No, we’re not just using the troubled celeb as a cautionary tale. We believe that Lindsay Lohan’s life – beyond just her tabloid-worthy bad behavior – have something to teach us about the origins of addiction. By focusing on her medical conditions and symptoms we can gain insight into the bigger problem of substance abuse. As Lohan prepares for her Playboy spread, it’s easy to get caught up in debating her current decisions, but let’s look at the medical issues she has to overcome instead.

What we’re after is the type of information an intake counselor gathers when someone is entering a treatment program in order to put together a medical history that doctors and treatment specialists use to formulate a treatment plan. In doing an intake exam, Lohan should certainly mention ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While she doesn’t actually suffer from this condition, she did receive a diagnosis at one time, and that diagnosis probably came with a hefty supply of Adderall. Use and abuse of this drug in those who don’t need it can have severe negative effects, including (ironically) hyperactivity and manic behavior. Could ADHD drugs be to blame for some of Lohan’s more outlandish behavior? Could a dependence on these drugs have led her to move on to “bigger and better” drugs? They are questions that treatment staff would certainly want to explore.

During her many legal and personal issues, Lohan has admitted to abusing alcohol and drugs, mainly cocaine. Cocaine provides a burst of energy that is favored by those looking to party into the night, and this would have made it an obvious next step for Lohan. The alcohol then acts as a depressant, allowing the user to come down from the cocaine high. Alcohol abuse can also lead to DUI arrests, which Lohan has experienced on more than one occasion.

So we know what she’s been using, but why did Lohan start using in the first place? A very high percentage of people batting addiction have accompanying mental health issues. Often, they start using in an attempt to self-medicate or feel “normal,” even if they haven’t been professionally diagnosed or are aware they have a real problem. Lohan was actually professionally diagnosed – with bipolar disorder – but it turned out to be inaccurate. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other mental issues plaguing Linsday. PTSD, depression, anxiety and a host of other issues could contribute to her decision to turn to drugs. The stress of life in Hollywood would only exacerbate those issues.

It’s that very stress that likely caused Lohan to develop an eating disorder, like countless young celebs and celeb wannabes before her. Bulimia, which consists of bingeing and then purging (or throwing up), leads to malnutrition and causes damage to your teeth and mouth. It’s an extreme disorder than begins with the desire to be thin or attractive, but usually relates more to a desire for control (pros will tell you eating disorders are rarely ever really about food). Lohan has received treatment for her bulimia, and seems to be on top of it, but sometimes dealing with one addiction can lead to the development of another if the underlying emotional issues aren’t fully addressed. That’s why it’s common for food addicts to begin abusing alcohol or turning to shopping or sex as a new outlet. It’s a danger than anyone in recovery knows they need to be aware of.

Drug Rehab

If you or someone you love needs drug rehab, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

Charlie Sheen is everywhere. Networks tout the latest interview or a new exclusive, as the sitcom star talks (often nonsensically) about having tiger blood and winning at everything he attempts. His grandiose statements, new live-in porn star and model girlfriends he calls “the goddesses” and rejection of any formal recovery methods have made him the punch line of too many jokes to count. We may find it uncomfortable to laugh along, but it’s also hard to look away.

Are we turning a very sad and public meltdown into entertainment? Some experts (none of whom are treating Sheen personally) suggest Sheen is manic, possibly pointing to bipolar disorder. Sheen refutes this, instead insisting he’s “bi-winning,” and seems to have no interest in medication or treatment for that disorder. But the pros know that mental health issues like depression, bipolar and trauma often go hand in hand with substance abuse issues. These co-occurring disorders feed off each other and should be treated together at a dual diagnosis center like La Paloma for the best results when it comes to long-term sobriety.

Does Attention Feed Destruction?

While the media continues to rush to Sheen’s house daily to get his take on the latest developments in the story (at press time that was the removal of his twin boys from the home, after his ex-wife filed a restraining order), others are concerned that the attention is only feeding into his condition and his eventual destruction. Are we witnessing a public meltdown, and if so, is there anything that can be done to stop it?

Sheen has tested clean recently for drug use, but watching him through this process gives a glimpse into what the family members of an addicted individual go through. You see the problem, but you can’t force someone to get help they don’t want and don’t believe they need. So is the answer to look away? It won’t help Sheen, but at least we won’t feel we’re playing a part in a very public meltdown. In the end, we can only hope that the situation leads to a greater public awareness of addiction and co-occurring disorders, and results in others getting help.

Co-occurring Disorder Treatment

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction or co-occurring disorder, call La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

Who knew there was a most depressing day of the year? Dr. Cliff Arnall, a British researcher from Cardiff University, did. He recently pinpointed Jan. 18 as 2010’s most depressing day. To arrive at this, he factored in everything from post-holiday blahs and debt to failed New Year’s resolutions and the weather.

On the bright side, that means the worst is over because if you’re reading this, you survived that dreaded day. For those suffering from the winter blahs, though, that offers little comfort. After all, depression is common throughout the bleak, cold winter months when sunlight is scarce and the fun of the holidays is a distant memory. Instead, the focus turns to finances as W-2 forms and credit card bills arrive in the mail – reminders of tax time and those Christmas spending sprees. It doesn’t help that we’re often less active at this time of year and usually battling some holiday weight gain.

For those struggling with addiction or with a past history of substance abuse, depression can make you more susceptible to relapse or increased using. This makes it even more important to stay on top of this issue, being aware of the signs of depression and taking a proactive approach to beating the seasonal blues.

Seasonal depression can be marked by:
• A feeling of fatigue that lasts throughout the day
• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning
• A craving for carbs
• Lack of concentration
• Reluctance to engage socially or sexually
• Feelings of anxiety and even despair
• Insomnia
• Reduced appetite
• Agitation

No matter which range of symptoms you’re experiencing, if they continue for more than two weeks, you need to consult a professional. Winter depression—technically a form Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) —tends to occur between November and April.

SAD Treatment

Light therapy is one way to help treat seasonal depression, but it needs to be used correctly so it’s important to talk to a medical professional. Nutrition and exercise play a role so making plans to be active and eat right are important. Medication and counseling may also be necessary.

If you or a family member is struggling with addiction and depression, call La Paloma at the toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

There may be twice as many people struggling with mental health issues than previously thought, according to a new study completed by two Duke University psychologists in partnership with colleagues from the U.K. and New Zealand and published in the journal Psychological Medicine. Anxiety, depression and substance dependency were all found to be much more common than health professionals thought, according to data from a long-term study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders from birth to age 32.

Part of the reason for the discrepancy may be the fact that mental illness is vastly underreported because of the stigma attached to psychological disorders. Studies to track the incidence of anxiety, depression, alcohol dependence and marijuana dependence are costly, which means they are very rare.

“If you start with a group of children and follow them their whole lives, sooner or later almost everybody will experience one of these disorders,” the Knut Schmitt-Nielsen professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University said in a statement.

Mental health and addiction professionals have long recognized that there is often a connection between mental issues and addiction. Some struggling with mental disorders or depression will use illegal drugs, alcohol or prescription medication to self-medicate rather than seek treatment from a trained professional. Then when help is sought, there is an addiction AND a mental issue to treat. Fortunately, facilities like La Paloma offer a “dual diagnosis” approach that addresses both areas at one time, with a better chance for long-term recovery.

Addiction Help

If you or a family member are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol and a mental issue, call La Paloma at our toll-free. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.

Some experiences are so painful that you’d do anything to avoid reliving them. Unfortunately, that’s just what needs to be done to get to the root of a substance abuse problem or process addiction.

No one willingly chooses to go through pain. In fact, many addictions are born out of a desire to avoid pain in other areas of your life. But that very thing that eases your pain initially can cause even greater pain soon enough. Often, by the time you’re ready to get help, the substance abuse has become the main issue and any past pain is pushed aside. Treat just that chemical dependency, though, and that initial pain is sure to bubble to the surface.

What’s the alternative? A dual diagnosis treatment model. Also called integrated treatment, this approach focuses on addressing all behavioral and addiction needs in one setting with a team of experts that includes psychiatrists, social workers, nurses and licensed alcohol and drug counselors.