Young celebrities turn to the party scene to fit in. They hear of their friends doing it, so they must too. Some of these young celebrities went from being nobody to being famous overnight. They were not prepared for the pressure and stress that comes with being a star. Everything they do is watched and scrutinized. When a regular person has a bad day, they wake up the next day to a new start. When a celebrity has a bad day, they read about it in the tabloids for the next two weeks. Turning to alcohol lets them relax and forget about things like the paparazzi. Even when they are following an alcoholism treatment program, they are not left alone.
Many celebrities have had problems with alcoholism. They are in and out of rehab on a regular basis. They may do ok for a while, but then the pressures get to them, and they start drinking again. There have been several stars charged with driving under the influence. Some of these celebs have had a hit and runs while they were intoxicated.
Alcohol can be the thing that shuts down their career. Managers get tired of having to deal with the celebrities’ problems, and they find someone else. Producers do not like having to schedule their work around the start of rehab schedule during their alcoholism treatment program. They want someone that knows how to handle pressure.
Celebrities need to learn how to handle stress and pressure. They need to know that it is not ok for them to stay out all night, every night partying. Celebrities are setting examples for their fans. Especially young stars like Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. Young girls look up to these celebrities and want to be just like them. They read about the stars out partying, and they think that is cool.
In addition to being influenced by celebrities, for common people, there are other factors like peer pressure and social status that will also influence one’s drinking habits. Apart from the genetically influenced and social factors, there are others like psychological ones, which include stress and emotional instability that will lead one to drink. For many of these people, drinking is compensation for the troubles they are going through. They will tend to do so in secret and will even have secretive places for hiding their drinks, e.g., in the car.
Alcoholism can be detected through some symptoms like forgetfulness and irresponsibility. They also tend to show irritability if asked about their drinking habits. This is not all. It is not uncommon for them to get into legal and financial problems related to their addiction to alcohol. This disease can altogether be treated if detected early enough.
At this point, celebrities need to realize they are making an impact on common people, especially the young ones. They need to learn if they are stressed and having problems, and alcohol is not the way to go. And if they have an issue with alcohol, they follow the right alcoholism treatment program and show the right example.
Why celebrities?
Studies have shown that some personality traits that make a good successful person, one who is a risk-taker, has a strong drive for success, obsessive, dedicated, and novelty-seeking are also seen in individuals who have a substance abuse disorder. These qualities use the same pathways that affect the reward and pleasure center in the brain for both addicts and successful people. Many celebrities have a strong work ethic and high drive for success and when mixed with certain societal pressures and unhealthy relationships, it can lead to a recipe for disaster. Whether they are actors, athletes, politicians, musicians, inventors or well-known CEOs, celebrities live in the public spotlight and are often criticized harshly for their weight, how they dress, their opinions, and their everyday appearances.
Peer pressure whether it’s from the general public, classmates or from friends is known to have a huge impact on the development of eating disorders, mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders. When a celebrity’s life is fully exposed and they have limited privacy, it can create an immense amount of stress and the need for perfection. Additionally these celebrities struggle with fame, increased wealth, and exercise (especially athletes) which can activate the dopamine reward system in their brains, similar to drug addiction responses. Celebrities and athletes alike may become ‘addicted’ to that high, and turn to available resources of drugs to replicate that high when it fades.
