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Recovery in the News
Lohan relapse typical, says addiction expert
Cecilia Oleck
Detroit Free Press
July 25, 2007
Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan's fresh-out-of-rehab relapse set tongues wagging and Internet message boards hopping Tuesday.
To many, the 21-year-old actress' arrest in Santa Monica, Calif., on suspicion of drunken driving and cocaine possession is yet another example of the shenanigans of the rich and famous. To others, it raises questions of the effectiveness of alcohol and drug treatment centers, as Lohan's recent woes come less than two weeks after the end of her second stint in a rehabilitation facility since January.
But those familiar with addiction and alcohol dependence say Lohan's troubles are similar to those of many others struggling with the diseases, including people in metro Detroit.
High-profile situations like Lohan's underscore how difficult dealing with an addiction can be, says Jim Balmer, president of Dawn Farm, a treatment center in Ypsilanti.
"It's tough enough to recover from an addiction. To have to do it in a fishbowl, it's daunting," he says.
Many of those recovering from addictions will relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Most effective treatment programs usually use medication or behavioral therapy, or sometimes a combination of both, to help with recovery.
"A good treatment center should shine a bright light on the dishonesty, on the incongruities," says Balmer.
Celebrity stints in rehab centers often seem to be little more than public relations stunts, more geared toward rehabbing a star's image than dealing with an addiction. That doesn't help with public understanding of addiction recovery.
People don't leave treatment centers cured of addiction or alcoholism, says Balmer, but they can learn how to deal with their disease, which is influenced by both genes and lifestyle.
"People have to learn to change the way their brain responds," says Balmer. "They learn how to cope in healthier ways."
Some will turn to exercise or endorphin-boosting spicy foods. Many immerse themselves in 12-step communities for support.
Balmer says he hopes Lohan will find hope and help.
"I think people in the recovering community by and large feel sad for her," says Balmer. "A lot of people feel like it's one of our brethren that's suffering."
Copyright ©2007 the Detroit Free Press.