A stint in a secure facility isn't quite coveted like a pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos or some Neil Lane diamond jewellery. It's relatively unpleasant, people tend to gossip about it and it seems to be catchy, like the pox or a nasty strain of STD. But unlike the clap, celebs are flocking to rehab in droves, confirming it as one of the hottest places to spend the northern winter.

Of course, this trend is nothing new. Celebs have been drying out and coming off the drugs since time immemorial. Celebrity is littered with a legacy of fast living, substance abusing hard drinking individuals. Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday scandalized clean living society in the forties and fifties, while Elton John spent the majority of the 70s and 80s working his way through mountains of blow. And then there's John Belushi, famously killed by a speedball at the age of 33 at LA's notorious Chateau Marmont hotel.

Even the White House isn't immune - former US First Lady Betty Ford founded her rehab centre in California in 1982 after a lengthy battle with alcoholism and painkillers.

But why is checking yourself into rehab becoming so popular? Are there more stars around these days with drink and drug problems, are more just admitting to them, or do famous people just have too much goddamn spare time on their hands? Or could it be the ultimate publicity stunt?

James Frey may have embellished some of his tale but anyone who reads his book A Million Little Pieces knows the glamour and appeal of being an addict is exactly zero. Or less than zero. And Trainspotting was possibly the best movie-length advertisement for a drug-free lifestyle ever made.

I salute anyone who can stand up and say they have a problem and they want to fix that problem. Good on you for admitting to it, and I wish you all the luck in the world in getting on top of the monkey on your back. But for some in Hollywood these days, rehab seems to be a place to flee to either act out an appearance of contriteness or hide from the law.

Lindsay Lohan went to rehab three times last year. The first time she just needed 'a rest,' the second and third were immediately after the star was busted drink driving and with cocaine in her car. Think the third time's a charm? Lindsay, who admitted to a drinking problem, still "chooses to have a cocktail" every once in a while.

I know a couple of people that have been to rehab for various reasons. From what I've heard it is hard work, it's not in the least glamorous, and even with professional help it's a struggle to stay clean and sober when you venture back out into the big wide world. Sound appealing? Not at all. But then this is Auckland, not Hollywood.

Does anyone actually believe the old 'exhaustion' excuse celebs trot out as the reason they're signing into a rehab facility? If you're a successful actor or a musician, you ultimately call the shots when it comes to work. If you're exhausted sleep for a week or take a holiday in the sun! Personally, and I am always leaning on the side of suspicion, when I hear exhaustion I smell a big fat rat, with a side of illegal narcotics.

English soul singer Amy Winehouse is, with her mate Peter Doherty, probably the world's most famous drug addict. This girl doesn't do things by halves. Coke, crack, weed, ecstasy, pills, booze - it's all on for our Amy.

I'd be lying if I didn't think it made the girl more interesting. Not that I am endorsing her appetite for all sorts of substances. You can see by looking at her the horrendous toll drugs have taken on her body and her looks, let alone on her life - but Amy's continuing in the tradition of the great jazz divas. Tortured souls have been singing the blues since way back when.

Amy Winehouse is fantastically talented and didn't need drugs to become so or remain so. Lindsay Lohan, too, despite the miles of tabloid headlines, is a great actress. But Amy is a full-blown addict, whereas a lot of these celebs seem to be dabbling for lack of anything better to do.

Appearances can be deceiving and yes, the woman is an actress by trade, but hot Cuban mamacita Eva Mendes has always seemed like a relatively clean living kind of gal. Mendes checked into Utah's Cirque Lodge (Lindsay Lohan's old stomping ground) a couple of weeks ago to deal with 'substance abuse' issues, although her mouthpiece stopped short of saying what the substance or substances actually are.

Let's hope it's not alcohol, because that would make Eva's 2008 Campari calendar slightly inappropriate.

The latest surprise addition joining our rag-tag bunch of rehab renegades is Spider-Man actress Kirsten Dunst. Kirsten checked into Cirque this week after widely whispered 'erratic' appearances at the Sundance Film Festival.

And then for every Eva and Kirsten, taking proactive steps for their health, there's someone that doesn't get to rehab that could desperately do with the help. It could have saved the messed up Anna Nicole Smith from a premature death, for one. If, as the New York coroner says, Heath Ledger was on six kinds of prescription medication at the time of his death, he probably could have done with a stint as well. And you can't look at Tara Reid's sandpaper skin and tell me with a straight face that girlfriend doesn't need to get off the booze.

I'll leave the final word to Robin Williams, who himself struggled with an addiction to coke and booze for many years.

"Cocaine is God's way of telling you you're making too much money."

I'd also like to say thanks to Nada and our lovely finance team for stumping up the cash for my new profile pic. I'm sure it'll be much easier on the eyes for you lot. Shows what a makeup artist and lighting of the non-fluorescent kind can do for a girl!