Jezebel: Addiction

Collecting "Friends" On Facebook: What's The Point?

Dodai — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Right on the heels of the news that female office workers spend 3x more time with their computers than their boyfriends or husbands comes this article from the Daily Mail, which blames Facebook for "friendship addiction." Psychologist David Smallwood claims that women who are recovering from drug, alcohol and shopping dependency shouldn't be on Facebook (or, presumably, MySpace). He thinks that collecting friends is an addiction, saying:

"The problem with Facebook is it's all about acquisition and this is an addictive process. Acquisition of friends is like any other fix but it's competitive — you judge yourself by how many friends you have online. You go out of your way to amass friends and that means people bend out of shape and become something they are not. To appear successful, you go and put yourself in credit card debt by buying clothes and handbags. I see patients who are on Facebook and my response is 'get yourself of it.'"

Smallwood warns that at least 10% of the population is at risk for this kind of "friendship addiction," but doesn't anyone think this is rather alarmist? Sure, some people are all about "collecting" friends on social networking sites, but if you're an addict, you're an addict: Facebook is not to blame. Painting this problem as a women-are-so-needy-and-out-of-control issue is something the Daily Mail does well; but one has to wonder: Why do some people find the need to competitively "collect" "friends"? What's the allure in having a high number of "friends" on Facebook or MySpace? What does it prove? Most people know you don't actually know and hang out with all of those people. Having lots of "friends" can't get you a better job or more money or true love. So seriously: What's the point?

Facebook To Blame For 'Friendship Addiction' Among Women [Daily Mail]

Intervention: The Worst Case Of A Huffing Addiction We've Ever Seen

Tracie — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Each subject in each episode of Intervention is troublesome, but the young woman featured on last night's show is fucked up. Her name is Allison, and in addition to anorexia and self-mutilation, she suffers from a huffing addiction of gargantuan proportions, sucking on dust remover like it's a baby bottle (she puts away 8 to 10 of them a day). Allison began abusing the substance as a junior in college (she is in her mid-20s now) as a way of trying to deal with the intense amount of pain caused by molestation as a child, the trial of the alleged molester (for which she had to testify in front of a court filled with people), her parents' divorce, a nasty custody battle, and her eventual abandonment by her father. She ends up going to rehab in the end, but only after her cats are taken away by the Humane Society and she's put in the psych ward. Clip above.

The Washington Post interviewed Sam Mettler, ...

Tracie — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EDT

The Washington Post interviewed Sam Mettler, creator of the show Intervention, and asked a great question that never even occurred to us: Does he ever get a contact high while filming the addicts when they're using? "I was doing this story: Caylee. She was 21. I was sitting on floor interviewing her in her very tiny girls' pink bedroom full of teddy bears in Salt Lake City. The room was filled with heroin smoke. I was not realizing that what she was missing with her straw was being drawn right into my lungs. I stood up and immediately I fell down onto her bed. I could not stop shaking and drooling. I felt horribly sick. It lasted maybe 45 minutes. She laughed at me. But was apologetic." Mettler also said the show is planning on a comprehensive reunion episode, to catch up with how the subjects are dealing with recovery. We really hope it features Cristy and that she's gotten herself together. [Washington Post]

Celebrity Rehab: Chyna Finally Admits She "Might Just Be An Addict"

Tracie — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST

Last night was the finale of Celebrity Rehab, and, after completing a full program, the celebs (minus Daniel Baldwin and Jeff Conaway, who both left early) had a graduation ceremony. They all stood up and made a speech and at the begging of one of her counselors, Chyna Doll admitted for the first time that she's probably an addict (although she never said what she was addicted to). She then agreed to move into the sober living facility that the show's producers offered to all the patients. [FYI: Tracie will be on vacation all next week; this site, and its video clips, will not be the same without her. Sigh. —Ed.] Clip above.

Sometimes It's Mom -- Not Media -- Who Gives Girls Eating Disorders

Slut Machine — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:00:00 EST

An episode of Intervention aired last night that featured a very sick family. Caylee is a 21-year-old who is addicted to heroin and cocaine, and also has had an eating disorder since she was a young girl. It seems as though the entire family blames her body issues on her mother Christy, who has suffered from various eating disorders of her own — a combination of anorexia, bulimia, and excessive exercise — for the past 35 years. When Caylee was about 8 years old, Christy let her know that she was getting pudgy and began policing the food she ate, guilting her into avoiding French fries, and instilling in her a fear of food and body fat that she's struggled with her entire life and turning her to hard drugs. The family arranged an intervention for her, but when interventionist Jeff VanVonderen got a load of Christy, he decided that she needed to be in treatment as well. Clip above.

Related: Parents In Denial About Children's Weight Problems [Science Daily]

24-Year-Old Female Meth Addict Is, Frankly, Almost Beyond Repair

Slut Machine — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST

One of the best episodes ever of Intervention reran on A&E last night, and we just had to share it. The entire show focuses on a young woman named Cristy, who, at the tender age of 24, has been addicted to crystal meth for 10 years — 10 years! Her family hasn't helped matters: Her father lets her live for free in his guest house — which she's completely trashed — and he and his ex-wife were only prompted to stage the intervention because they found out that Cristy had been working as a stripper. (Apparently, that was more alarming than the fact that she's deep in the throes of what is probably an irreversible meth psychosis in which she believes that she is the sister of both Jesus and Satan, and finds it appropriate to walk around outside with no clothing on.) The clip above is a little NSFW, for blurred out nudity.

Celebrity Rehab: Jessica Sierra's Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of Booze And Jail

Slut Machine — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST

It's nearing the end of her stay in Celebrity Rehab, and on last night's episode, Jessica Sierra showed an increasing amount of anxiety about going back into the real world. Sierra, a former American Idol contestant, has had the most public relapse since leaving Celebrity Rehab: In December 2007 she was arrested for disorderly intoxication, and held without bond for 39 days. From her Wikipedia: "The police report of the bar incident states that she shouted obscenities and slurs at the authorities also offering a sexual deed if they would release her. According to the report, Sierra said 'Fuck you, nigger' several times to one of the officers.The officer was white." In January, she was sentenced to one year in a California facility, where she is currently residing.

Celebrity Rehab: Jeff Conaway's Girlfriend Just Doesn't Get The No-Booze Business

Slut Machine — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:00:00 EST

Vicki, Jeff Conaway's enabling girlfriend, has been one hell of a roadblock on Jeff's road to recovery. During his stay in rehab she has been caught bringing hardcore prescription painkillers into the facility (which were intercepted by employees), as well as booze disguised in a soft drink bottle. On last night's episode of Celebrity Rehab, friends and family were encouraged to take part in therapy sessions with Dr. Drew, and it seems like after all these weeks and repeated chiding by a number of professionals, Vicki still doesn't get it that she needs to remove all drugs and alcohol from Jeff's home. She said that she needs the alcohol there to help with her "migraines." Ugh. Clip above.