A Rehab Strategy for Lindsay Lohan

Psychiatrist Discusses Starlet's Jail Sentence, and How She Could Avoid the "Danger Zone" Following Rehab

(CBS)  Lindsay Lohan will be released any day now and will have 24 hours to check into rehab to stay for 90 days.

Can the talented actress with a long history of drug and alcohol problems really turn her life around?

Dr. Dale Archer, a psychiatrist who specializes in chemical imbalances in the brain and personal responsibility, said on "The Early Show on Saturday Morning" that Lohan can turn things around if she separates herself from certain people - perhaps even her family.

Archer said, "If she were my patient, I would say, 'Look, no work for a year; your sobriety is more important than family, friends or job, because if you don't say sober, you will lose all of those, and you may lose your life as well.'

"This is literally life-or-death for Lindsay at this point," he said.

Archer said jail is the right thing for her now.

"You know, [with] an addict, there are two aspects to what's going on: There's the addiction, and then also the point they don't think they're responsible for their actions. And I think the message has to go to Lindsay, 'Look, you broke the rules and now you have to pay the price' - hopefully, a wake-up call."

When Lohan finishes her abbreviated jail sentence, she's required to do a stint in rehab. But then what? Will she fall into the same pattern with the same people?

Archer explained that the period right after release from rehab is the "danger zone."

"The key is you have to divest yourself of the friends that have been the alcoholics and drug addicts with you - the number one thing,' Archer said. "If you can get rid of those people, get them out of your life, get a new group of friends who are sober, she's got a great chance."

He continued, "I think even in Hollywood there are sober individuals and people that have recovered [and are] doing well. Robert Downey Jr. would be an example. She needs to surround herself with people who are sober and have been there and done that and have recovered."

[snla]

Needs to return Home, Tabloids want another MJ to'Mourn'
--
I believe LiLo is a good person - it's the tabloids that cause hate for $$$. Her circumstances are a nightmare. She had always said she had trouble being so far from home - then she sort of gave up. LA is very bad for her- she cant sit on a toilet without first checking for poparazzi in scuba gear looking for a candid shot.

Her lawyer did show she had substantially satisfied 3 years Probation and ALL drug tests were passed (TMZ made each an event- praying she would fail so they could profit from it).

Statements in her probation report obtained by TMZ says she's been using Prescribed anti anxiety medicine for "as long as she could remember". Her dad asked for these doctors to be reprimanded for several years. Anxiety drugs are a Known cause of impaired and erratic behavior, and their longter use has been discredited since the 80's.

[treshuebos]

Does anybody really care?

[rwsmith29456]

Proper psychiatric therapy can help 'defuse' some of the addictive tendencies. The problem is getting a 'proper' psychiatrist. I'm sure Lohan can afford the best and she needs to change her friends and surroundings.

[lilbear925]

Starlet? Not really. Punk kid with no self control -- who just happened to luck into some acting jobs. Yeah. Getting what she deserves, and will go right back to it when she gets out.

[longtree-2009]

archer shouldn't be saying diddly about lohan since he has no real knowledge of or about lohan. it's on lohan to change but she has to want to change. for now, color lohan a loser. none of the rehab centers, sober homes, whatever they are called are doing much good because the USA is a heavy user of illegal drugs as well as alcohol. drug cartels have their best customers among the 300+ million population of the USA, even those who classify themselves as recreational users of illegal drugs are the cartels best customers. drug cartels from all over the world know that the USA has great customers as do the home grown illegal drug trade.

[us_1776]

longtree-2009, you'd be very wrong about rehab centers.

The rehab centers have saved the lives of tens of thousands of people. The problem is you have good rehab programs and you have bad rehab programs. The good ones are very strict and make sure there is no chance for regression. The bad ones just take the family's money and produce mediocre results.

And if we would quit wasting billions of dollars on a totally failed "War on Drugs" and put it into the treatment programs we would have far far less people with addictions and drug problems.

Prohibition has created a huge number of problems in this country. Drug cartels, violent drug gangs, killings, a massive underground drug trade.
Prohibition has never worked anywhere at any time. And the sooner we figure that out again (we already learned this back in 1930's) the sooner we can regain a peaceful society and start dealing with those who for whatever reason seek out addicting substances.



.

[bradkt1]

us_1776: You forgot to add that many of the rehab centers that cater to celebrities are a hustle and are totally ineffective. If you are dealing with a serious addiction, those outpatient rehab centers are basically a joke. The environment that the addict is in has to be controlled.

[wdh3007]

When she finishes rehab she needs to move out of LA permanetly get new friends a new identity a new church if she doesn't have one and possibly a new life.

[snla]

Consider the Facts (not the Special Interests)
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Lohan's lawyer showed she had Substantially Satisfied probation while striving to remain Employed. ALL random drug tests had been negative over her entire 3-year probation, and she was given flexible class permission by the Treatment Center.

Her dad has pleaded with the court since 2007 to investigate the Doctors who were writing her prescriptions for mood drugs, which are known to cause impaired and erratic behavior.

She would obviously benefit from Court Ordered Rehab - to break the prescription drug dependency caused by these Doctors.

Hopefully people will realize that prosecuting these petty offenses is pure bureaucratic waste$

[LillyGrass]

I certainly don't think DUI or drugs are a "petty offense" but I do think court ordered rehab is in order. The only thing "petty" about this is her own attitude. Anyone who gets DUI has to pay the consequences. Who goes to court w/ her obnoxious nail polish thing? She is a spoiled little brat who thinks she is entitled to certain treatment because she made a few bucks making movies. I wish her the best for recovery in rehab, but I hope she also has a hefty community service sentence that maybe can curb her crazy over inflated ego. She will never succeed w/ rehab unless she gets real with her own person. She needs to be brought back to earth.

[alancontact]

You are in just as much denial as Lohan is.

[carolhill814]

If she does exactly what she will do well but knowing these young people as I do they won't listen and go back to where she was before but if she does that the next think we will hear won't be good and I really don't want to hear that not at all and that is a fact.

MAY GOD BLESS LINDSAY NOW AND FOR ALL TIME AS I AM SURE HE WILL!!!

[erasmus111]

"...Lohan can turn things around if she separates herself from certain people - perhaps even her family."


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Sorry, I just don't see that happening.

There are some people that have VERY addictive personalities and there is no hope for them. They can't pull themselves out of it. I believe her to be one of them.

[carolhill814]

I think you are right about that the only thing we can do is pray for her and hope what you said is wrong but as you said I don't believe so we will see what happens.

[ppaulville]

Too bad how all these young starlets emulate people like Marilyn Monroe, who spent as much time on her back as she did upright and her "achievements" were the results of people using her. If that's what a "star" is, then thanks but no thanks.