As an alcoholic just out of rehab, I’m appalled about the Lindsay Lohan headlines and TV news sound bites.  

 Bad things happen in rehab; people get kicked out all the time for doing stupid things. But at least there is one comfort in realizing you’ve been a bonehead: anonymity.

 Except if you’re a celebrity. Then, it seems, confidentiality goes to the wayside. Sure, celebs give up privacy when they step into – and actively seek – the limelight. But in recovery? The workers there have no right to discuss anything about a patient, even if that patient is the headline maker Lindsay Lohan.

 The Betty Ford clinic did the right thing in firing the worker who not only blabbed to reporters and bloggers, but went on TV to blab some more.  She got her 15 minutes of fame at the expense of Lindsay Lohan, who, though screwed up, was nonetheless entitled to privacy.

 Being in a lockdown situation is not easy. I had a hard time being told what to do and when to do it and how to do it … there were a few snotty employees I would’ve loved to smack. If it was hard for me – just a regular person – I can only imagine how hard it was for someone like Lohan, used to the pampered life.

 Life as an addict is not one we choose. No little girl ever says “When I grow up, I want to be an alcoholic and drug addict. I want to go to rehab and jail.”

 I don’t want this life of constantly craving booze and pills … I don’t want to live my life hanging out in church basements. I don’t want this disease.

 And I’m just a regular person. Imagine how hard it must be for a celebrity? I feel Lohan’s pain. Her credibility as an actress is shot; it’ll be years before a studio will take a chance on her. She’s simply screwed up too many times. Her self esteem is shot; she’s a ticking bomb. I only hope the next headline I read about her doesn't say that she overdosed.

 People who work in the recovery field have a responsibility to keep their mouths shut. Period. Life in rehab is hard enough – for everyone. It’s an insular community, one where pain is discussed and secrets disclosed. It’s supposed to be a safe place.

 Hate Lohan for being a screw-up. Hate her for lying, cheating and stealing. But know that’s part of the disease of addiction. An addict in lockdown will surely do anything to sneak out and get a fix.

 And I use the term addict to encompass all substances: alcohol, pills, street drugs. An addict is an addict. Booze is my drug of choice. But I’m OK with valium, weed, oxy’s, roxy’s, percs … (what do you have?).

 My heart goes out to Lohan. She’s in the throes of addiction and hasn’t hit a bottom low enough to wave the flag of surrender.

 The Betty Ford employee should be ashamed of herself. I don’t care if Lohan hit her over the head with a chair (she didn’t). Rehab can make you that crazy – and we’re crazy enough when we check in! But we deserve privacy.

 Should Lohan be legally reprimanded? Absolutely. Let the law deal with it if need be. But the rehab workers have no business making headlines.

 Like I said, when I was in rehab, people got thrown out for all kinds of reasons: assault, sex and consistent rule-breaking. And internally, we heard about it. Internally, some young employees who probably made minimum wage reveled in the gossip. And the favored patients – the pretty ones who were natural at kissing-up – got the gossip first hand. And then spread it around.

 But no one talked to the press – because the press wouldn’t care. No one in my rehab was a headline maker.

 Cut Lohan a break. She’s a screw-up. But don’t you think she knows that? I only hope she will evetually come to the point of desperation, of truly wanting help. Until she wants it, she doesn’t have a chance.