamy of Grey’s Anatomy Gets into Rehab!

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Rehabilitation, Prescription Drug Abuse on July 22nd, 2011

Another television celeb has entered rehab. Eric Dane, who plays Dr. Mark Sloan on the hit ABC drama ‘Grey’s Anatomy, checked himself into a rehab facility to get rid of his painkiller addiction.

McSteamy Eric DaneAccording to a feature on the OnTheRedCarpet.com, a representative from Dane’s camp released a statement to Access Hollywood which confirmed that Dane indeed is in rehab. The statement clarified that Dane is getting professional aide to “help him get off of pain medication that he was prescribed for a sports injury that he suffered over the recent hiatus.”

The 38-year-old actor accepted that he needs help and voluntarily admitted himself in a Los Angeles treatment facility, promising to work hard and overcome his addiction. As to when Dane started his rehab stint, nobody has confirmed the date.

Fans of the TV series need not worry though as despite enrolling in a treatment facility, the actor will be back and continue on ‘Grey’s.’  “He reports back to work this week. Business as usual,” confirmed his rep.

Dane is best known as Dr. Sloan “McSteamy” on “Grey’s Anatomy” which is now on its eighth season at ABC. He is married to 39-year-old actress Rebecca Gayheart who tied the knot with him in 2004; they have a 1-year-old daughter named Billie Beatrice. Earlier reports said that the couple is expecting their second child.

Dane was introduced in the second season of “Grey’s” as plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan. He’s the former best friend of Patrick Dempsey’s character, Dr. Derek Shepherd, and became entangled with Dr. Shepherd’s wife (played by Kate Walsh) which ultimately resulted to the marriage fallout. The drama series continues to attract viewers worldwide.

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What Betty Ford Gave to Troubled Stars

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation, Prescription Drug Abuse on July 10th, 2011

Last week, former First Lady Betty Ford died at the Eisenhower Medical Center at age 93. Many young people may not be familiar with her these days, but what her name means to a lot of Hollywood actors and actresses could not be compared to any other.

Betty FordThe famous Betty Ford Center, located almost two hours away from Hollywood, was obviously named after her. It’s the place known for having the most comprehensive and top-notch addiction treatment facility where troubled Hollywood personalities often go if they want to get help on substance abuse issues.

The Betty Ford Center opened in 1982 at Rancho Mirage, California and has since served more than 90,000 individuals including famous celebrities like Johnny Cash, Elizabeth Taylor, Kelsey Grammer, and Marlee Matlin. Recently, Lindsay Lohan checked herself in the facility, but unfortunately did not complete her stay.

Betty Ford herself was not an exception when it came to drug abuse. After leaving the White House, she confessed to being hooked on painkillers and alcohol. Instead of letting herself spiral down further, she confronted her problem and welcomed patients at the rehab center telling them that she too is no different from them.

“People who get well often say, ‘You saved my life,’ and ‘You’ve turned my life around. They don’t realize we merely provided the means for them to do it themselves, and that’s all,” Ford had said.

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Bai Ling Blames Chinese Army Officers for Lifelong Torment

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Rehabilitation on July 8th, 2011

In her upcoming book “Naked in Tibet,” actress Bai Ling opens up about her experiences in the hands of Chinese army officers. She claims she has been a victim of sexual abuse.

Bai LingIn her interview with The Associated Press, Ling tells about the times she was forced to have sexual encounters with her superiors in the army which led to her pregnancy at a very early age and to an abortion under a name that isn’t hers. This happened as she became a soldier for the People’s Liberation Army at the tender age of 14 and got away from the group when she was already 17 years old.

She suffered so much during those times, but not even her parents knew about it. The actress says she only understood and confronted her dark past when she was under Dr. Drew Pinsky at ‘Celebrity Rehab.’

Bai who has appeared in films such as “The Crow,” “Red Corner,” and TV’s “Entourage” clarifies that she blames the individual officers of the army and not the Chinese government for the torment she has held all her life. A spokeswoman for the Chinese leaders says they are not aware of Ling’s claims and they deem it not proper to comment at this time.

Today, at 44, Bai Ling has been made a subject for paparazzi reports and has been criticized for her alcohol-fueled behavior, with shoplifting and nudity flashes all listed in her name. She defends herself from all the allegations, saying a person with a drug or alcohol problem “was abused in some way and trying to hide.” She’s not an alcoholic and claims to be allergic of alcohol even in small amounts.

“The media bring me out as this crazy slut showing her nipples everywhere. I become this character the pop culture Hollywood machine created. Somehow, I become a victim to that image.”

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First Wilderness Therapy Program for Teen Substance Abuse

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on June 16th, 2011

The Phoenix Outdoors’ wilderness rehab program in North Carolina is now offering the first neurofeedback therapy for teens having substance abuse problems. Neurofeedback has been previously utilized in the treatment of learning disabilities such as ADHD; Phoenix will be the first to offer it as treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

wilderness therapyThe process allows affected teens to experience the wilderness at a base camp to help them develop new skills that they can apply as soon as they go back to the real world. The neurofeedback therapy will be done on the participants every two weeks by a board certified psychologist in the person of Dr. Phil Ellis, Ph.D. There will be three sessions, each at 30 minutes to be completed by the camp’s participants.

Wilderness Program executive director Shawn Farrell talks about the encouraging results of their project. “Phoenix Outdoor is one of the first wilderness therapy programs in the country to offer this cutting-edge treatment to teens struggling with drug or alcohol abuse. So far, the results have been promising.”

In just a few weeks of training for the neurofeedback program, staff and students at Phoenix Outdoor claimed positive effects such as less anxiety, added capability to maintain a sober state, improved focus and attention, less impulsiveness, and better ability to cope.

Phoenix Outdoor is especially created for teens 13 to 17 years old who are having substance abuse problems and those with behavioral or mental health issues. The camp is located at the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where participants are immersed in a wilderness therapy patterned on a 12-step model. The program aims to intervene and help teens with their problems and make them change their ways.

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Celebrity Rehab 5th Season Cast Revealed

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on June 12th, 2011

Dr. Drew Pinsky has taken charge of the new batch of stars put under his guidance in the fifth season of his hit show, ‘Celebrity Rehab.’ According to VH1, the latest season of their reality program will start on June 26, 9PM ET/PT.

Celebrity RehabThey have recently released the names and identities of the celebrities who are slated to check into Dr. Pinsky’s facility. The most notable personality from among the roster of B-listers appearing in the show would be Lindsay Lohan’s father, Michael Lohan. It was just in February when he said that he has been invited by a Florida clinic to do drug interventions.

In a feature from the Reality TV World, other celebrities who will be within the confines of Dr. Drew’s Pasadena Recovery Center are baseball star Dwight “Doc” Gooden; “Long Island Lolita” Amy Fisher; Guns N’ Roses drummer Steven Adler; actress Bai Ling; former Survivor: Gabon and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains castaway Jessica “Sugar” Kiper; and actor Jeremy Jackson.

Michaele Salahi of The Real Housewives of D.C. was originally in the cast but was taken off the list when she failed to show any proof that she is under any addiction.

This fifth season of ‘Celebrity Rehab’ will showcase the same process of Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff attending to the celebrities who want to get better. Each individual will be exposed to detoxification steps and therapy to help them cope with their addiction problems. Joining Dr. Drew’s team are counselor Bob Forrest and resident technician Shelley Sprague who have appeared in the show’s previous seasons.

In addition to the staff, Dr. John Sharp will also be helping out especially on problems involving bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Former manager of the Sober House Jennifer Gimenez will also be seeing action in the latest season.

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Drug Clinic Opens at Public High School

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Abuse Treatment, Drug Rehabilitation on June 10th, 2011

To address the growing problem of teen drug and alcohol problems, the William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, Long Island, New York will open an in-house drug and alcohol abuse clinic and treatment facility. It’s the first in the state of New York.

teen alcohol abuseThe clinic which will be opening in August will be run by Daytop Treatment Services with absolutely no cost involved. It will provide counseling for troubled teens and will cater to walk-in clients or referrals from school officials. Those who have court orders to seek help on drug and alcohol problems will also be accepted in the clinic. All steps to be undertaken for patient recovery will be evaluated and approved by those in authority to ensure that they fit the needs of the affected students.

In a Reuters feature, Daytop program director Caroline Sullivan expressed her delight with the school district’s action towards drugs and alcohol threats that continue to plague the community. “The school district is being incredibly proactive. Other schools may have prevention programs, but this is a full-fledged treatment option with treatment done on site.”

The Wiiliam Floyd School was one of the schools in the district with an alarming increase of substance abuse cases. With its 3200 student population, there were already 38 disciplinary incidents all linked to drugs and alcohol abuse just within the last two years.

The clinic at Floyd High will be the first of its kind in Long Island. Organizers are hoping that they can do the same strategies in other schools in and out of the district. “If it’s seen that we are prospering and having success, other school districts will jump on board,” Sullivan said.

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