Lindsay Lohan was scheduled to be released from a rehab centre yesterday into another year of uncertainty.

For months, the actress has been haunted by her inability, or unwillingness, to shake a 3 1/2-year-old drunken driving case that resulted in two rehab stints and two trips to jail in 2010 alone.

A self-acknowledged addict, Lohan remains under investigation for an alleged attack on a rehab worker at the Betty Ford Centre and she could land back in jail for six months if charged with misdemeanour battery or another probation violation.

If Lohan remains out of trouble, a judge could relax the terms of her sentence in late February, ending a cycle of court hearings and jail threats that have loomed consistently since May.

After spending three months in treatment programmes at Betty Ford, experts say Lohan has a good shot at recovery. Provided, of course, that she wants it, changes her party girl lifestyle and remains in continued therapy.

If a New Year's Day message posted on her Twitter account is any indication, the Mean Girls star seems ready to do that. "Today is the first day of the rest of my life," it said. "‘The future depends on what we do in the present.' — Mahatma Gandhi... One step at a time..."

‘Lifelong process'

It won't be easy, but she has "a fighting chance", says Jeffrey C. Friedman, a substance abuse counsellor at Cottonwood Tucson and a recovering heroin addict who has been sober for 24 years. "It would just be a question, is she going to be willing to continue to make the sacrifices she needs to? For all of us, it's a lifelong process."

Rehab and recovery are different for each individual, said Dr Westley Clark, an addiction medicine psychiatrist at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. He noted that substance abuse can "hijack cognitive functioning" and lead people to make irrational decisions. Similar self-destruction actions are sometimes seen in patients battling diseases such as diabetes and obesity, he said.

"Ultimately, someone who has an alcohol or drug problem has to come to grips with the consequences," Clark said, adding that he could not specifically speak about Lohan's condition.

Dealing with the repercussions of her previous actions won't just confront Lohan in criminal court. She also faces a civil trial in which a woman and three young men accused her of wrongdoing for a high-speed chase that ended with Lohan's arrest in Santa Monica in 2007.

Career-wise, any resurgence appears intertwined with her recovery.

Gone is her role as porn star Linda Lovelace in a biopic, and no replacement acting gig has been announced. But those connected with her clothing enterprise say Lohan, 24, will leave rehab poised to spearhead a fall fashion line.

The actress' lawyer and other representatives did not return messages seeking comment on her post-rehab plans.

Even though Lohan hasn't headlined a major film in more than three years, a career comeback isn't out of the question.

"If they forgave Robert Downey Jr, Lindsay should be in the choir compared to him," said J. Michael Flanagan, a high-profile criminal defence attorney. He said he thought Lohan's case had been blown out of proportion, and that she has made it worse for herself by not showing proper respect in court.

"Hollywood is also a recovery town," Friedman said. "There are a lot of people who are out there who are clean and sober. There are 12-step meetings — some that are musician-centred, others that are entertainment-centred."

He said ultimately, it's up to Lohan to want to stay sober.

Stars "generally have an entourage that functions as their primary social support system", Friedman said. The problem, he said, is they also rely on the star for their money and fame. "People like this would be less likely to say anything to Lindsay that would upset her."

A child actor who rose to stardom in Disney films such as Freaky Friday and Herbie Fully Loaded, Lohan is used to everything — including her recovery — taking place in the spotlight.

Relapse

"It can't be good for you when people are constantly looking over your shoulder and waiting for you to fail and betting you will fail," said Dr David Friedman, an addiction specialist and associate dean at Wake Forest University. He said it's one of the issues Betty Ford has likely addressed, since stress is often a trigger for relapse.

"One of the things you learn is how to manage your cravings when they arise," Dr Friedman said.

Relapse is not uncommon, he and other addiction experts said.

Lohan's personality, which at times has been defiant, will also come into play.

"You can have the greatest intention in the world," Dr Friedman said, "a club is a bad place to be for somebody who's recovering. She really needs to change much of her lifestyle to deal with this effectively."

One leaves... another enters

At least one company is starting the new year with plenty of business: The Betty Ford Centre.

Although one apparently recovered celebrity left yesterday, it seems there's no shortage of stars with problems that need solving, and the $50,000-a-month (Dh183,600) centre (below) is there to help them. New to the centre this week is David Arquette, who is seeking help for alcohol abuse and depression, according to People magazine.

A source told the magazine he's having trouble dealing with his separation from Friends star Courteney Cox, although he'll probably be cheered to know she's proud of him. "I really admire David and his choice to take charge and better his life," his wife, 46, said.

"I love and support him."

— Natalie Long, tabloid! Editor

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