Actress Jamie Lee Curtis Shares Her Journey Of Beating Addiction

It’s easy to think that fame and fortune somehow act as a shield to protect celebrities from the slings and arrows that the rest of the population face in life, but that is not the case. They have their own demons to face, and being in the spotlight on a continuous basis may bring with it even more pressure than the average person has to cope with. No matter what the explanation, celebrity addicts are quite common, and actress Jamie Lee Curtis has been open about discussing her experience, saying:

“I too found painkillers after a routine cosmetic surgical procedure and I too became addicted. The morphine becomes the warm bath from which to escape painful reality. I was a lucky one. I was able to see that the pain had started long ago and far away and that finding the narcotic was merely a matter of time.”

Drug Use a Symptom of the Problem

As Ms. Curtis pointed out, the substance of choice is a symptom of a bigger problem. An addict is turning toward the drug because he or she is in pain. The idea of holistic treatment for the mind, body and soul is to treat the whole person and get to the underlying reason for the addiction.

A treatment facility may use a number of techniques to achieve this goal. Some clients stay for long-term treatment where they can spend the time they need to get well. The program would include counseling, as well as group activities. For clients who are not able to stay for a 90-day treatment program, a short-term drug rehab treatment program of 14-28 days can help them get on the right track to sobriety.

Individual Treatment Programs for All Clients

Each client who is entering a holistic alcohol & drug treatment center is evaluated on admission. He or she would go through detoxification (detox) at the beginning of the process, if necessary. The staff would then devise an individual treatment plan that would eventually turn the client from a person who is focused on running away from uncomfortable feelings to someone who is better able to turn toward them and accept them.

This process will not happen overnight, and as Ms. Curtis herself has shared in interviews, it is “hard, painful work.”  Fortunately, she fully kicked the habit in 1999, worrying how much her addiction would negatively affect her daughter Annie.

Although painful, the process is worthwhile, because it opens up a newer, happier path for clients and a richer life in sobriety, as they seek help at a center offering holistic drug rehab. California is a beautiful place to visit and take the time needed to get well. If you are concerned about your own, or a loved one’s addictive behavior, please call us at 1-888-997-3006 to speak to a counselor today.

There Is No Room For Blame In Treating Dual Diagnosis Clients

Dual diagnosis clients are hit with a double whammy when it comes to needing help. On the one hand, they are living with a mental health issue, and on the other, they need treatment for substance abuse issues. It can be difficult to determine whether a person started using drugs or alcohol as a way to self-medicate and cope with an underlying mental illness or whether drug abuse may have triggered changes in brain chemistry that led to a mental health issue. No matter how the situation developed, trying to lay blame on a loved one who has two serious issues does nothing to deal with the problem and may discourage him or her from getting the specialized dual diagnosis treatment he or she needs.

Both Conditions Require Treatment

Friends and family members may have lost patience with a loved one who has a complicated health situation like a dual diagnosis. More than likely, they have been through many situations involving anger, frustration, shame, embarrassment, guilt, and other strong emotions over months or years. By educating themselves about mental health and addiction, they will understand the situation more clearly and realize the addiction and the mental health issue must be evaluated and treated separately if their loved one is going to get well.

Find the Right Kind of Help for a Dual Diagnosis Client

The best place to get help for a person who is living with a mental illness and an addiction is at a mental health residential treatment facility. Once he or she arrives, the first step will be to undergo detoxification (detox). The staff will need to get the effects of any chemicals of out the way to determine the true nature of the mental health issues that the client is experiencing. Having a proper diagnosis is a crucial part of the process when helping clients who have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder and who are struggling with addiction.

Once the staff understands the nature of the client’s mental health concern, they will be able to devise an individual treatment plan. The addiction is treated concurrently to the mental health issues using a combination of strategies, which may include individual and group counseling, attending 12-step program meetings, and engaging in various recreational activities to encourage healthy, sober living. Dual diagnosis treatment facilities do an excellent job of offering a holistic approach to meeting the needs of their clients to ensure that both aspects of their health concerns are dealt with appropriately.