Why Do Celebrities Deny Their Addiction Problems?

Now that we've witnessed the dumb show-offs offered by Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Brittney Spears, one may wonder how can these persons suddenly suffer such drastic falls from the sexiest stars out there to the "new" persons we see in awkward mug shots? Psychologists say stars are more likely to fail to admit that they have drug or alcohol abuse issues, as their addiction gives them a false sense of normality, fact that makes them delay admitting they need help.

In a society permitting the rich and famous to be held less accountable for their 'bad deeds' than we - common mortals - are, celebrities often do not get the motivation for a real recovery from their addiction, even after admitting their problem following a long delay. "A lot of times celebrities get away with a lot more, so they're often a lot further along in their disease before they ever get treatment and it's very difficult," said Susan Blank, director of psychiatric and psychological services at the nonprofit Caron group, which runs rehab programs.

Perhaps the most vivid moment in our minds is the arrest of actress Lindsay Lohan on Tuesday on a second DUI charge, a few days after a second stint in a rehab clinic and after a week of wearing an alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelet at nightclubs. No need to mention the circus offered by Britney Spears, who twice stayed less than a day in rehab before a third "attempt" in a month. "They have to have enough pain or enough external motivation to finally decide that they need to make the changes in their life. Most often, that motivation is a run-in with the law," said Blank.

Official data shows that the main reason for visiting a rehab was the criminal justice system for those aged between 18 and 25, 47 % of the 390,000 entering to publicly funded programs in 2004, while just 17 % reached rehabs by themselves, friends or family. "It's all about consequences. If we keep enabling them and don't allow them to feel the consequences then they will continue," said John Southworth, an interventionist and former alcohol and drug addict, who did time, and has been sober now for over 30 years.

One thing stands out: celebrities are surrounded by a personal gang of shallow, fishy leeches which impede them to realize the severity of their problem and who promote that childish, irresponsible behavior. That's why we assist to mock rehabilitations, as they do not take treatment seriously.

"They have the trappings of success and a support structure that keeps them from plunging as quickly as the rest of us. Addiction is a chronic illness that does not discriminate and recovery is only going to happen when that person shows a willingness and a desire to get well," said William Moyers, spokesman at the nonprofit Hazelden, and former alcoholic who required four treatments over five years to recover.

"When people deal with rehab as if it were a sentence being served, they are denigrating the value of rehab and it puts out a message to those who could profit from it that it doesn't work. Rehab does work," said Sidney Shankman, president of Second Genesis center in Maryland.

"For people to take time out of their lives and be detoxed and be away from drugs (or alcohol) and think that then they can just go out and live life as usual, they're going to be sadly mistaken because this is such a serious illness," she said.