Celebrities No Longer the Role Model Type

OAK RIDGE, NJ -- Recent celebrity arrests have people questioning their credibility as role models to kids and young teens. Tatum O'Neal was the latest addition to the list of celebrities who have participated in the walk of shame following an arrest. Other "teen role models" include Aaron Carter, Mischa Barton and Orlando Bloom.

"Celebrities are viewed as superheroes to kids," says Stephen Della Valle, author of Rising Above the Influence: A True Story About Alcohol, Drugs and Recovery. "What kind of message are they portraying by getting arrested for drug possessions?"

Stephen, who is also the President of Turning Point Rehabilitation Center in Verona, NJ, is adamant about the responsibility celebrities must own up to.

"These are people who our children look up to and may even aspire to be like," says Stephen. "Kids may get a distorted view on drugs if they see their favorite actor or athlete getting busted on the news."
According to www.teendrugusestatistics.com, the following are numbers of kids using illegal drugs:

• Over 30% of kids in eighth grade
• Nearly 45% of kids in tenth grade
• Over 50% of kids in twelfth grade

"If celebrities spent a little less time doing drugs and more time helping educate kids about the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse, "says Stephen. "Then maybe these numbers would not be consistently increasing as they are."

In his new book, Stephen recounts his personal journey through twenty-plus years of drug abuse and alcoholism, and what ultimately led him into a recovery program that succeeded in helping him overcome his addiction issues-but it took losing his job, his family, his freedom and himself to get there.

"Celebrities treat rehab as a revolving door, and it seems it is more of a career move than an actual attempt at bettering themselves," says Stephen.

Rising Above the Influence is now available at www.Amazon.com and www.BarnesandNoble.com.

For more information please visit www.risingabovetheinfluence.net.

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