Kirsten Dunst: Depression Or Addiction?
A few months ago, actress Kirsten Dunst checked herself into Cirque Lodge (the former treatment center of model patient Lindsay Lohan) for what many assumed was treatment for alcoholism. She’s been well-known to have problems with alcohol, enough for the tabloid press to give her the unfortunate nickname “Kirsten Drunkst”, and she’s been known to dabble in drugs. Well, she’s now saying that she wasn’t in there for a problem with drinking, but for treatment for depression:
“I didn’t go to Cirque Lodge for alcohol abuse or drug abuse,†the actress, 26, tells E! in a new interview. “I went there for depression.â€
She says “it was a good six months before I decided to go away.
“I was struggling, and I had the opportunity to go somewhere and take care of myself,” she continues. “I was fortunate to have the resources to do it. My friends and family thought it was a good idea, too. But I didn’t know where to go. My doctor recommended Cirque Lodge.”
There’s just one problem with this admission…you can’t get into Cirque Lodge unless you have an addiction that you want to control.
From their own website, they talk about drug and alcohol rehab here:
Cirque Lodge is an accredited addiction treatment center located in Sundance Utah. We are one of the nation’s most exclusive drug treatment centers providing services for alcohol and drug rehab. We were named by Town and Country magazine as one of the top drug and substance abuse treatment facilities. Individuals or families needing immediate addiction treatment, drug rehab or alcohol rehab should call us at 1-877-997-3422. We are known for providing effective drug and alcohol treatment for individuals and families suffering from the disease of alcoholism or drug addiction.
Cirque Lodge, Sundance Utah is a private world-class residential drug rehab and addiction treatment facility. Our alcohol rehabilitation and drug rehab program is offered in a private mountain setting. Cirque Lodge derives its name from the beautiful glacier-carved Cascade Cirque high in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains.
And here:
Cirque Lodge is a private drug rehab program and is not contracted with any government agencies.
And here:
Treatment for addiction should not be a one size fits all program. It takes a number of programs and therapy types to provide the answer. Addiction is not something that can be miraculously cured, so avoid drug rehab programs that tell you such. Addiction treatment takes time and a conscious effort from the individual to be achieved. At Cirque Lodge, our drug rehab program is based on the 12-step modality created by Alcoholics Anonymous. The 12-step method functions as a good basis for continuing focus after leaving rehab.
And here:
Cirque Lodge drug rehab center, located in the mountains of Sundance UT, provides the ultimate in effective alcohol rehab and private drug treatment. Our exclusive mountain facility offers the privacy and attention to detail found only in the finest treatment centers in the world. At Cirque Lodge, we develop an individualized treatment model that will meet the needs of each resident in our treatment center. Our drug treatment program focuses on helping people struggling with alcohol abuse as well as drugs. For the best drug rehab facility available, Cirque Lodge is the choice of professionals throughout the world. Call us today for a free consultation and review. Recovery begins with the first step, and that step is a phone call to one of our experienced and caring staff members. Call 1-877-99-REHAB today.
And from their admission guidelines page:
Treatment:
Drug Addictions, Alcohol Addictions and other Substance Abuse issues
Basically, while I found tons of information relating to drug and alcohol abuse, I found nothing that said they treat depression on its own, just as it relates to drug and alcohol abuse and as part of treatment for those addictions. It would appear that the first criteria to be met for admission is drug or alcohol abuse.
Look, I’m not ragging on Kirsten, or anyone else who struggles with either drugs, alcohol, or depression. If you are someone who is having a problem with depression, there is no shame whatsoever in going to a medical professional for treatment, counseling, and/or medical intervention. Likewise, if you find yourself struggling with an addiction, there is absolutely no shame in going to a treatment center and receiving help for that addiction.
But there is a problem when someone checks themselves into a clinic specifically for addictions, and then claims it was for depression. One of the first rules of any sort of treatment is admitting you have a problem and being honest with yourself, whether that be about addiction or depression or whatever. There seems to be the implication here that treatment for depression is somehow more “accepted” and less stigmatizing than treatment for addiction, and it appears on the surface that Kirsten isn’t exactly being honest with the public. She may have indeed recieved some depression therapy in Cirque, but by their own admission statement you cannot be admitted for depression alone. I ain’t sayin’, I’m just sayin’.
No, it’s probably none of our business what she checked in there for…but since Kirsten has felt the need to make this announcement, it has now become part of the public domain to be commented on. Had she not said anything, I would not have said anything either. It is unfortunate that there is still this stigma around receiving treatment for addiction, when individuals attempting to put their lives back together should be supported.
I sincerely wish Kirsten all the best, and I hope she can emerge from this a better and happier person, whatever it is she is dealing with. It just seems to me that she needs to be honest with herself, before that can ever happen.
Pink Stripe WordPress Theme Designed by Joni Mueller &
You can always be counted on to deliver a well-researched article pointing to the hypocrisy of the modern celebrity.
Dunst may have been there for depression, but she was also there for some kind of substance abuse issue. I don’t appreciate how she thinks the public is dumb. Sometimes it’s better to keep yourself quiet.
Comment by d — May 29, 2008 @ 9:29 am
Perhaps Scientology can help!
Comment by Ron Brown — May 29, 2008 @ 10:21 am
I work at an addiction treatment centre called LifeWorks we treat people with whats called Dual Diagnosis, this is were someone has a primary condition and a secondary condition both that need treating. Maybe she checked in for depression and her problem with drink is secondary.
Comment by Emma — May 30, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Whatever her problem is, I hope she gets the help she needs
Comment by Nathan Harris — May 30, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
[...] Source: k [...]
Pingback by Celebrity Blog | Babelogs | Celebrity Gossip » Blog Archive » Kirsten Dunst: Depression Or Addiction? — May 31, 2008 @ 6:51 pm
You also have to consider the possibility of addicition TO anti-depressant medicines. Believe me, look up Lexapro withdrawal or Effexor withdrawal.. or even Paxil withdrawal (nicknamed Paxhell) and you’ll find that some anti-depressants are truly, truly, truly HORRIBLE to get off of. I speak from personal experience, having had to fight the withdrawal of rather small doses of Lexapro and Effexor… and it was hell for a good three weeks. Not bashing on anti-depressant medicines, because they’re crucial for some people, but I know one person who got off Effexor said it was easier to quit a hard drug addiction than to get off the prescription drug. So she might have had a mix of issues, and simply chosen to simplify it by saying depression.
Comment by Oneiropolos — June 2, 2008 @ 12:23 am
[...] GlossLip » Kirsten Dunst: Depression Or Addiction? [...]
Pingback by Article City » Blog Archive » Residential Alcohol Treatment in California: An Overview — June 8, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
This was an informative and interesting website.Due to tensions and stress people indulge in alcohol.So its better family and friends help them out to over come this habit of sustaining alcohol………..
———————-
tulsi
Alcohol abuse affects millions. This site has a lot of useful information.
http://www.alcoholabusecenter.com
Comment by tulasi — June 9, 2008 @ 6:16 am