People can judge addiction harshly, including those among us who are addicted high profile individuals. A common criticism of this group of addicts is that they already have a great deal of money and power, so why should they need to numb themselves with alcohol, drugs and sex? The fact of the matter is people of all demographics, high profile and low profile, become addicted because of serious underlying psychological factors, and all cases of addiction deserve compassion and the benefit of a doubt. In fact, it is possible for high profile individuals to reap harsher consequences and greater risk due to addiction.

The nature of a high profile person’s position holds them to a different standard of expectations than other people. People in lower professional positions do not receive as much attention or scrutiny as a high profile person receives. The decisions and choices a high profile individual makes are held under a microscope, both in their professional and their personal lives. This means they are at higher risk of criticism, consequences and ramifications for their actions.

When a person has more to protect, they also have more to hide if they have skeletons in the closet. For many high profile individuals, addiction is the skeleton in the closet and they will go to great lengths to keep it hidden. Leading a double life is a hallmark of high profile addiction. Those in high profile positions are expected to maintain that they are respectable, stand up members of society, and a great deal of their wealth and power depends upon protecting this image.

The trouble with this is, of course, people who hide their addictions can die from them. Particularly those who are addicted to an intoxicating or mind altering substance. So many addictive substances are lethal at a certain dosage, and those who use them secretly have no one looking out for them or encouraging them to stay clean. The more fiercely a person keeps their addiction secret, the more at risk they are of serious consequences. Someone in their right mind would understand that the value of life is much higher than the value of wealth and power, but addicts are not in their right mind and they frequently do not know when to reach out for help. If you or someone you care about are a high profile person struggling with addiction, reach out to your support system or to addiction treatment services right away.

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There is a popular misconception in society that addiction does not strike high profile, professional individuals. This misconception states that it is low income earning, blue collar types who are prone to addiction, not the upper echelon of society. This notion could not be farther from the truth. Addiction has been called the “great equalizer” because it strikes people of every demographic in the same way, and with the same strength. Addiction is a very common human response to mental strain and high profile, working professionals are just as prone to addiction as any other group of people.

High profile addiction can take many forms: alcoholism, drug addiction, sex addiction and more. High profile people are outwardly successful, but their inner lives can be broken and hurting just like anyone else. Sometimes, when a high profile person is addicted, their addiction can be more difficult to treat because their life of addiction is so far removed from their life of success. They have become an expert is compartmentalizing the two different sides of their identity, where as a person of lesser status may not feel the same urgency to conceal their addiction. What is typically true of addiction among high profile individuals is that the addictive tendencies are meant to numb the stress and emotional faculties of the high profile person, which is essentially a way of self medicating. Finding an alcohol and drug treatment program is sometimes essential before an addiction becomes a problem.

High profile individuals exhibit these addiction tendencies due to stress. The stress may be due to legitimately difficult circumstances or it may be self imposed. High profile individuals do tend to face heavier responsibilities than most people, which can mean higher levels of stress. There are very high expectations placed on high profile individuals and, because of the nature of their position, they carry a reputation that they tend to want to protect. These things can cause self imposed stress, which is due to negative self talk rather than legitimately difficult circumstances.

The reasons that high profile individuals turn to addiction are not more profound or more tragic than that of the working class. They are simply unique in nature. They are born of a different type of stress and cycle of negative thought patterns. In order for a high profile person to receive treatment that is relevant to them, they should seek the services of an addiction rehab that was created specifically for people like themselves.

Executive rehab is a type of rehab program that was designed specifically for working professionals. Rehab centers have the most success leading their clients to recovery when their treatment material is tailored to a specific demographic. This does not mean that a rehab center cannot lead a client to recovery who is outside this demographic. It simply means that treatment is most effective when it understands a particular type of person, or group of people. Just as addicts who have been through trauma would require a rehab that specializes in trauma therapy, a busy working professional or high profile individual will benefit most from a treatment program that is familiar with their unique psychology.

There are several ways the operations of an executive rehab are different from other rehabs in order to accommodate their clientele, including business centers, a flexible treatment schedule and luxurious surroundings. The owners of executive rehabs know that their clients may not have the option of separating themselves from work in order to receive treatment. With access to a fully functional business center and the option of customizing a treatment schedule that works around a professional schedule, people enrolled in an executive treatment program do not need to worry about how they can keep in touch with their professional lives. The luxurious surroundings one can find in an executive rehab are also meant to keep high profile professionals functioning as usual. Because most professionals are higher income earners, executive rehabs are luxurious properties that accommodate luxurious lifestyles.

This is not to say that only working professionals come to executive rehabs. Anyone who is seeking luxury and flexibility may enroll in an executive rehab program. This could range from celebrities to family members of working professionals to those who are independently wealthy and beyond. But for CEOs, business people and other working professionals, an executive rehab program may be an absolute necessity.