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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
I only have a layman's knowledge of psychiatry, plus two very futile experiences with shrinks; one at about age 17, including a short stay in a hospital, and another at age 30. I found both frustrating because the doctors involved could have pointed me in some direction towards discovering my problems, but preferred to milk the bank accounts of my parents, and later my own, with trying to make me feel "comfortable" as I recounted the pointless crap of my previous week.
I think less of psychiatrists than of counselors or therepists, who are willing to offer advice and suggest possible therepies to folks with standard emotional problems.
But the tendency of celebrities to use psychiatric treatment and rehab clinics as a "beard" is an old one. Peter Lawford, peripheral member of the Rat Pack and relative to the Kennedys, once went to a desert rehab center. He would take long walks out in the desert at night...where he'd meet up with a helicopter with a delivery of fresh drugs and booze. Nobody seemed to have minded it, apparently not even the clinic's staff.
If I thought psychiatry provided effective and practical solutions to emotional problems, I'd be tempted to raise money to buy therepy for that gay black guy who posted a violent screed a post or two before this one. Instead, I would probably send him a couple of good self-help books and tapes. I'm neither black nor gay, but my life has been full of undeserved ass-whuppings and contempt. And I've managed to get beyond it and live a life largely free of self-destructive hatred.
How'd you manage to overlook that prime case of clebrehab? I thought that case (which was rehab number three or four for him, and the umpteenth Kennedy rehab, right?) was the ultimate of archetype of, "Hey, I'd love to answer the D.C. police department's questions, but unfortunately I am in rehab right now. See you next Novemeber."
I think all of this is funny. Most addicts and alcoholics fall flat on their face just destroying the lives of their families. I do not like James Frey because he is untalented and he actually (before I ever knew who he was) let out a statement that said, "Let the haters hate, let the liars lie...." Anytime anyone uses the word "hater" you know you are witnessing pure garbage in human form.
I am very attracted to Lindsay Lohan and would one day wish to make myself worthy of her through success, bodybuilding, cardio, penile implant, new wardrobe, etc. I will do all that I can so that one day I can win her heart and make love to her. Beautiful little fire crotch. I have been masturbating to her image since I saw "Freaky Friday."
Britney: Love you babe, but you are most likely too loose for me. Your lunchmeat must hang down to your ankles.
Nicole: Definitely hit it and try to break that back. Break that back, break that back.
Kramer: who gives a shit if you called a black person a nigger? So what? All that he was trying to do was insult some asswipe and he went for the jugular. It isn't a crime to insult someone.
Black guy from some stupid show I have never watched: calling someone a faggot is just the lazy man's insult. I will say however, that most dudes do call other guys faggot when they get into arguments (and motherfucker). Hey we have been brought up to call weaker guys sissy and faggot. They are weak they deserve death. Other than that, yeah, the gay guy should just realize that being called faggot is just an insult in general and he should lighten up or lighten some other man's load in his mouth.
Rep. Ney: you are just pathetic. Do you toss your own salad? If you would like, I could bend you over and cream in your butt.
Pat O'Brien: whoever thought you would be so fucking cool?
and for the rest: Just drink and be happy. Hell, why does everyone have to fret about a little partying? For all those dipsomaniacs, imbibers, tippers-backers, just relax, have a nice cocktail or two, and keep on keeping on.
I've been sober for 21 years and these losers are giving us drunks a bad name.
Thanks for the passive-aggressive hide-behine-your-monitor snarky little spineless swipe at "the black guy." If you learned to stand up for yourself in public you would not have suffered a lifetime of ass-whuppings. Instead all you have is a keyboard and salon, where your subscription means your infantile rants won't get scrubbed. You're still the whiny little jerk you were as a kid. Face it. No wonder you're still single and living at home.
Clarissa French
Sandusky, OH
Salon has far too much material on celebrities. If I wanted that kind of junk, I'd pick it up in the supermarket. I subscribed because I'm interested in coverage of current events, politics, and the arts. But your recent trend toward pop "culture" is causing me to rethink my subscription.
Charles Fisher
Dublin, Ohio
Now, really, Salon, who really cares about these publicity hungry nobodies? This gossipy s--- is not worthy of your really great on-line news.
Now, really, Salon, who really cares about these publicity hungry nobodies? This gossipy s--- is not worthy of your really great on-line news.
You are my hero.
These celebrities get ranked out for going to rehab cynically. No more than a handful of drunks and addicts ever goes sincerely. The only thing drunks and addicts do sincerely is drink and drug.
Addiction is a primary disease. That is, if there's sex addiction or an eating disorder, for instance, and chemical addiction as well, nothing's going to improve without treating the chemical addiction first.
Patient compliance with recovery is no worse than with any other medical treatment.
Recovery and psych (though less the drug therapy fad) can work. The standard complaints against them are mostly not real.
There's nothing wrong with getting better. And there's nothing wrong with the precondition for getting better, to acknowledge you've got a screw or two loose.
Best,
Monty
(Read more for free: google "Rabid Fanatic" +"Monty Johnston"
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Once seen as a lunatic fringe, reactionary anti-women groups are courting respectability
Salon headlines in your mailbox
