What is OxyContin?

During the past five to 10 years, prescription painkillers have become an epidemic in Hollywood as celebrities learn that it helps to treat depression and anxiety, in addition to the natural use of severe pain. OxyContin is quickly becoming that main prescription drug of choice by Hollywood moguls, helping individuals cope with the emotional pain going on in their lives.

Anyone can become dependent on prescription painkillers, but addiction often begins with an emotional dependence. People begin wanting to treat their loneliness and emotional pain by popping pills to numb out. “That’s why you see a lot of the Hollywood stars with it,” says one celebrity doctor. “Even though they’re popular and famous and surrounded by lots of people they’re ultimately lonely.”

Celebrity OxyContin Usage

“Hillbilly heroin,” as one celebrity called it, has many of these stars battling with addiction. Some turn to rehab to deal with the habit, while the law catches others.

Sherry Johnston Arrested for Dealing OxyContin
The mother of Bristol Palin’s baby’s daddy, Sherry Johnston, was arrested last year on charges of dealing OxyContin. After enduring a hysterectomy eight years ago, which lead to additional surgeries, Johnston has been hooked on the drug. She was prescribed OxyContin as a painkiller, but due to subsequent complications, she continued taking the medication, which unfortunately took over her life. She was forced to give up her career as a hairstylist.

Rush Limbaugh Comes Clean
Few celebrities have taken control of a painkiller addiction rumor like the conservative radio expert, Rush Limbaugh. “You know I have always tried to be honest with you and open about my life,” Limbaugh stated before he told the millions about his addiction to prescription pain medication, primarily OxyContin, back in 2003.

“I need to tell you today that part of what you have heard and read is correct: I am addicted to prescription pain medication,” he said. “I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models,”

In 2006, he turned himself in to Palm Beach County police for charges of “doctor shopping,” according to The Washington Post. Court documents linked Limbaugh to several painkiller prescriptions filled at several pharmacies from doctors in New York, California and Florida, according to the Post.

Lindsay Lohan Rehab Visit
Lindsay Lohan is among the many in young Hollywood dealing with intense family matters and the pressures of high society who has been treated for addition to alcohol and for abuse of OxyContin. Lindsay entered Promises rehab center in Malibu, Calif., after a booze-infested holiday weekend during which she crashed her Mercedes. Police found cocaine in the car. Less than 48 hours later, she collapsed outside a Hollywood club.

Courtney Love OxyContin Addiction
Courtney Love, former lead singer of the band Hole and wife of deceased Nirvana singer, Kurt Cobain, was arrested after smashing the windows of the house where ex-boyfriend Jim Barber lived. She was charged with disorderly conduct and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Officer Scott Blackman testified that such symptoms as slurred speech and dilated pupils suggested to him that Love was intoxicated, and he testified: ”She admitted to taking Hillbilly Heroin, the street name for OxyContin.”

This was not the first time that Love has been involved in an ordeal with OxyContin. In 2003, Love overdosed on the drug in the presence of her 11-year-old daughter, Frances Bean. There have also been numerous feuds with Sharon Osbourne over sourcing her son, Jack, with the drug which ultimately ended him in rehab.

Jack Osbourne Rehab Successful
The Osbourne brother and sister celebrity pair — offspring of Ozzy “Prince of Darkness” Osbourne — inherited more than their father’s fame. The younger Osbournes followed their father’s path of drug use and hard partying.

While still young adults both Kelly and Jack fell victim to painkiller addiction. “It’s a family illness,” said Ozzy. “It’s in the genes. In this day and age, the availability of getting drugs is amazing.” The news of Kelly’s rehab visit came on the heels of Jack’s stint in rehab a year before. The hard-partying teenager admitted to being addicted to the painkiller OxyContin and voluntarily checked in to Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, Calif.

Country Singer, Mindy McCready
Country singer, Mindy McCready got lucky with her break in country music at the age of 18 but fame and popularity didn’t serve her well as problems began to rise with her addiction to OxyContin in 2004. Mindy was arrested and charged with one count of prescription drug fraud. She had presented a fraudulent prescription for the drug OxyContin in February 2004 to a pharmacy in Brentwood, Tenn. The prescription was filled and she left the pharmacy with the OxyContin. On November 29, 2004 she was fined $4,000, sentenced to three years supervised probation and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

OxyContin Help

If you or someone you know is struggling with an OxyContin addiction, we can help. Please call the toll free number at (866) 872-6492. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions on OxyContin addiction and treatment.