BRET MICHAELS has urged his longtime friend Charlie Sheen to "work out those demons" amid his much-publicised personal problems, insisting: "We all need help".
Trouble is mounting in the actor's personal life and career - the Wall Street star lost custody of his two sons on Tuesday (01Mar11), just hours after his estranged wife Brooke Mueller won a restraining order against him. He was also hospitalised in January (11) following a wild night of partying with hookers, before undergoing a rehab stint at his Los Angeles home.
Meanwhile, CBS chiefs have scrapped the remainder of the eighth season of his hit show Two and a Half Men after Sheen went public with his criticisms of series creator Chuck Lorre last week (ends27Feb11).
But as Sheen continues to hit headlines, Michaels has jumped to his defence and pledged to help his friend.
Describing the 45 year old as a "really great guy", the rocker used his appearance on Piers Morgan Tonight on Wednesday (02Mar11) to urge Sheen's critics to "stop blaming the drugs" and support him as he works out his issues.
He says, "The Charlie I know is a really great guy that openly admits he fights demons. The same drive that makes (him) be nothing but great with the public and acting is the same drive that can make you crazy. Anytime I've been around him - and we've had great times, partied together - never once have I had a bad experience. Never once when I was with him did I think, 'Oh my god...'
"The same stuff that makes him creative and great is the same stuff that can probably make him snap and it's a tough time he's going through and as a friend he's been nothing but great to me.
"We all need help. I think that someone has gotta stop blaming the drugs. It's happened to me... sometimes you gotta look beyond the drugs, the drugs just mask what's going on. The help has to be way beyond - going to a couple of weeks of rehab isn't gonna fix it.
"I dont think there is (a short fix), long fix is working out those demons whatever they are. That's what the answer is. I wouldn't wanna see my best friend or worst enemy go through what the demons are that you gotta fight like that."