Learning From Celebrity Drug Abuse

Stories about celebrities with drug problems make entertaining fodder for the media. But for drug abuse experts, these well-publicized stories serve as a serious warning. “With celebrities, we have an opportunity to look beyond the entertainment value to see a side of addiction we wouldn’t normally see,” Dr. Gregory Jantz, founder of The Center for Counseling and Human Resources and author of several books on addiction, tells the Bradenton Herald newspaper. “Celebrities put a public face on addiction.”

Dr. Jantz told the newspaper that celebrity addictions provide the general public with real-life examples of drug-use and its possible effects, which can include:

Loss of inhibitions

Delusional behavior

Paranoia

Outbursts of anger

Unexplained weight loss or weight gain

Changes in appearance

Fatigue/exhaustion

Out-of-character withdrawal or hyperactivity

Difficulty focusing

Depression

Mood swings

Loss of interest in favorite activities

Defensiveness

Increased sensitivity

In his newspaper interview, Dr. Jantz urges those with friends or family members showing several of these symptoms to encourage their loved ones to seek help for addiction.