Staying Clean: A Lifelong Battle

Redmond O’Neal was still in rehab when his latest arrest on drug charges took place, sparking a debate about the nature addiction.

If anyone doubts how hard it is to overcome a drug addiction, you need to look no further than Redmond O’Neal for proof. The celebrity son of actor Ryan O’Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett is in trouble with the law again for substance related issues.

The 24-year-old was most recently taken into custody on Dec. 29, 2009, on new drug charges while on 24-hour leave from the Impact rehab facility. The younger O’Neal was undergoing inpatient drug treatment at Impact, having been sent to rehab following previous drug arrests.

This latest scrape landed Redmond 30 days in a jail rehab facility, a lecture from an L.A. County judge and a lot of negative comments from readers on People.com. While some wished the troubled young man well in his ongoing battle with addiction, others posting on the celeb mag’s online message boards felt he’s had too many chances already and took issue with People.com’s reporting of the story, which they felt put addiction on the same level as other diseases like cancer.

Addiction Misunderstood

The backlash just goes to show how misunderstood addiction remains, with the general public not grasping why someone battling substance abuse can’t just say no. Addiction is a complex disease, though, with many contributing factors from genetics and environment to mental and emotional health.

Redmond, who was also incarcerated when his mother passed away last June, has been arrested multiple times for drug charges. He also has a publicly documented family history of addiction that includes his father and half-siblings Tatum and Griffin O’Neal.

Drug Treatment at La Paloma

If you or a family member is struggling with a drug addiction, call La Paloma at our toll-free. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.