Charlie Sheen is all over the media for all the wrong reasons. The highest paid actor on television today has been having a public "meltdown" of sorts and although he justifies his behaviors, the man has some serious issues with not only drug use but with what he considers "normal".
Many of us have our own personal stories of how substance abuse has affected our lives. Our mug shots or those of our loved ones don't get splashed all over the Internet. Even though it is not public it is still a painful journey.
We can learn lessons from the very public airing of the Sheen family's nightmare.
Where there is substance abuse, there is often mental illness. This is called "dual diagnosis".
There are several reasons why mental illness and substance abuse go hand-in-hand. It is common for people who have an undiagnosed mental illness to self-medicate with illegal drugs or alcohol. If someone is not diagnosed before they turn to drugs and alcohol, treatment becomes all the more difficult.
Drugs and alcohol cause a huge imbalance in one's brain chemistry. Mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, already has the person unstable because of the disorder.
Therapists, doctors, and drug counselors who have viewed the interview with Charlie Sheen are all in agreement about his behavior. He looks like someone who is experiencing extreme mania. His grandiosity about his own importance and immortality is not "normal". Yes, it can be the drugs but it can also be someone who is bipolar and experiencing a more manic period. In men especially, instead of deep depression that follows manic episodes, often the depression manifests as rage.
The interviewer asks Charlie what he thought about his father coming out to support him during this period in his life. Charlie, like many other addicts in denial, acts defensively. He accuses his father of "judging" him. He will not admit to being addicted to drugs yet when he talks about some of his previous partying experiences, he brags about how much drugs he was able to ingest. His delusions of being superior to others is evident in his words. Again, manic behavior.
Anyone who has loved someone who is an addict can feel for Martin Sheen and his family. It is a totally helpless feeling to be the parent, sibling, friend or lover of someone who is slowly (or quickly) headed towards self-destruction.
Because Charlie Sheen has his wealth, he will continue to attract "goddesses" who are all too willing to exploit themselves for a piece of Charlie's wealth. Right now, being cut off from his family is not going to phase him too much. Having his young twin sons taken away from him is a good start. He does seem to be bothered by this recent turn of events.
What else can help someone like Charlie Sheen acknowledge his addiction and possible mental health problems?
His money needs to run out. Plain and simple. He needs to hit rock bottom. Let's see how many goddesses will be around once he has no money to pay for them.
Hollywood needs to cut him off also. The only way to save Charlie Sheen is to kick him to the curb and allow him to realize the severity of his actions.
Outside of Hollywood, regular people would have lost their source of income faster than Charlie Sheen will. A regular person who is in the midst of full-blown substance abuse would see their downfall come much faster even though their friends and family may enable them for some time.
In the real world, addicts get arrested for driving under the influence. They lose their jobs. They can lose their families and homes much faster also. They do not get to go to the Betty Ford Center or a spa-like rehab.
They still can get clean and sober, though.
We need to take lessons from the downward spiral of Charlie Sheen. Recognizing mental illness, problems with substance abuse and learning how to say "no" to enabling someone can save their life.
There are great treatment programs out there that can help. Overcoming substance abuse is not easy but it can be done if the addict is willing to fight their way out of it. Having support from your friends and family will make it easier.
If you are dual diagnosis, it does not have to end tragically. Treatment for mental illness and substance abuse can be a success. Once again, it depends on the addict.
The toughest thing a person will ever do is to cut off someone they love because they refuse to admit to a substance abuse problem. It may take days, weeks, months or even years for them to see the truth but they will. There is life after addiction and it can be great.
Many of us have our own personal stories of how substance abuse has affected our lives. Our mug shots or those of our loved ones don't get splashed all over the Internet. Even though it is not public it is still a painful journey.
We can learn lessons from the very public airing of the Sheen family's nightmare.
Where there is substance abuse, there is often mental illness. This is called "dual diagnosis".
There are several reasons why mental illness and substance abuse go hand-in-hand. It is common for people who have an undiagnosed mental illness to self-medicate with illegal drugs or alcohol. If someone is not diagnosed before they turn to drugs and alcohol, treatment becomes all the more difficult.
Drugs and alcohol cause a huge imbalance in one's brain chemistry. Mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, already has the person unstable because of the disorder.
Therapists, doctors, and drug counselors who have viewed the interview with Charlie Sheen are all in agreement about his behavior. He looks like someone who is experiencing extreme mania. His grandiosity about his own importance and immortality is not "normal". Yes, it can be the drugs but it can also be someone who is bipolar and experiencing a more manic period. In men especially, instead of deep depression that follows manic episodes, often the depression manifests as rage.
The interviewer asks Charlie what he thought about his father coming out to support him during this period in his life. Charlie, like many other addicts in denial, acts defensively. He accuses his father of "judging" him. He will not admit to being addicted to drugs yet when he talks about some of his previous partying experiences, he brags about how much drugs he was able to ingest. His delusions of being superior to others is evident in his words. Again, manic behavior.
Anyone who has loved someone who is an addict can feel for Martin Sheen and his family. It is a totally helpless feeling to be the parent, sibling, friend or lover of someone who is slowly (or quickly) headed towards self-destruction.
Because Charlie Sheen has his wealth, he will continue to attract "goddesses" who are all too willing to exploit themselves for a piece of Charlie's wealth. Right now, being cut off from his family is not going to phase him too much. Having his young twin sons taken away from him is a good start. He does seem to be bothered by this recent turn of events.
What else can help someone like Charlie Sheen acknowledge his addiction and possible mental health problems?
His money needs to run out. Plain and simple. He needs to hit rock bottom. Let's see how many goddesses will be around once he has no money to pay for them.
Hollywood needs to cut him off also. The only way to save Charlie Sheen is to kick him to the curb and allow him to realize the severity of his actions.
Outside of Hollywood, regular people would have lost their source of income faster than Charlie Sheen will. A regular person who is in the midst of full-blown substance abuse would see their downfall come much faster even though their friends and family may enable them for some time.
In the real world, addicts get arrested for driving under the influence. They lose their jobs. They can lose their families and homes much faster also. They do not get to go to the Betty Ford Center or a spa-like rehab.
They still can get clean and sober, though.
We need to take lessons from the downward spiral of Charlie Sheen. Recognizing mental illness, problems with substance abuse and learning how to say "no" to enabling someone can save their life.
There are great treatment programs out there that can help. Overcoming substance abuse is not easy but it can be done if the addict is willing to fight their way out of it. Having support from your friends and family will make it easier.
If you are dual diagnosis, it does not have to end tragically. Treatment for mental illness and substance abuse can be a success. Once again, it depends on the addict.
The toughest thing a person will ever do is to cut off someone they love because they refuse to admit to a substance abuse problem. It may take days, weeks, months or even years for them to see the truth but they will. There is life after addiction and it can be great.
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