Lindsay Lohan's Cycle: Bad Behavior, Apology, Repeat

By Catherine Donaldson-Evans Posted Aug 31st 2010 07:55PM

Lindsay Lohan is on a path of righteousness. Again. Or so she says. In the latest issue of Vanity Fair, the troubled pop princess repents with mea culpas, denials and cries of "It's not my fault, it's Dad's" about her erratic behavior, DUI arrests, reported alcohol and drug addictions and rehab/jail stints. And she whines a lot.

"I want my career back," LiLo tells VF. "I want the respect that I had when I was doing great movies. And if that takes not going out to a club at night, then so be it. It's not fun anyway."

Hmm. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? That's because we've heard it all before, usually just ahead of another of the starlet's perpetual falls from grace. That was the case in 2008 when she told VF, "I'm a different person now." We all know what happened after that whopper.

What Lohan says is true -- she is a "damn good actress," especially when it comes to the cycle of downward spiral followed by redemption followed by downward spiral.

Bad behavior, apology, then repeat.

Let's travel back in time to the summer of 2007. Fresh out of rehab, Lohan was arrested again that July on DUI and cocaine possession charges after a bizarre car chase. A month later, Lohan issued a long and seemingly heartfelt apology to TMZ after pleading guilty to seven misdemeanors.

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs," the star wrote. "Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case. No matter what I said when I was under the influence on the day I was arrested, I am not blaming anyone else for my conduct other than myself."

LiLo went on to vow to get "healthy" and "gain control of my life and career" and said she sought medical help to get her back on track.

That fall, the actress spent 84 minutes in jail before her release. But that wasn't the end of it.

Lindsay Lohan

Within months, she'd had her probation extended because she repeatedly failed to show up for her required substance abuse classes. And her cycle of going to clubs, getting drunk and driving under the influence continued.

In the September VF, which is out this Thursday, Lohan admits she's been a bit of a train wreck at times. But she denies abusing prescription drugs, denies being an alcoholic, blames her struggles on her father Michael and brushes off her entire collection of crazy antics as ordinary old growing pains.

"I know that in my past I was young and irresponsible -- but that's what growing up is," she says. 'You learn from your mistakes."

Do you, Lindsay? Really?

University of Pennsylvania psychiatrist Christos Ballas tells PopEater that in fact, Lohan doesn't learn from her mistakes at all. Instead, she keeps making the same ones over and over again in a classic narcissist behavior pattern called repetition compulsion.

"You'll repeat certain behaviors even if they'll hurt you -- drinking or drugs or going out with the same type of person," Ballas explains. "Even if these things get you into trouble ... you're trying to make it right. You actually think it's going to work eventually. Your psyche is trying to work through its issue using the only pattern it knows."

Lohan is kidding herself into thinking that what she perceives as little successes -- like getting out of jail or rehab -- mean she's making progress, he says.

"You get mini-thrills rather than one big thrill," says Ballas. "You think, hey, I'm doing okay. ... You're so trapped in your own narcissism that you see getting out of jail as a success. Your perception is very skewed."

But he thinks LiLo deserves a little break, since she's a celebrity with an even bigger narcissist for a father.

"She is under such scrutiny that even if she makes a left turn the wrong way, people are going to say she's drunk," says Ballas. "She's been typecast as the drunken Hollywood starlet. The prejudice is such that now she'll never be able to shake it."

Tags: lindsay lohan

Comments

(165)

Tuesday 31 August

By ASD

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What I don't understand is why is she taking all those prescriptions? What medical conditions does she have to justify the drugs. How does she work at all with all that in her system?

Just curious.

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By caryzap

Coke A Cola, Will Make U Think That SxXT. Everybodys Different After They CAUGHT. Good Luck. Pray 4 U.

By hybridiris

she's a alcoholic and a drug addict that's what they do get high or drunk and go to work till they hit bottom and can't anymore lets just pray her bottom won't be 6' under like some celebs.

By D.

Instead of saying she's a "different person now" she should have said, "I'm a different person FOR now". I think that would be more applicable.

By Fauna Renee

leave the girl alone! you aint walked a mile in her shoes! I was in beauty pageant too young to remember!!! parents who put thier pretty smart kids on parade are to blame.

Wednesday 01 September

By ilovegossip

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Fauna Renee - I sure hope you are NOT a product of the U.S. school system! If you are, we failed you...

By Anna-Marie Tallia

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I used to be messed up like Lindsay, and every time I messed up I'd be all contrite and say all the right things just like she does and then I did it all over again. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Yep, over and over, it wasn't until I finally got it that anything changed. I finally got that NO ONE else had responsibility for what I was doing that was wrong, or what I tried to do to make it right. The only person I could rely on to make it right was ME. It's a hard path to walk, and I have a lot of good people to lean on, but I'm the one walking it, I'm the one who paved the way to here, and I'm the only person stopping me from being back where I started. Lindsay has to learn this herself, and hopefully soon, because at some point there will be no turning back, it will be too late. I don't want to see her name IN MEMORIAM on the Oscars until she is 90+ - I just wish she would take herself out of the game for a while - live a normal life, like a hermit, for a few months. I stayed away from the places that made me "sin" so to speak, it's the only way - I wasn't strong enough to resist, nor is she!

By Steve

Let's hope Lindsay actually learned something this time and that she can turn her life around and salvage whatever is left of her career.

By Vimala

Learn something? Heard this from an old movie, "She's not smart enough to be an idiot." I think it applies here!

By SUE

You have to live the life not just talk about it. She has already been pulled over for running a stop sign which indicates to me she still thinks the laws don't apply to her.

By Nico Toscani

What career? She made one decent flick (Mean Girls). The rest of her movies have been tween/teeny-bobber garbage. Don't even get me started on her "singing". Being a hot mess is the only way she'll ever stay in the spotlight. So far it's working pretty well.

By MP

You can hope all you want. Someone like Lindsay that "claims" she will change is very likely not going to. Words about changing are so much cheaper than the actual thing. Look at another well known screw up, Paris Hilton. She's back in the news for what that type does so well. It is a cycle for their types, like the doctor said.

By Earl

Here is another statement that will turn out to be ANOTHER LIE just like all the rest once A drunkin drughead always A lie will follow A police report
just another sad story of the rich an famous that are Government caters to. If that were you or I we would be in jail forever

By mw

Of course she keeps making the same mistakes over and over again, because her punishments are so lean. This time she should have served her full sentences in jail and rehab, she talks a big game. If she really wants to change, she should stop blaming everybody else for her drinking and drug use. Daddy can't be held accountable for everything she does. Mommy had a hand in this too, but Lilo would never admit that, thats her party pal.

By willy

Her missteps are amplified. If this was any other young person, none of this would even make the news. Lindsay Lohan is a young successful person who is having some cutting edge fun. There is a multitude of jealously here. She has money, beauty and fame. Many are jealous. Have fun Lindsay. F*#k em all

By Annie

Blah, Blah, Blah.

By Chad

Yeah, & so is Paris right? What a joke....

By Jim

What has it been -- a week? Time to OD or get another DUI?
Can you spell L O S E R ??

By Cutie

....Move outside Hollywood and the paparazzi the area will just bring you down.

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