Over the last month the media has been saturated with celebrities checking into drug and alcohol rehab centers for a few weeks in an effort to rebuild their image. Narconon Gulf Coast, a residential
drug and alcohol rehab centers, rehabilitation and education center, is working to educate the public about why these short trips to rehab do not work and how they are doing a disservice to the millions of Americans who suffer and recover from drug and alcohol addiction.
"Our research shows that when someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol it is imperative that they remain in treatment for around three to four months, depending on the individual, in order to ensure a lasting recovery," said Barnett Gilmer, intake counselor. "Programs are often designed around treating an individual for a fixed number of days instead of focusing on the different stages the individual must go through, in their own time, to overcome their addiction and learn how to lead an ethical and productive drug-free life. Narconon Gulf Coast is very aware of the pitfalls of a poorly designed program as we are often called upon when these types of programs do not work."
Drug abuse and addiction is a public health problem that affects many people and has wide-ranging social consequences. When celebrities, who serve as role models, take treatment lightly they are not only minimizing the consequences of abusing drugs and alcohol but they are also making rehabilitation and recovery look like a quick and easy process.
"While we recognize that some celebrities are entering treatment for legitimate reasons, we are concerned with the current influx of celebrities who are checking into rehab as a way to repair a tarnished image," said Barnett Gilmer, intake counselor. "Using
rehab as a public relations tactic takes away from the valuable, powerful and real work individuals are doing to change their lives. We want to make sure the public understands that a quick stint in a treatment center does not result in a successful recovery."
