Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan considers her upcoming court-appointed stint in rehab a "blessing" because it's giving her a chance to get her life back on track.

The Mean Girls star is weeks away from enrolling in a rehabilitation facility after pleading no contest to charges relating to a car crash in California last summer (12).

She appeared on TV's The Late Show With David Letterman on Tuesday (09Apr13) to promote her upcoming film Scary Movie 5, but the interview quickly turned to her tumultuous personal life.

Host Letterman began grilling the 26 year old about her headline-grabbing legal problems, asking, "Aren't you supposed to be in rehab now?"

A rattled Lohan, who has been to for treatment on several occasions, responded, "Do you not watch anything that goes on? (I have to check in by) May 2."

The funnyman then wondered, "How will this time be different? What are they rehabbing, first of all? What is on their list? What are they (the therapist) going to work on when you walk through the door?"

The nervous actress tried to laugh off his questions, joking, "We didn't discuss this in the pre-interview," but she later adopted a more serious tone, adding, "To be honest, I'm the happiest when I'm working and the healthiest, and I think this an opportunity for me to, you know, focus on what I love in life. And I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it's a blessing... and not a curse... I'm looking forward to some time for myself. The next time I come on the show, that will be in my past...

"I was going through a phase. And I had a lot of family things going on and things in life. You grow up and you mature and, I've said that a million times, I know that. But what else am I supposed to say when it's a process of life?"

Letterman continued to make jibes about Lohan's previous shoplifting charges, prompting her to grab his notes and squeal, "I thought you were going to be nice!"

But towards the end of the programme, the veteran comedian applauded the star for owning up to her struggles on television: "We never thought we'd see you again honestly because of the jokes and stuff. But yet you have enough spine, enough sense of yourself, enough poise to come out here and talk to me."

A teary-eyed Lohan added, "I'm flustered right now, because you made me tear up because you're very sweet."