While it's not known exactly when Reynolds came and left rehab, one thing is certain. Reynolds, 73, sought help after struggling with a reliance on pain pills that developed after a recent back surgery.
Kritzer said Reynolds sought to publicize his recent stint in rehab to help others struggling with similar problems. Reynolds' story is not unusual - thousands of people will seek in-patient and out-patient rehab care for drug and alcohol abuse this year.
Drug abuse is using drugs in a way that harms you or that leads you to harm others. You can abuse illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter drugs.
Drug abusers are not always able to meet work, home, or school duties. You may be late to work. You may use drugs in dangerous situations, such as when driving or operating machines, or drugs may cause problems in your relationships.
- You take more of the drug over longer periods of time and need more of the drug to feel "high."
- You spend a lot of time trying to get the drug, and you give up other activities to do this.
- You try to quit using the drug, but you are not able to.
- You continue to use the drug even though it harms your relationships and causes you to develop physical problems.
- If you stop using the drug, you feel sick. This is known as withdrawal.
Drug dependence is a disease. It's not a weakness or a lack of willpower. It's your choice to begin using a drug, but as you use it more your brain begins to change. This change can lead to a craving to use the drug, and this can influence how you act.
Treatment includes medicine, therapy, and self-help groups.
Your doctor may decide you need detoxification, or detox, before you start treatment.
Detox "flushes out" the drugs in your body. You need detox when you are physically addicted to a drug. Being physically addicted to a drug means that when you stop using the drug, you have physical withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling very sick to your stomach or feeling very anxious. So when you go through detox, you may need medicine to help with withdrawal symptoms. After detox, you focus on staying drug-free. Most people receive some type of therapy, such as group counseling. You also may need medicine to help you stay drug-free. When you have stopped using drugs, you have taken the first step toward recovery. To gain full recovery, you need to take steps to improve other areas of your life, such as learning to deal with your work, family, and living situation in healthy ways. This makes it easier to stay drug-free. You will likely need support to stay drug-free and in recovery. This can include counseling and support groups like Narcotics Anonymous. Recovery is a long-term process, not something you can achieve in a few weeks.