Dr. Drew's weekly commentary on Celebrity Rehab continues! After the jump, the doctor to the stars talks the group's instantaneous bond, romanticizing drugs and alcohol and his fearlessness in the face of extreme behavior like this:

In this episode, the detoxing takes a hold of the patients. Is there a concern about having so many people together in that state? It seems like it could make for a really volatile situation.

No. That's like saying, "You shouldn't put cardiac patients all together because it's too intense." We have specialized people that are there that are officially trained to handle that sort of thing. My main job is running a detox ward. That's mostly what I do.

Is there any advantage to the close bond Brigitte and Chyna had going into rehab?

Yeah. It gives them a level of comfort. But generally, we prefer people not to know anyone when they come into treatment. We don't want them to edit. We want them to feel free to be open about everything. You certainly don't put husbands and wives or children and parents in rehab together. Never that kind of thing.

Immediately, the group formed a bond. They applauded when Jeff came back from the hospital.

Amazing. Amazing, the kind of work they did and how fast it happened. During those first three or four days, I was actually concerned about that. You don't want people to do too much evocative treatment. It just stirs them up and makes them want to get loaded. It's the kind of thing that makes people leave because it's too intense. Plus, you don't want to re-traumatize them. They're very raw, they're all trauma survivors and they were immediately getting into some very heavy stuff. They were zooming down that path fast and then were gratified by it and wanted more. It was, "The group! The group! The group!" I started having to back off on the one-on-ones, too. Part of narcissism is they want to be gratified, they want the intense experience as part of the deal, and you have to slow them down a bit. I think we balanced them out pretty well.

You said that a lot of times in group therapy, a theme emerges and on this episode, the theme was parents.

Yeah, it's almost always family-oriented. The people in the group start representing to others objects in their past. And this is an opportunity, then, to explore that in a safe environment where they feel the support of other group members, who share similar experiences.

Jeff talks about drinking and you refer to his references as "romantic."

Oh yeah, Jeff was constantly romancing his drugs. One patient of mine said to me two days ago, "Literally, I could marry Vicodin. I am in love with it." That's their thing – that part of the brain where we experience love is activated in these people's brains.

That sort of "romantic" discourse regarding substance, is that frowned upon in rehab?

Yeah. It's evocative to the other patients, it makes them want to use, it doesn't serve any function. It's like, hey, romance it, but then we try to get them to look at what it's really doing to them. What's not important is how they feel about it, but what it's doing to their lives.

We also see Daniel and Seth bonding about it.

That's a different thing. That's bravado. "You got a DUI? Well I hit somebody with a DUI." "Well, I killed three people." They're just trying to outdo each other with their drug stories. That's just something that happens in treatment.

But again, is that frowned upon?

I'm not sure if "frowned upon" is the right term. We might redirect that to reality. We're trying to keep them grounded. So it would be like, "Really? You're proud of that?" It's important to confront them on the way they are thinking. It's all stinking thinking, they call it.

I was really impressed by your calmness with Jeff when he was endlessly bitching about visitation. Do you ever lose your cool?

It was in the middle of the night, so I lost my cool driving up there, probably. But once I get to the patients I'm OK. I may lose it when the nurse calls, but I know the patients are sick and I'm there to try to help the best I can. I don't remember being firm or aggressive with any of the patients on the show, but I can get very, very intense with patients, generally. I don't get harsh or denigrating, but I'll be firm: "Hey, cut the bulls***."

Jeff's withdrawal made him completely out of control. Was that scary?

The only thing that was scary was whether he was in the proper environment. Once I had him in the hospital he went to, it was routine after that. That's the highest level of care, and you're not going to handle anything at that point. I can handle anything. Believe me, I've seen everything, I can do anything. There's nothing I can't handle. But the environment has to be right for me to be able to do that. I have to have the right equipment and nursing staff to handle it. Nothing scares me in detox. That's one of the nice things about...being me (laughs). Really, though. It's a scary disease and if you don't know where you are every second, it will bowl you over. You gotta know exactly what you're doing every moment or your head will explode. You'll start spinning around like a top. And that's just the medical aspects of the disease. For the interpersonal thinking and motivational aspects of the disease, you'll notice that I never sit with a patient, or at least I try not to, alone. I always have someone in there with me. What they experience in that moment is unpredictable. They may come out and say, "Dr. Pinsky touched me inappropriately." I have to have someone sitting there to know that that didn't happen, because you never know what an addict is going to experience. Even under the most skillful hands, a patient will try to split and that splitting behavior dictates: "I need get out of here, this guy doesn't know what he's doing...so I can go get loaded."

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Comments

[saruh]

i feel bad for all the paitents, but jeffs disease is literally killing him, its really hard to watch sometimes coming from a family with a history of addiction. i hope at some point in the show he realizes that he is not just sick, he's dying.

[saruh]

i feel bad for all the paitents, but jeffs disease is literally killing him, its really hard to watch sometimes coming from a family with a history of addiction. i hope at some point in the show he realizes that he is not just sick, he's dying.

[saruh]

i feel bad for all the paitents, but jeffs disease is literally killing him, its really hard to watch sometimes coming from a family with a history of addiction. i hope at some point in the show he realizes that he is not just sick, he's dying.

[tanya jones]

i love the show i hope some one read this e-mail i need help for the same thing drugs i been on drugs for 12 years and iam a single mom i do not have the money to help myself but, i hope and pray someone will contact me. i tryed to get help in my city the city of katrina victims but, no body would lisen every time i go to get help they would turn me down no beds, no more detox or something of that nature until the only thing i can think of attemt to hurt myself and maybe they might help but, i do not see the reason i am trying to live to help my son grow up to be a young man with a sober parent please help me

[Petra]

What an a**hole! He says:¨ I can do anything. There's nothing I can't handle¨. You can do anything? It seems to me that the people actually ¨doing¨ somthing are the people going through detox. I don't see him suffering! He hasn't a clue what it really feels like on the inside. Hell seems sweet in comparison!

[Dar]

Saruh--You rock for wanting and trying to make things good for your son and for you! I wish I could tell you where to go for help where you are! I can't, but call and any Dr. offices, rehab centers etc. what you are trying to do, and ask them how people get help when they can't afford to pay. It's out there! People care, someone will try to help. I have a feeling you'll get this done, you sound like a great mom!

[rehabwatcher]

Saruh, You can afford to be on drugs for the past twelve years, but you can't afford to get help??? Sorry If I offend anyone. I hope that you can find help soon

[Sandra Martinez]

I really enjoy your show not only because it deals with a very serious epidemic that is snatching futures from our youth but to see people from different walks of life like those who have lived very priviledged lives such as actors, from poor to rich. To think that out of all the deadly diseases that some people have to fight each day, this is one that has a cure for life. I've studied your patients i.e., Jeff C., and see a dead man walking, he is constantly aware of the camera, he's filled with drama and excuses to fail, not owning up to deal with his problems, and really doesn't want to see how foolish he is; Jeff, it's time to grow up! And as for Mr. Baldwin, he too is looking for excuses to go back to using again even if it means loosing again; to use the excuse that the surroundings are not condusive to his rehab program due to the others behavior is total BULL! I'm not speaking out of my hat, I have been where they are,but I chose to learn and work my program to any length that works for me and to stay alive regardless of the surroundings and problems I have come face to face with.

I truly hope you guys will one day finally get it, because you are beautiful people, accomplished in your professions and have the privilege and opportunity to change lives. I wish one day to be able to meet with your entire group; 'til then my prayers are with you.

All My Love, Sandi

[Pattie Anne]

I have to say how happy I was to see Jeff as I watched my missed episode today. Watching him suffer has been horrible. I remember as a teen watching him in Grease and he being our favorite even over John.
But we all grow up and we all get older and honestly? The first time I watched the show, I did no background on it. I had no idea who it was I was heartbroken for in the wheel chair. The after, a friend told me who it was. I had to go back and watch again. She had to be wrong.
Nope. She was on the money.
But after watching a while? I could actually tell it was him now. He looked so good and then, in comes his girlfriend with a bottle of booze. WTF???
I hope he not only gets clean AND it sticks.. But I hope he loses her quick. What a selfish person she is..