Could Sheen really kick addiction with his mind?

Whether or not you're watching Charlie Sheen go from TV actor to celebrity train wreck, the "Two and a Half Men" star has stirred a pot when it comes to his criticism of the addiction treatment industry.

Sheen's televised rantings against Alcoholics Anonymous, his statements that he possesses "tiger's blood" and has cured himself of drugs and booze through "his mind" have raised eyebrows among professionals who treat people with addictions.

The question remains: can you quit smoking, drugs or alcohol by willpower alone? Experts say it's possible, but add that many who do usually relapse or weren't technically addicted in the first place.

"Lots of people can quit on their own for a short time, but there's always the risk they may return to use and that happens frequently," said Ryan Vandrey, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Mmm, cinnamon. A whiff can boost your mood Healthy to-do of the day! Women who sniffed a whiff of cinnamon reported positive feelings days later, a study shows.

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"How do you define recovery?" Vandrey said. "I'm sure (Sheen) has gone several weeks or months without getting high or getting drunk, then he goes again. At what point do you define him as cured? Many people say it's an ongoing disorder."

For those who haven't been following the tabloids, Sheen has had a public history of stays in various rehab centers beginning in the 1990s. He has also been arrested in several publicized domestic violence episodes and accidentally shot an ex-girlfriend.

But it's the past few days when things started getting weird. CBS shut down production of the top-rated show "Two and a Half Men" after Sheen's verbal attacks against the show's producer. Sheen said he left rehab to cure himself at home along with two girlfriends he calls "The Goddesses." And this week, a Los Angeles judge issued an order removing his two-year-old twins from his home after allegations of violence by his soon-to-be ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, who also has had a public history of drug use.

Despite Sheen's history (and perhaps because of it), some psychologists say that rehab centers that offer an intense 30-day stay aren't the answer for all patients.

"This is one of the big myths that the treatment industry perpetuates on the public," said A. Thomas Horvath, a psychologist and president of Practical Recovery, a San Diego treatment center. "The majority of the public do so on their own. Rehab in itself is no panacea or (Sheen) wouldn't have to go so many times."

Horvath says his program tries to change people's behavior without using a 12-step program, the model used for decades by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Beat Deafness: A Man Lost in Musical Time Mazda Issues Recall Over Spider in Fuel Tank Designing Protest-Friendly Cities Enzyme Brings Back Old Memories

"The most common way out of addiction is natural recovery, which occurs using informal resources, and not treatment or a recovery support group," Horvath said. "The treatment industry downplays this fact or denies it, probably because it is not good for business."

Horvath says his approach uses standard psychological techniques to change behavior. He and others interviewed by Discovery News agreed that most people suffering from drug or alcohol dependency have multiple problems, which may include various forms of mental illness or psychological conditions, such as bipolar disorder or manic depression. 

That makes identifying the causes or behavior -- and getting people to quit -- even harder, according to Michael Fingerhood, director of the Center for Chemical Dependence at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Fingerhood said he has had patients relapse after 15 years of staying sober and their tolerance for high levels of drugs or alcohol returns as if they had never stopped. He noted that different drugs affect the brain in different ways. Smokers who use a nicotine patch have about a 25 percent success rate, while those who stop without anything have a 5 to 10 percent rate, Fingerhood said.

When it comes to alcohol, Fingerhood said about 5 percent of people who say they can do it on their own actually succeed.

"It takes months of abstinence to be able to think clearly," Fingehood said. "Your neurons aren't connected for a while after drinking heavily."

Drugs like cocaine and heroin have a success rate somewhere in between smoking and alcohol, he said. With his patients, Fingerhood says he looks for small improvements rather than absolute cures.

"You hope that as people go along, the amount they relapse gets shorter," he said. "Some will go a month of being sober, then they drink for five or six days. Then maybe they'll stay sober for several months or a year. "

© 2011 Discovery Channel

View the original article here

Could Sheen really kick addiction with his mind?

Whether or not you're watching Charlie Sheen go from TV actor to celebrity train wreck, the "Two and a Half Men" star has stirred a pot when it comes to his criticism of the addiction treatment industry.

Sheen's televised rantings against Alcoholics Anonymous, his statements that he possesses "tiger's blood" and has cured himself of drugs and booze through "his mind" have raised eyebrows among professionals who treat people with addictions.

The question remains: can you quit smoking, drugs or alcohol by willpower alone? Experts say it's possible, but add that many who do usually relapse or weren't technically addicted in the first place.

"Lots of people can quit on their own for a short time, but there's always the risk they may return to use and that happens frequently," said Ryan Vandrey, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Mmm, cinnamon. A whiff can boost your mood Healthy to-do of the day! Women who sniffed a whiff of cinnamon reported positive feelings days later, a study shows.

E. coli found on 50 percent of shopping carts Sniff test: Living without a sense of smell Botox for your bits? Shot may smooth over sex problems FDA defends actions on tainted wipes

"How do you define recovery?" Vandrey said. "I'm sure (Sheen) has gone several weeks or months without getting high or getting drunk, then he goes again. At what point do you define him as cured? Many people say it's an ongoing disorder."

For those who haven't been following the tabloids, Sheen has had a public history of stays in various rehab centers beginning in the 1990s. He has also been arrested in several publicized domestic violence episodes and accidentally shot an ex-girlfriend.

But it's the past few days when things started getting weird. CBS shut down production of the top-rated show "Two and a Half Men" after Sheen's verbal attacks against the show's producer. Sheen said he left rehab to cure himself at home along with two girlfriends he calls "The Goddesses." And this week, a Los Angeles judge issued an order removing his two-year-old twins from his home after allegations of violence by his soon-to-be ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, who also has had a public history of drug use.

Despite Sheen's history (and perhaps because of it), some psychologists say that rehab centers that offer an intense 30-day stay aren't the answer for all patients.

"This is one of the big myths that the treatment industry perpetuates on the public," said A. Thomas Horvath, a psychologist and president of Practical Recovery, a San Diego treatment center. "The majority of the public do so on their own. Rehab in itself is no panacea or (Sheen) wouldn't have to go so many times."

Horvath says his program tries to change people's behavior without using a 12-step program, the model used for decades by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Beat Deafness: A Man Lost in Musical Time Mazda Issues Recall Over Spider in Fuel Tank Designing Protest-Friendly Cities Enzyme Brings Back Old Memories

"The most common way out of addiction is natural recovery, which occurs using informal resources, and not treatment or a recovery support group," Horvath said. "The treatment industry downplays this fact or denies it, probably because it is not good for business."

Horvath says his approach uses standard psychological techniques to change behavior. He and others interviewed by Discovery News agreed that most people suffering from drug or alcohol dependency have multiple problems, which may include various forms of mental illness or psychological conditions, such as bipolar disorder or manic depression. 

That makes identifying the causes or behavior -- and getting people to quit -- even harder, according to Michael Fingerhood, director of the Center for Chemical Dependence at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Fingerhood said he has had patients relapse after 15 years of staying sober and their tolerance for high levels of drugs or alcohol returns as if they had never stopped. He noted that different drugs affect the brain in different ways. Smokers who use a nicotine patch have about a 25 percent success rate, while those who stop without anything have a 5 to 10 percent rate, Fingerhood said.

When it comes to alcohol, Fingerhood said about 5 percent of people who say they can do it on their own actually succeed.

"It takes months of abstinence to be able to think clearly," Fingehood said. "Your neurons aren't connected for a while after drinking heavily."

Drugs like cocaine and heroin have a success rate somewhere in between smoking and alcohol, he said. With his patients, Fingerhood says he looks for small improvements rather than absolute cures.

"You hope that as people go along, the amount they relapse gets shorter," he said. "Some will go a month of being sober, then they drink for five or six days. Then maybe they'll stay sober for several months or a year. "

© 2011 Discovery Channel

View the original article here

Could Sheen really kick addiction with his mind?

Whether or not you're watching Charlie Sheen go from TV actor to celebrity train wreck, the "Two and a Half Men" star has stirred a pot when it comes to his criticism of the addiction treatment industry.

Sheen's televised rantings against Alcoholics Anonymous, his statements that he possesses "tiger's blood" and has cured himself of drugs and booze through "his mind" have raised eyebrows among professionals who treat people with addictions.

The question remains: can you quit smoking, drugs or alcohol by willpower alone? Experts say it's possible, but add that many who do usually relapse or weren't technically addicted in the first place.

"Lots of people can quit on their own for a short time, but there's always the risk they may return to use and that happens frequently," said Ryan Vandrey, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Mmm, cinnamon. A whiff can boost your mood Healthy to-do of the day! Women who sniffed a whiff of cinnamon reported positive feelings days later, a study shows.

E. coli found on 50 percent of shopping carts Sniff test: Living without a sense of smell Botox for your bits? Shot may smooth over sex problems FDA defends actions on tainted wipes

"How do you define recovery?" Vandrey said. "I'm sure (Sheen) has gone several weeks or months without getting high or getting drunk, then he goes again. At what point do you define him as cured? Many people say it's an ongoing disorder."

For those who haven't been following the tabloids, Sheen has had a public history of stays in various rehab centers beginning in the 1990s. He has also been arrested in several publicized domestic violence episodes and accidentally shot an ex-girlfriend.

But it's the past few days when things started getting weird. CBS shut down production of the top-rated show "Two and a Half Men" after Sheen's verbal attacks against the show's producer. Sheen said he left rehab to cure himself at home along with two girlfriends he calls "The Goddesses." And this week, a Los Angeles judge issued an order removing his two-year-old twins from his home after allegations of violence by his soon-to-be ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, who also has had a public history of drug use.

Despite Sheen's history (and perhaps because of it), some psychologists say that rehab centers that offer an intense 30-day stay aren't the answer for all patients.

"This is one of the big myths that the treatment industry perpetuates on the public," said A. Thomas Horvath, a psychologist and president of Practical Recovery, a San Diego treatment center. "The majority of the public do so on their own. Rehab in itself is no panacea or (Sheen) wouldn't have to go so many times."

Horvath says his program tries to change people's behavior without using a 12-step program, the model used for decades by Alcoholics Anonymous.

Beat Deafness: A Man Lost in Musical Time Mazda Issues Recall Over Spider in Fuel Tank Designing Protest-Friendly Cities Enzyme Brings Back Old Memories

"The most common way out of addiction is natural recovery, which occurs using informal resources, and not treatment or a recovery support group," Horvath said. "The treatment industry downplays this fact or denies it, probably because it is not good for business."

Horvath says his approach uses standard psychological techniques to change behavior. He and others interviewed by Discovery News agreed that most people suffering from drug or alcohol dependency have multiple problems, which may include various forms of mental illness or psychological conditions, such as bipolar disorder or manic depression. 

That makes identifying the causes or behavior -- and getting people to quit -- even harder, according to Michael Fingerhood, director of the Center for Chemical Dependence at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Fingerhood said he has had patients relapse after 15 years of staying sober and their tolerance for high levels of drugs or alcohol returns as if they had never stopped. He noted that different drugs affect the brain in different ways. Smokers who use a nicotine patch have about a 25 percent success rate, while those who stop without anything have a 5 to 10 percent rate, Fingerhood said.

When it comes to alcohol, Fingerhood said about 5 percent of people who say they can do it on their own actually succeed.

"It takes months of abstinence to be able to think clearly," Fingehood said. "Your neurons aren't connected for a while after drinking heavily."

Drugs like cocaine and heroin have a success rate somewhere in between smoking and alcohol, he said. With his patients, Fingerhood says he looks for small improvements rather than absolute cures.

"You hope that as people go along, the amount they relapse gets shorter," he said. "Some will go a month of being sober, then they drink for five or six days. Then maybe they'll stay sober for several months or a year. "

© 2011 Discovery Channel

View the original article here

Oscar could be coronation for composer Desplat (AP)

NEW YORK – In a film where sound is central, Alexandre Desplat's score to "The King's Speech" enters subtly.

A simple melody slinks in, a soft, demure line of hopeful piano notes, fittingly repetitive, like the stuttering speech of the film's main character, George VI (Colin Firth).

"You have to respect the silence," says Desplat, speaking from London where he's working on the score to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." "It's quite a challenge to be able to come in in such a delicate way that you're not noticed. I think great scores have to be noticed, but they're wrong when you hear the music come in."

The score, partly recorded with a vintage microphone of George VI's, has earned Desplat his fourth Academy Award nomination. He's regarded as the front-runner in the category ahead of the Feb. 27 Oscars.

A win would be something of a belated coronation for Desplat. Though it wasn't until 2003 that he broke through to Hollywood, the 49-year-old Frenchman has already established himself as one of the most sought after composers in movies.

His scores are remarkably varied, veering from grandly epic to minimalist and intimate, from 80-piece orchestras to lone whistling. He's worked with Stephen Frears, Roman Polanski, David Fincher, Wes Anderson and Jacques Audiard.

"The sound of the music and the images, to me, is something intangible and magical," says Desplat. "I try to sneak into the film with the music, so that it belongs to the film totally."

The son of a French father and Greek mother who met in the U.S. but raised him in France, Desplat was classically trained on piano from age 5. He also became proficient on the flute and trumpet.

He was a young cinephile. At age 6, he recalls being struck by Alex North's score to "Spartacus."

"I never dreamed of writing for concert or opera," says Desplat. "I always dreamed, if I was a composer, to write music for films."

He was particularly moved by scores by Nino Rota, Bernard Herrmann, fellow Frenchman Maurice Jarre ("Lawrence of Arabia") and John Williams, whose "Star Wars" score — its double album poured over — prompted a resolution in Desplat.

"I remember saying to my friends: `That's what I want to do,'" says Desplat.

He began scoring film and television around 1990, working mainly in France. Dialogue-heavy French films, Desplat says, didn't give him the room he craved. 2003's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" introduced him to Hollywood.

Jonathan Glazer's "Birth" (2004) bent yet more ears to Desplat, particularly its magnificent opening scene: An overhead shot of a jogger running through a snowy Central Park, who eventually collapses and dies. Paced by flute, Desplat's score is lush and stirring — somewhat like minimalist John Adams, a distinct influence on Desplat.

Anderson was blown away by the "Birth" score and sought out Desplat for his stop-motion animated "Fantastic Mr. Fox." Desplat's whimsical score has bluegrass influences and pieces like "Whack-Bat Majorette."

"Alexandre is a French movie star who happens to be one of the world's pre-eminent composers," Anderson said by e-mail. "I do not know if he can act. Also, I feel he may be the flute-playing equivalent of Jimi Hendrix, and he is a great whistler."

For Desplat, scoring a film is a deeply personal task. He holes himself away "like a monk" when writing, pushing himself into "a very obsessive trance." Watching footage from the film endlessly, inspiration can come from anything: the storyline, an actor's face, a camera angle, a lighting style.

"When I think I have found what the music should be, I can feel a vibration as I'm playing the music and watching at the same time," Desplat says. "If you change the music of `Vertigo,' I'm sure the vibration would go away."

For "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," a film in which the main character ages backward, he created musical palindromes. In "New Moon," he reflected Bella's indecision between her two suitors (Edward and Jacob) by blending their themes.

Chris Weitz has worked with Desplat on three very different films: "New Moon," the fantasy epic "The Golden Compass" and the upcoming illegal immigrant drama "A Better Life." He convenes with Desplat at his Montparnasse apartment in Paris, which includes a studio.

"It's kind of sinfully fun," says Weitz. "You're sitting around, every once in a while a cat will wander in and take a seat on the couch. You sit around and talk about the day and life and eat biscuits and sip coffee."

"You get the sense that you're both trying to improve the movie, rather than just knocking around notes," says Weitz.

Desplat was particularly challenged in scoring the much-anticipated "The Tree of Life" (out in May), by the rarely active Terrence Malick. On Malick's wishes, Desplat composed the score without seeing any of the footage, providing music to the director for several years.

It's all an incredible load for any composer, especially one as dedicated as Desplat.

"It's a very, very lucky moment and I don't want to stop that moment," says Desplat. "It's what I dreamed to do, and I want to keep the dream going."

View the original article here