Will Rush be clean one year out from re-hab?

[AP]

Poll question: Will Rush be clean one year out from re-hab?

I don't mean this to be nasty. I'm honestly curious. People who know alcoholics and drug addicts, judging from what you know from personal experience and applying that to Rush, whose public persona we all know well (and we'll presume that this reveals something true about his private persona, and we'll presume his maid's allegations about his drug addiction are accurate).

So, applying your personal knowledge of drug addiction, if you have personal knowleged, do you think Rush will be clean a year from today?

Comments are encouraged.

[jenk]

1. at his age, in rehab 2 times in the past

I would say no

I bet he's in horrible physical condition, rehab is going to be painful for him and he might not be able to kick it.

[dsc]

2. None of us can answer that question

We aren't mind readers and that is the minimum we would have to be. At most only he knows if he can be clean a year out and even he doesn't. I can't tell you I will be sober a month from now let alone a year. Time, and only time, will tell.

[AP]

3. That's why I didn't ask people to read minds. I asked them to judge from

experience.

[dsc]

9. and I am telling you from experience

that from long distance it is impossible to give an informed answer. Presuming you aren't just asking for an answer based on stats no amount of experience here can give you an answer.

[AP]

14. There are two are three posts below proving you wrong.

People are offering fascinating opinions based on first-hand experience.

[dsc]

16. I read them

and my point still stands. The whole point of the 12 steps is to change the behaviors that made people become addicts in the first place. Since presumedly the people below also don't know Limbaugh personally they don't know if he will change his behavior in regards to hanging out with syphocants or being arrogant. It is that willingness to change which will tell us if he will or won't make it.

[AP]

17. That's why I said presume his public persona isn't very different from his

private persona and that the story the maid told is true. We actually know a great deal about Rush and probably more than many people know about their close friends, and we draw conclusions and form opinions about them.

[dsc]

20. and again you are completely missing my point

This is a program of change. I know people who used to get into fights while drunk who are now peaceful as lambs. People who ranted and raved about every little thing who are not patient and kind. If he has willingness and works a good program he can succeed if he doesn't he won't.

[AP]

22. You're saying that there are NO clues in a person's history or personality

which will predict whether they can change? And that's from experience?

OK. That's very valuable information. That's what I'm looking for. Thanks.

Anything else you'd like to add?

[dsc]

24. none is too strong a word

but not much is a fair interpretation. I literally can't count the number of times people I have been certain would suceed in AA have failed and the number of times people I would have bet would fail have suceeded. This is a very personal program. Most, if not all, addicts are great at decieving people about their feelings and their state of mind. Frankly, anyone embarking on a third attempt at quitting oxycotin is in for a very rough ride. But if, and this is a big if, Rush has really hit a bottom, and he really wants to change, and he stays for the miracle, he too can get it. It is that desire which I and no one else, can say exists or doesn't exist.

BTW I was at a meeting which is why it took so long to reply

[Wickerman]

21. Its not part of my program to question

someone else's program. Its not healthy to my rehab to criticsize his rehab, but damn, one would think he has a whole lotta steppin' to do to get himself right.

Step 8 is gonna be tough:

Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

[kentuck]

4. Will I be "clean" one year from now ?

Not if I have to read many more of these Rush posts? :)

[Dogmudgeon]

5. One year? Yes. Five years? No.

I have personal knowledge of drug use and abuse. I'm a chronic pain patient, and I've taken my share of narcotic analgesics in my time.

But not 4500 in one month. Certainly not without a prescription and consistent dosage monitoring.

Rush is not in a very enviable position, no-sir-ee-Bob. Having chronic pain, superimposed on a major addiction, two failed rehabs, and a phalanx of sycophants ready and eager to do anything for him, Rushbo is in far more trouble than it appears.

Since the DoJ just sent Tommy Chong to the hoosegow on the same day for selling bongs, there will be a lot of pressure to send Rush to the slammer, too.

The mighty have fallen. Well, at least Rush has. But my schadenfreude has limits. I don't think he'll ever get this monkey off his back.

--bkl

[AP]

7. The sycophant thing...that's interesting. You could say that, if Jeb...

... knew about this, and was telling the police they shouldn't do anything, then he'd be one of those enablers who, being more interested in protecting the Republican mythos, were sacrificing the health of someone you think he'd consider a friend.

[morningglory]

13. Not to mention Robert Downey Jr getting yanked before the judge

in cuffs and an orange jumpsuit every time he goes on a toot. They's gonna be some splainin' to do if he falls into using again. Maybe he will come out for legalizing drugs, or do something else helpful to our country he is trying so hard to destroy.

[Chovexani]

6. I voted no

His narcissism is his worst enemy. My father was a substance abuse counselor for many years and my brother is a recovering drug addict. From what I've seen, humility is one of the most imporant things a person needs to kick an addiction--admitting you have a problem and that you need help, taking responsibility for your actions, heck even one of the 12 steps is to apologize to those you've hurt because of your addiction. I saw a bit of Rush's "admission" on the news, and I saw none of that--I saw a desperate PR move by a man who's gotten caught and is very possibly looking at stiff jail time.

Also hasn't he been in rehab like twice before? That's a fairly strong indicator that this time probably won't work either. A man with his ego and the cult of personality that surrounds him has no chance. He's rich and surrounded by enablers. For Rush to really stay clean he will have to completely overhaul his entire life, and quite frankly short of him losing everything (maybe from going to jail) I don't see that happening. For some people it takes hitting bottom, and I think Rush is one of them.

My 2 cents, anyway.

--C

[AP]

11. That's very interesting...the narcissism

Yes, this comes through loud and clear. It's interesting that the idea of not taking personal responsibility is actually something that he uses as a slam on liberals. Yet, the truth is that he has to say it about liberals because he knows that it's a more legitimate criticism of conservatives. They don't want to take responsibility for anything. They have no humility or sense of responsibility to anyone except their own egos. I think this comes through loud and clear with Rush.

I don't think Rush would ever apologize for anything he's done. Too much of his public persona has to do with being beyond reproach.

It's funny how having to adhere to that public persona, because so much money and political power is at stake, is the thing that might stand in the way of recovery. Is he doomed? Or will he sacrifice the public persona and embrace honesty and truth so that he can save himself from himself.

Very interesting.

[hiphopnation]

8. this is sick

the kind of thing i'd expect to see in freep land.

attaway to elevate the discourse boys and girls!

[AP]

12. Read what people are writing...it's actually fascinating, and sensitive.

People are being nice.

[Terwilliger]

26. This motherfucker says horrendous things about drug users

"OHHHHHHHH Sorry....POOOR Rush! We people of love and light are happy that you admit your addiction and tak--

HE FUCKING GOT CAUGHT!

RUSH LIMBAUGH IS A LYING, TREACHEROUS< UNAMERICAN FUCKWAD WHO CAN TAKE 30 OXYCONTIN RIGHT NOW!!!

[Booberdawg]

10. No. He doesn't have the humility or the integrity

[xJlM]

15. Never happen

Denial of your addiction is the major stumbling block for anyone wishing to get clean. Honesty and open-mindedness are two major keys to overcoming this, but do any of you really think the lying Pigboy is ready to get honest?

Most addicts face major setbacks in their life before they are ever even willing to admit they may have a problem. A lot of them die before they ever make it that far. Pigboy hasn't nearly hit bottom, he'll be full of himself soon after he gets out of treatment. Jails, institutions and death are the three ends addiction inevitably brings addicts to, and that's probably true for 99% of all addicts. Our government and medical profession don't help at all.

Something that DOES work... http://www.na.org/basic.htm

Development
Narcotics Anonymous sprang from the Alcoholics Anonymous Program of the late 1940s, with meetings first emerging in the Los Angeles area of California, USA, in the early Fifties. The NA program started as a small US movement that has grown into one of the world's oldest and largest organizations of its type.

For many years, NA grew very slowly, spreading from Los Angeles to other major North American cities and Australia in the early 1970s. In 1983, Narcotics Anonymous published its self-titled Basic Text book, which contributed to tremendous growth. Within a few years, groups had formed in Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, the Irish Republic, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Today, Narcotics Anonymous is well established throughout much of the Americas, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Newly formed groups and NA communities are now scattered throughout the Indian subcontinent, Africa, East Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Narcotics Anonymous books and information pamphlets are currently available in 23 languages, with translations in process for 16 languages.

[AP]

19. On the one hand, he admitted his problem today. On the other, he never...

...would have but for the National Enquirer article.

[Onlooker]

18. I can see the Fox headline now ...

Rush Limbaugh Quits Drugs, Becomes A Liberal. I think the drugs explain why he's such an asshole. They affect his mood, his thinking, his compassion for others.

[oasis]

23. Rush dodges his pledged explanation about the ongoing police drug probe.

The dittoheads will be sooo disappointed. They may have to go on drugs. (assuming Pigboy wasn't their opium)

[Terwilliger]

25. who cares?

really

[Walt Starr]

27. The odds are against any junkie the first time they are actually caught

sad to say, but true. Most junkies caught for the first time rarely kick the habit after being caught. They play the game and look like it on the top, but they usually relapse within 6 months.