Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Celebs Turning Rehab Into Joke: Experts

Lohan, Spears 'waltzing' in and out of treatment sends wrong message

By Heather McPherson, Newser User

Posted Jul 26, 2007 10:29 AM CDT

(Newser) – The debauched lifestyles of celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears are turning substance-abuse rehab into a punch line, making light of a process that helps thousands of people each year, say experts. Lohan was arrested on suspicion of DUI this week just days after finishing rehab; in February, Spears checked into rehab three times—in one week.

"It is making a mockery of rehabs," one psychologist tells Reuters. Multiple stints are common for individuals who relapse, but "waltzing" in and out sends the wrong message, says an addiction expert. US Weekly's editor gets out the big guns, comparing Lohan to Robert Downey Jr.: "an incredibly gifted actor whose personal shortcomings just keep getting in the way."

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

Lindsay Lohan, seen here in booking mug released by the Santa Monica, Calif., police, Tuesday, July 24, 2007, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and possession of cocaine early Tuesday, authorities... (Associated Press)

FILE PHOTO: Lindsay Lohan Arrested For Suspected DUI (Getty Images (by Event))

Britney Spears performs during the second show of her 'Onyx Hotel Tour,' Wednesday, March 3, 2004, at Glendale Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Spears took the stage late Tuesday May 1, 2007 at the House of Blues,... (Associated Press)

Britney Spears takes the stage to present at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, on Nov. 21, 2006. Mexican TV and print media have published unflattering photos of Spears that celebrity Web... (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Lindsay Lohan at Britney Spears Show (misdig (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

PETA to LiLo: We'll Pay for Rehab If...

...she becomes a vegan. Or $20K of rehab, at least

(NEWSER) - If Lindsay Lohan really wants her stint in rehab to be sponsored , all she has to do is give up her addiction ... to meat and cheese. Headline-grabbing PETA has reached out to the star, offering to pitch in $10,000 if she goes vegan for the rest of her stay—and another $10,000 if she remains vegan for a year afterward. "Lindsay Lohan is the most visible example of a real addict, and if she can conquer her addiction to meat and cheese, absolutely anyone can," the PETA prez tells the Los Angeles Times . More»

Bipolar Lindsay Lohan's Hooked on Meth

Jailbird starlet will enter rehab for addiction

(NEWSER) - Lindsay Lohan will undergo treatment for addiction to methamphetamine and bipolar disorder when she enters rehab after she's released from jail, TMZ reports . Meth and opiates are Lohan's "drugs of choice," a source says. The troubled actress, who's proving to be a high-maintenance inmate as she serves 90 days for a probation violation, may be sprung as soon as today. More»

Chris Klein Heads to Rehab

Actor may face jail time after DUI bust

(NEWSER) - Days after being busted for DUI in LA, Chris Klein has checked himself into rehab in Utah. The American Pie star, 31, will spend at least 30 days at the facility, People reports. "After recent events, Chris was forced to take a clear look at a problem he has been trying to deal with himself for years," says a rep. "He understands now that he cannot beat this disease alone." More»

LiLo's Lawyer Lied in Court...Twice?

Plus, her dad gives his two cents, as always

(NEWSER) - Lindsay Lohan’s attorney seems to have told a bit of a fib in court yesterday when she tried to get her client out of wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet. The bracelet, she argued, would be out of place when Lilo shoots an upcoming film in Texas. Makes sense, until you realize there is no upcoming shoot in Texas—a fact that TMZ confirmed with the producers of Lohan’s two current projects. More»

LiLo: I'm Clean, Happy, and... Drinking Again

Dishes on hitting rock bottom, wants to share experience with teens

(NEWSER) - Lindsay Lohan has turned herself around after a prolonged brush with rock bottom, and wants to share her inspirational story with the young folk. “If I can teach others, especially teens, by sharing my experiences, then that's what I will continue to do,” she tells the Sun . She says her downward spiral began when her father began speaking publicly about her in 2007. "I tried to mask my problems with alcohol, cocaine, and mind-altering substances. It wasn't the answer." More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Celebs Turning Rehab Into Joke: Experts