Local South Florida Addiction Specialist Speaks Out About VH1's Celebrity Rehab
PALM BEACH, FL (January 11, 2008) If you watched Celebrity Rehab last night on VHI along with millions of other Americans, you saw a sad, troublesome display of what drugs, alcohol and addiction can do to seemingly privileged lives. But is it reality? South Florida psychiatrist and addiction specialist Dr. Agresti says the concept of the show is a setup for disaster and is not realistic.
“The whole principal of getting treatment for drugs and/or alcohol is honesty, and it’s extremely difficult for many addicts to be honest under normal circumstances, let alone when cameras are rolling,” said Dr. Agresti, who operates Meditox, one of the nation's leading and fastest growing home-based medical opiate detox programs. “These celebrities are all deeply disturbed individuals, but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re performers. They understand the importance of the camera, and can never forget it’s there and rolling. So much of what you see is likely to be just a performance.”
Where many Americans may watch the show as an example of what drug and alcohol detox is really like, the reality is most Americans don’t have the ability – either financially or professionally – to take 30 days out of their lives and check into a facility for treatment. This is one reason addicts cite as a deterrent to seeking help.
“These celebrities crave being in the public eye, but the average American – particularly professionals with jobs and families – require confidentiality when seeking treatment,” said David Dashev, CEO of Meditox. “But it’s almost impossible to ask their boss or families for 30 or 60 days to check into a facility. Fortunately, there are now at-home medical detox programs that offer very fast, safe and comfortable treatment, all while experiencing virtually no disruption to normal daily activities. Unfortunately, most people, and even many physicians, are completely unaware of this option.”
“The bottom line is, while it might be disturbingly entertaining to watch on television, people need to understand it’s not necessarily true reality television,” added Dashev. “But the sad reality is, there are millions of Americans struggling with addiction, and finding the right treatment options for each individual is critical to success.”
An estimated one in five Americans have become physically dependent at one time or another to some form of opiate-based prescription medication or painkiller, such as OxyContin®, Percocet®, or Vicodin®. Those rates are even higher among busy professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and corporate executives, as well as other high-profile, high-pressure positions, such as professional athletes and popular entertainers. It is widely known that prescription drug addiction in the professional community frequently occurs after normal treatment for an acute injury. It is possible to become physically dependent on opiate medication after just 4-5 days of prescribed use.
About Mark G. Agresti, M.D., P.A.
Dr. Agresti is a Board Certified Psychiatrist practicing in Palm Beach County for fifteen years. He is a specialist in the psycho-social aspects of addiction and has served as Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia Hospital. He is a nationally recognized speaker on a variety of psycho-pharmacological related topics. Dr. Agresti has presented both nationally and internationally, maintains a private practice and is a consultant to treatment centers throughout the country. He is also the medical director of Meditox.
About David Dashev
Prior to joining Meditox, Mr. Dashev served for twelve years as Chief Operating Officer of Mental Health Services at Colombia Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida. In this capacity he was involved in the treatment of over thirty thousand individuals with substance abuse issues. He holds a Masters Degree from Harvard University and is a consultant to some of the most prominent treatment centers in the country.
If you feel that Meditox might be the right solution for you or your loved one, please call us for a toll-free and private consultation:
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