Teen Celebrities with Alcohol Issues and Where are They Now
Lindsey Lohan, Brittany Spears, and Shia LaBeouf are all popular celebrities with alcohol or drug problems. Shia LaBeouf reportedly drank and smoked with his father when he was growing up. Brittany began drinking at age 13 and using illegal drugs at 15. Lindsey is continually in and out of rehab. With their pop icons so immersed in a culture of alcohol and drug abuse, it is not surprising that in 2007, for people 12 years old and over:
51% currently drink alcohol
23.3% binge drink (5 or more drinks on same occasion)
6.9 % drink heavily (binge drink 5 days per month)
2.7 million people tried an illicit drug for the first time
of those people 56.2 % tried marijuana and
19% tried pain killers
22.3 million people (9%) were diagnosed with a substance abuse or dependence issue
3.2 million abused or were dependent on both drugs and alcohol
3.7 million abused drugs
Treatment
Only 1% received treatment at a speciality facility of those people with a drug and alcohol dependency or abuse problem
6.4% reported they needed treatment
September is the National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. With the theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Real People, Real Recovery,” the hope is for people to understand that addiction can be a treatable medical illness. The fact that youth culture promotes alcohol and drug abuse often keeps people from seeking the help they need, while at the same time causing the public to downplay the negative effects of alcohol and drug abuse among the homeless and the less fortunate. The truth is that addiction is neither glamorous nor shameful, and affects people from all walks of life. Recovery month is to remind people that treatment can be effective. For More Information go to Total Life Counseling Center’s site.
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Author: Evelyn Wenzel, MSW, LCSW, CAP
