Celebrity rehab

About Entertainment – Magazine –

It is rare for a week to go by without news of a celebrity or sports star checking themselves into a rehabilitation centre.

Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Tiger Woods have all had their problems.

Whether it is alcohol, drugs or an uncontrollable compulsion to have sex, the addictions of high-profile people attract headlines and a level of treatment few others can afford.

Such is the fascination with showbiz stars and their issues that VH1′s Celebrity Rehab has become a big hit.

The show, which features celebrities as they undergo treatment, has reportedly offered Lohan $1m (£652,000) to appear on its next series.

We think that success creates new pressures and demands on people that add to their anxiety and make them more susceptible to alcohol and other drugs Dr Sack from Promises

But most celebrities prefer to deal with their problems in private. Many check in to the Promises Treatment Centre in Malibu which offers residential treatment for the well-heeled.

Nestled in the hills above the affluent seaside town, the centre caters for the rich and famous as well as successful business people.

"We jealously guard the privacy of our clients," says Dr David Sack, the centre’s chief operating officer.

"We want to ensure that they have the time and the opportunity to get better from their addictions without intrusions so we work very hard to make sure that we don’t have our clients on TV or used in the media in any way."

Very relaxed

The centre’s focus on privacy meant BBC News was unable to interview any of its current clients, although we spotted a major TV star in the dining room.

In the past, the secluded setting has proved enticing for the tabloid media.

"We have paparazzi who will walk two miles in on public land so that they can try to get a photograph over the mountains behind our buildings," says Dr Sack.

Britney Spears sought treatment at Promises when things got tough

"But you know most people try to respect other people’s treatment."

It is an extremely relaxed setting, akin to a residential home for the elderly. There are no locks on the doors and the clients are free to leave at any time.

The atmosphere is homely with a comfortable living room area and a large family kitchen.

Celebrity clients are treated in exactly the same way as everyone else. They take part in group therapy sessions and help with the chores such as cooking and laundry.

But the underlying problems that result in Hollywood’s elite seeking help, may be different.

"We think that success creates new pressures and demands on people that add to their anxiety and make them more susceptible to alcohol and other drugs," says Dr Sack.

"We think that being a celebrity, where your privacy is invaded, where you don’t have the quiet time and downtime that everybody needs, adds to that problem.

"We also think that highly creative people are at greater risk for psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder and substance abuse and alcohol."

Elizabeth Clopton worked behind the scenes in Hollywood when she sought help at Promises for a drug and alcohol problem.

Five years on she has beaten her addiction and has taken up an administrative job at the rehabilitation centre.

Like 90% of the clients, Ms Clopton was not a celebrity.

"There were people that I was here with who were in the news and it didn’t matter because when you’re in your group and you’re all talking together, you’re all equal and you’re all fighting the same disease," she says.

"We all come in with our issues and some of them might have been in the tabloids – and the rest of us – we might not have had news stories written about us, but our issues might be just as big.

"If someone has someone blogging about them or reporting on them it doesn’t mean that their issues are necessarily any worse, it doesn’t mean that their disease is any worse it just means that they’re in the public eye."

Equine therapy

A standard programme of rehabilitation at Promises lasts for 31 days. The cost starts at approximately $54,000 (£35,000) and rises to about $90,000 (£59,000) depending on whether the client wants a private bedroom. Many opt to share two-bed suites.

The property enjoys stunning views of the Pacific ocean, with outdoor areas for sitting, meditation and yoga.

The centre uses western medicine and psychotherapy as well as alternative approaches to help people with their addictions.

Equine therapy involves introducing the client to horses, at a local stable, for grooming and petting.

"A lot of it is about self-esteem and self-loathing," says Gary Troxell, who is an equine assistance psychotherapist.

"Coming out here and connecting with something living is huge, because it’s a beginning for a lot of folks. They get to connect with a 1200 lb animal. That’s power… a good spiritual power too."

Over the years there have been high profile cases of celebrities falling off the wagon or failing to complete the programme.

Centres such as Promises have found themselves the butt of comedians’ jokes as Hollywood actors and musicians follow what almost seems like a rite of passage into rehab.

It is a problem Dr Sack knows will not go away in the near future.

"The proportion of people with drug and alcohol problems is not decreasing – if anything, it’s increasing," he says.

"I think what we want to do is to make sure that the people we help get better and stay better. And that’s really our goal."