FriendofBill

I dont know why they have not found an alcoholic to follow on the show either. I would like to see that, however, I do find the addicts stories to be very enlightening. To see the disease acted out in these people is brutal, yet, it reminds me that the A in my life suffers just as they do.

I see the denial, fierce denial, in these folks and it reminds me that my A is stuck in the same nightmare of they are.

Intervention is a definite option for some people. I believe in order for it to work, one must have numerous family members, friend, co-workers etc to gather together and band together to make it effective. Sadly, my A's family is just so in denial themselves, they would never "Go against" him in such a way.

A sponsee of mine did hire an interventionist, gathers family and friends, even from out of state, and performed an intervention on her husband. Happily, he accepted treatment and he just celebrated 2 years sober. It can work. It should be researched and done professionally.

Geesh, this disease just palin sucks.

Cindi

I don't know exactly why but it seems those of us who have drinking problems are looked down even more than someone who may be a crack or heroin addict. That may be why they have not done an Intervention with "one of us". It's sad and it makes getting help for our disease very difficult.

Rho

Odd that this show has been brought up. I have been fighting withthe thoughts of why the heck does my so called recovering husband watch such a show considering how he has been trying to stay clean and sober since Feb/04? We smoked crack together and I have been clean since 2/21/04! It bothers me to watch people doing what ever it is that they are choosing to do. But the few night s I spent with my husband (we have not live together since Feb/04) he has watched that show and on night it was on a girl smoking crack and how she loved the ringimgof the ears from the first hit.

I got upset ans asked him to change the channel and he sai no he like watching it. I could not understand why, and just 3 maybe four nights ago I found out he has been out drinking and has smoked crack a few times in the past month. So why watch a show like so?!?!?!

TracyAgain

On Oprah last week they did a segment on meth. They said it would take an alcoholic 20 to 30 years of heavy drinking to incur the physical damage that a meth addict suffers in 6 months.

Brookie

Frightening.

I've never seen the show, but I guess I question the motives of anyone who would want to broadcast an intervention. I have no doubt the families are in it for the right reasons, but I don't believe the network is. I've seen listings for a similar program on HBO recently too, which concerns me. I just know that my alcoholic self wouldn't respond well to that kind of public pressure, and that I would feel like I'd been exploited.

I don't like what the audience for a program like this says about our culture for that matter. Please understand that I think folks like us have a special interest in this kind of issue, and I do not fault anyone here for watching. But the idea of an intervention as pure entertainment frankly turns my stomache. Alcoholics and addics suffer enough without being turned into zoo animals.

Maybe it will help someone. I really don't know. But I have serious concerns about it.

CarolD

Years ago CNN ran a special on alcoholism and recovery.

I would give you more input as to when the program was but I simply do not remember. Anyone else know?

They had Jack Trumpey of Rational Recovery....Margaret M? the founder of Moderation Management.and Clancy from LA ..was the AA guy.

Well...Ms. M renounced MM joned AA got drunk caused a fatal accident and went to prison.

Jack became more vocal with his attack on AA.

And Clancy got bad press re his newly built house and swimming pool.

Maybe we alcoholics are not good canidates for TV?

3legacy

I don't watch many TV shows these days. Busy enough in reality. My sponsor had me get on the firing line of life in Alcoholics Anonymous early on in my recovery. A way of life which has led to many other avenues of life (outside of A.A.) to enjoy experiencing as well. I'm grateful to have had many a 12 Step Hotline experience provided over the years. These opportunities have helped me remain forever thankful for my own sobriety, one day at a time.

The phone seems to ring at just the right time to get me out of ME ME ME.

2dayzmuse

The show airing on June 5th (my 11 month sobriety date coincidentally) is featuring an alcoholic. It is the first time they've featured one since the show first aired. They are featuring an alcoholic surely to appease. Well its about time. Kidding... Let's see... Christine drinks in the morning before work, drinks during work, drinks after work up to 18 beers a day. Christine reminds me alot like me back in the day. Yep, she definitely qualifies as an alcoholic. I saw a short snipet of it last Sunday. You could see and feel her pain. I hope she makes it.

TracyAgain

Yikes, I'm trying to imagine going through it on camera.

I hope she makes it too.

Tracy

MNGirlyGirl

I'm wondering if they have had so few alcoholics because they can't get them to agree to the terms of the "documentary". You know what subborn SOBs we can be!!!! I look forward to seeing the 6/5 program. I was on that road -- waking up at 4:00 am and grabbing the glass of wine next to my bed that I had left there the night before.

Would like to toot my own horn -- I made it to my first AA meeting last night in over 3-4 years!

Kathy

MNGirlyGirl

Did anyone see the show tonight with the young woman alcoholic who had the intervention? It was really uncomfortable for me to watch. It was so apparent that she was checking out of life. I can see the same behavior in myself, only on a slower progression. I'm so glad I'm sober. 4 days today.
Kathy

CarolD

Yes....I watched. Christines line..

"Not a typical alcoholic"

Was so damned typical!!

2dayzmuse

Yes, I have to agree. Typical. I could so relate to her. Especially to the part where she was trying to justify why she would get sick. I use to do that. I took some aspirin on an empty stomach, I have acid reflux, blah, blah, blah...Not, I just pounded over a six pack by 11:00 AM. Yeah, it brought me back to some unpleasant memories. You could just see the panic on her face. She was scared.

Tonights show:

Family and friends decide that an intervention is their only hope of saving two men: Kelly, a man with a 160 IQ who lives on the streets and survives on beer and other people's spare change, and Mark, who's so addicted to painkillers that he's had a morphine pump surgically implanted in his abdomen.

I watch it as a good reminder of where I don't want to be.

CarolD

How sad to see a another young man lost to the streets. I understabnd his Mothers anguish.

Ny son Ross has been homeless for 25 years. A victim of his addictions. Our famnily has bno idea where he is...or if he is. I pretend he is in recovery and having a wonderful new life. I doubt I shall ever know.

I cried tonight. Then I prayed.

2dayzmuse

Yes, very, very sad. He went to rehab for 60 days. The moment he got out, he went to buy beer. He said it works if you work it then took a swig of beer. Then he said there are two types of people that go to rehab. Those who want it and those who don't. He likes to drink and wanted to continue drinking. He went becasue of a promise made that his dog would be returned to him. His dog had been put in a kennel by his family after being arrested for public drunkeness. His dog meant everything to him. His family was trying to use it as a bargaining tool. It got him into rehab, but that was for nothing.

Cap3

The seed was planted......Now,it may spoil his drinking.He won't forget rehab.Just never know when the seed takes growth,or if it will.He,now, knows there is a solution,.Been with ,folks who have been where he is and are sober,learning a new way to live.He knows that he can ,today,choose to drink or choose to get help.
Keep da faith.Ya just never know how things will turn out for another.Some folks i had decided,to myself, were hopeless,are now with many years of soberity...The miracle happened in God,s Time,not mine...smile...