The sixth season, which filmed in early 2012,[4] featured non-celebrities as treatment subjects, and the series name shortened to Rehab with Dr. Drew.

According to a December 2009 article in The New York Times, Drew Pinsky, who was alarmed by tabloid portrayals of addiction as an indulgence of the rich and famous, and a group of independent producers, approached VH1 with a proposal for a reality television series which would authentically depict addiction, as a sort of media intervention.

The exception to this are the bathrooms, which nonetheless are equipped with microphones to monitor unusual sounds, such as patients attempting to use drugs.

Pinsky insisted that his practices depicted on the show were the same ones he, Bob Forrest and Shelly Sprague engaged in for decades, with the sole difference being the presence of cameras.

Despite his decision not to continue the series, Pinsky stated a number of people achieved sobriety due to Celebrity Rehab who would not have attained it without the show, and cites as the biggest success story Sizemore, who struggled with Pinsky's program for 10 years before finally achieving sobriety after being on the show.

The web site for Foote's Center for Motivation and Change uses a clip from Celebrity Rehab to demonstrate poor techniques.

Foote added, "The dramatic confrontations seen on the show are actually more likely to drive less-severe substance abusers, who are by far the majority, away from seeking treatment."

Critics also maintain that the patients' needs and the show's needs constitute a conflict of interest, with Dr. John J. Mariani, director of the Substance Treatment and Research Service at Columbia University stating, "The problem here is that Dr. Drew benefits from their participation, which must have some powerful effects on his way of relating to them.

Regarding the series airing on a network that broadcasts other reality shows featuring uncritical depictions of sexuality and alcohol as recurring themes, he said, "The people that need what we have are watching VH1.

"[36] Defending the practice of paying addicts to attend rehab, producer John Irwin said, "Whatever it takes to get them through the door so they can start treatment—that's the goal.

Seth Binzer; Jeff Conaway; Jason Davis; Rodney King; Tawny Kitaen; Joey Kovar; Joanie Laurer; Frankie Lons;[43] Mindy McCready; Nikki McKibbin; Tom Sizemore; and Mike Starr.

Sierra, Binzer, and Carey agreed to enter a transitional sober living home in the season finale.

Although Conaway was able to maintain sobriety from alcohol and cocaine, he continued to abuse analgesics for his back pain, and would re-enter treatment in the show's second season.

In 2009, she appeared as a panel speaker to another group at the Pasadena Recovery Center, in which she anticipated the upcoming two-year mark of her sobriety that July, as seen in a third-season episode of the series, which aired in February 2010.

[50] Carey relapsed and returned to porn, starring in and directing a parody film called Celebrity Pornhab with Dr. Screw, a decision which Pinsky said saddened him.

[33] Actor and recovering cocaine addict Gary Busey entered the program, claiming to do so not as a patient, but as a mentor to assist others in their recoveries.

[33] On October 1, 2008, rock band Alter Bridge, in conjunction with VH1, released a video for their single "Watch Over You" containing clips from the upcoming season of Celebrity Rehab.

Conaway was released early from the center during the final episode of Season 2 after kicking his girlfriend in the ribs during an argument.

Adler has made repeated appearances on Loveline talking about his success with sobriety and how his life is drastically different for the better.

[64] His autopsy results indicated that he died of accidental drowning, although alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana were found in his blood and were contributing factors.

Pinsky adds in the season's fourth episode that he believes Sizemore's girlfriend is also a user, and their relationship is a threat to his sobriety.

Pinsky concluded Rodman may have Asperger's syndrome, a diagnosis with which a colleague from UCLA Medical Center concurred.

"[73] Following her ejection from Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew, Kari Ann Peniche was allowed back to the Pasadena Recovery Center after she called Pinsky and asked for help.

[83] Since completing treatment, Pinsky says that D'Amato, who declined sober living, but agreed to go to meetings,[83] "seems pretty good to me.

Pinsky released a statement saying that he was saddened by McCready's death, and that he had reached out to her recently upon hearing about the apparent suicide of her boyfriend and father of her younger child.

"[94] In May 2010, model and reality TV veteran Tila Tequila, who disclosed an addiction to prescription medication, was the first cast member announced for season four.

[98][99] On August 31, RadarOnline reported Rachel Uchitel, who had been living at a sober living facility in Malibu, California, left the facility with Pinsky's permission in order to visit the World Trade Center site, where her fiancé, James Andrew O'Grady, was killed during the September 11, 2001 attacks,[100] which Uchitel has explained was when her life began to unravel, culminating in a "massive breakdown" two years later.

[101] In a December 2010 interview in TV Guide, Pinsky stated Dickinson was "doing so well", in stark contrast to her struggles documented during filming.

Her husband, Tareq Salahi confirmed this, stating she went to Pinsky to treat her multiple sclerosis, and the stress brought on by that condition.

[25] For season six, which was filmed in early 2012,[4] the show was renamed Rehab with Dr. Drew, as the addicts selected as cast members would be non-celebrities[5] in their 20s and 30s[120] whose struggles would be depicted over the course of eight episodes.