About alcoholism disease and treatments
Justin Bieber became internationally famous while still a teenager. To millions of fans, his rapid rise represented extraordinary success. Behind the fame, however, Bieber has publicly described periods of depression, anxiety, loneliness, substance misuse, emotional instability, and difficulty adjusting to enormous attention at a young age. His experiences demonstrate an important mental health lesson: success … Read more
Jada Pinkett Smith has spoken publicly about periods in her younger life when alcohol, drugs, and other compulsive behaviors became problematic. Her story provides an opportunity to discuss how addiction does not always look the same from one person to another. Someone can maintain a career, relationships, and public success while privately recognizing that certain … Read more
Celebrity life is often associated with wealth, success, glamorous events, and seemingly unlimited opportunities. Yet behind the carefully managed public image, celebrities can experience the same substance use disorders, mental health challenges, trauma, grief, relationship problems, and emotional distress as anyone else. In some cases, the pressures surrounding fame can create additional barriers to recognizing … Read more
Feeling exhausted, emotionally drained, unmotivated, or desperate for relief can make someone wonder: Am I burned out, or is something more serious happening? Burnout and addiction can sometimes look similar from the outside. Both may involve changes in mood, declining performance, withdrawal from other people, disrupted sleep, irritability, and difficulty managing everyday responsibilities. They are … Read more
Actor, comedian, and podcast host Dax Shepard has spoken openly about his struggles with alcohol and other drugs, as well as the challenges of maintaining recovery. His experience provides an important reminder that addiction recovery is not always a straight path. Even after many years without alcohol or illicit drugs, vulnerability can remain, and relapse … Read more
Diabetes is usually discussed in terms of blood glucose, insulin, nutrition, exercise, and medications. Yet another issue can sometimes remain hidden behind unstable glucose levels: problematic substance use or compulsive behavior. Alcohol, nicotine, opioids, stimulants, cannabis, and other substances can complicate diabetes management in different ways. Eating disorders and recurrent binge-eating behaviors may also interfere … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe is remembered for The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, and other haunting works that transformed American literature. Behind his literary achievements, however, was a life marked by repeated loss, financial insecurity, unstable relationships, periods of emotional distress, and problematic alcohol use. Historical accounts indicate that Poe experienced recurring episodes of heavy drinking and … Read more
Vincent van Gogh is remembered for extraordinary paintings such as The Starry Night and Sunflowers, but behind his artistic achievements was a life marked by loneliness, financial hardship, poor nutrition, emotional instability, recurring mental health crises, and heavy alcohol consumption. Historical evidence indicates that Van Gogh drank heavily at periods of his life, particularly wine, … Read more
Benjamin Franklin is remembered as a Founding Father, inventor, writer, diplomat, and advocate for self-improvement. Less often discussed is his complicated relationship with alcohol and the drinking culture of eighteenth-century America. Franklin drank wine and other alcoholic beverages and occasionally recorded occasions when he drank more freely than he thought was wise. However, historical evidence … Read more
Eric Clapton is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock music, but behind his extraordinary career was a prolonged struggle with addiction. During the 1970s and 1980s, Clapton experienced serious problems involving heroin and alcohol that affected his health, relationships, personal life, and music. His recovery did not occur in one perfect … Read more