After the investigation into Lance Armstrong’s drug use, every professional athlete who has taken a performance-enhancing substance may be looking over his shoulder. Major League Baseball seems to be the second most investigated sport after cycling, with its biggest players fighting for months on end against drug probes. The Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative case against slugger Barry Bonds is a good example of how aggressively a player can be pursued.

Records from the Biogenesis Clinic in Miami, which revealed the names of 90 baseball players, are a veritable who’s who of possible dopers in baseball. Investigators will likely start their interrogation of these players within the next few weeks, an insider told USA Today. The penalty for not complying with questions from investigators could mean suspension, so it is likely that these players with something to hide will  do what they can to keep themselves out of the hot seat.

In March, Major League Baseball sued Biogenesis and its operators, accusing them of scheming to provide banned PEDs to players in violation of their contracts.

But as with the penal system, without evidence that is solid, no player will face sanctions. When Armstrong went down, it was not because of positive drug tests, it was from testimony taken from his longtime teammates and coaches. While the merits of the investigation against Armstrong may not seem fair, the result is a lifetime ban from sanctioned sporting events. Given the rumors surrounding a recent investigation of a five-time all star, it looks as if the same tactics will be in play at the MLB level.

The player in question is Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. The all-star out-fielder appealed a positive test and won, making him the only player to pull off such a feat. But not unlike the Armstrong affair, the league office is looking to testimony from other players to help nail Braun. It’s been rumored that some players will be granted immunity for their testimony against him.

During the last week of November 2012, the news broke that two players in the National Football League (NFL) had been issued suspensions because they tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The drug in question was not a drug that many people automatically associate with performance enhancement, but it is a drug that has recently grown in popularity with professional athletes across many sports. The drug is Adderall.

Read More

Not everyone who battles alcoholism appears to be an alcoholic. High functioning alcoholics may give the illusion that they have it all together – they can usually hold down a job and are able to go about their everyday lives while continuing to consume alcohol on the side. But because they are able to be a productive member of society, many in this category struggle to admit they have a problem.

Lindsay Lohan has been touted as a functioning alcoholic, but the troubled actress has certainly had her share of problems. Headlines detailing delinquent behavior and substance abuse seem to follow her wherever she goes. The latest drama places her at a nightclub drinking till the wee hours of the morning – an episode that ended in assault charges for allegedly throwing a punch at another woman, psychic, Tiffany Ava Mitchell. She also faces several charges for a car accident that occurred last June.

Characteristics Of A Functioning Alcoholic

In her book, “Understanding the High Functioning Alcoholic,” Sarah Allen Benton, a licensed health counselor, describes some of the characteristics of a functioning alcoholic:

1. Drinking even in the face of negative consequences
2. Devoting considerable time to drinking
3. Denial about one’s condition
4. Consuming alcohol in a dangerous manner such as while driving

One look at Lohan’s record and it becomes apparent that she checks all the boxes. The actress has faced a number of altercations with the law associated with substance abuse including involvement in a high speed car chase, driving under the influence, driving without a valid license, and possession of cocaine. And despite the threat of jail time, the actress refuses to give up her partying ways. Sources claim that she downs two large bottles of vodka each day.

But Lohan is not alone; according to an article found at AllVoices.com, of the 12 million people living in this country classified as alcoholics, up to a third are considered high functioning. Over time, heavy drinking can lead to heart problems, cancer, nerve damage, and liver disease.

Moviegoers and fans of former Hollywood bad boy Colin Farrell may be somewhat surprised to see a different side of the actor apart from his trademark shaggy eyebrows and thick Irish brogue.

Read More

According to a Yahoo! Sports Blog, Tyrann Mathieu recently made the life-changing decision to enter drug rehab and come out better on the other side. The former LSU player decided to begin treatment in a drug rehab center to work on issues that caused him to be dismissed from his college football career at LSU.

Read More

Melanie Griffith credits her family for saving her. At 54 years old, Griffith told the L.A. Times her daughters were the ones who sat her down and told her she really needed help.

Read More

You would think fame and fortune would be enough to make a person happy. That’s not the case for many celebrities.

Read More

Celebrity Russell Brand shares his thoughts in a recent article about a different approach to dealing with those who are caught with illegal drugs. He believes that rather than locking them up in jail, they should be sent to rehabilitation for the addiction.

Read More