BURT REYNOLDS - REYNOLDS WAS 'A PRISONER OF PAIN PILLS'

REYNOLDS WAS 'A PRISONER OF PAIN PILLS'

Hollywood icon BURT REYNOLDS checked himself into a drug rehabilitation centre after realising he had become "a prisoner of prescription pain pills".
The actor, 73, was admitted to the Hanley Center in Florida last month (Aug09) after a nasty fall at his waterfront home in Hobe Sound.
According to the National Enquirer, Reynolds agreed to enrol in a detox and a regular 30-day rehab programme after doctors raised fears for his mental health in the aftermath of his accident.
A source tells the tabloid, "Burt was behaving strangely, and doctors were so concerned about his state of mind that they sent him to the county mental health facility in West Palm Beach. The facility refused to release him unless he agreed to go immediately into drug and alcohol rehab."
The actor has previously confessed to a reliance on sleeping aid Halcion after turning to the drug to ease the terrible pain he felt from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) in the 1980s.
The star's manager has confirmed Reynolds' rehab stint, but insists he only relapsed after undergoing painful surgery on his back.
In a statement released on Wednesday (16Sep09), his rep says, "Mr. Reynolds felt like he was going through hell and, after a while, realised he was a prisoner of prescription pain pills. He checked himself into rehab in order to regain control of his life."
And Reynolds wants others suffering similar addictions to learn from his experiences and reach out to professionals in a bid to kick their habits.
His manager adds, "Mr. Reynolds hopes his story will help others in a similar situation. He hopes they will not try to solve the problem by themselves, but realise that sometimes it is too tough to do on their own and they should seek help, as he did."