Have you watched Intervention TV?
 

Ive been watching Intervention TV on the A&E Channel. WOW! It covers from Substance abuse, Alcohol, Eating Disorders, and others. Its about the family of the addicts getting help for their addicts. What are your opinions on this? Has anyone else seen these episodes?

I haven't seen it yet, but hubby was watching it this morning saying it was extremely interesting, realistic, but pretty brutal. But then addiction is brutal. I'll have to keep an eye out for it, thx, Gwen!

i'll keep an eye out for it too, never have watched i don't think

I just watched 3 shows on A&E. The 1st was a meth addict. It showed her getting high and the extreme addict behavior. The family gathers and tells of their care and concern and each asks her to go to treatment or else. If she decides not to go that day then the family then gives her the ultimatums. No money, food, place to live and turn her in on a warrents she has. She ends up going but checks herself out. The family meets her and takes her to the jail. She served 90days and still an addict today with no family or home. The second show was an alcoholic that went the same as the 1st show, except she returned to treatment. The 3rd show was a heroin user. Really graffic! It showed her scoring her dope, loading the needle, and injecting. She went to rehab after a huge fight with the family and is clean today for a year and is a manager at the treatment facility where she went to treatment. She used to be a health and fitness teacher at a school for the 5th grade and attended Penn State. Its really amazing to see addiction in its many forms and the range of functioning addicts. Ive always know addiction doesnt really care who the person is but it just really made me think, Is the bus driver for my kids sober and clean? Or is the school counselort high? I didnt look your tipical addict either and was pretty much a functioning addict. No one knew. Until the end of my addiction anyway. Anyway, it was a really graffic and interesting show. It is based to hit the addict and the codies and parents and family that loves an addict too.

So now for a question. I understand that its "HANDS OFF THE ADDICT". But when is it okay for something like this intervention. Would you do it?

My daughter watches Intervention regularly. I think she is curious because she is an addict. She has told me that she wishes that she could be on the show and go to one of the treatment centers where she could get intensive one on one counselling. I told her "good luck" mom and dad are not going to spend their retirement on something that may not be successful. Marle

My son's an addict and loves the show too. Go figure. I'm not spending that money either. Already spent enough. Louise

That show came out a few years ago when my AH was first getting into recovery. I remember being really fanatic about watching it and getting him to watch it and being obsessed with watching the addicts.

Now, I hate it. I think that yes, it's a show that shows a bad side of addiction, but it minimalizes the destruction and the longevity of it. It seems in an hour the addict goes from bad to intervention to treatment and it's all wrapped up with a bow. We know that's not the way it happens.

Also, the scenes are so graphic and they show them even on the commerical. The other day A&E was on at 8:30 IN THE MORNING, my kid was nearby, and they showed a guy melting heroin in a spoon. Sorry, but that is inappropriate for daytime television. I wonder if the producers realize what a HUGE trigger that could be for an addict trying to recover.

I don't believe in interventions, I think very rarely do they work. If the addict wants to get clean and stay clean, they will do it, with or without an intervention. Period.

((((gwen))))

Thanks for askin'. lol
I watch Intervention regularly. I agree with meggie, as far as the nice little bow tied up in 1 hour, but I believe the show is more about awareness than anything. Imho, people need to know what kind of disease is taking over their loved one and see for themselves the devastation that it causes.
As far as too graphic? I agree they shouldn't show using during one of their commercials, especially during the daytime when young children are watching.
The show is extremely graphic. My son and I use to watch it together when he lived with me. We had some very deep conversations about drugs, his addiction, and society's use of drugs in general. I felt that it brought some real eye opening info about addiction that I was unaware of.
Tell ya the truth, I actually e-mailed the show and told them about my son.
I was hoping they would contact me and want us to be on the show.
If you give your story to them and they use it and the addict agrees to a "so called" documentary, then the treatment is free. That's my understanding, anyway.
My son and I spoke once about intervention. He told me that he would like to have everyone who loves him, come together for his sake, and talk to him about going into rehab.
I guess the reason I haven't done it is...there's not alot of people that would come to his intervention. He's burned too many bridges.
A few family members, that's all. Pretty sad, huh?
He'll go one day, I pray. When he's ready.
I guess his story wasn't good enough material for their show.
Or it could be, there's a line out the door. That makes more sense.
anyway...good thread.
Linda

yes iwatched it manytimes,,
its interstiing,, i love this show.. but they always send the addicts on the airplane to some treatment in luxury thing,, you know in life its not the same,, .. in life its ahard hard way to get anywhere. they make it look so easy.
but i still do love this show.

TV show
 

I would really like to see the program. I am afraid I do not have the channel.
Aura.

hello -

I frequently watch it and have learned a lot from it. I have concerns that it makes it seem like "if we can just get them to agree to treatment then it will all be okay". I wish that they would do one on recovery. I guess that all they are trying to do is show the intervention. Recovery is definitely a tough road - as is seen in the follow up episodes and how few really remain sober.

On that note.....guess what? One of the people that was featured is in my women's group and she picked up a nine month chip this morning! I was really excited for her. I was really surprised when I saw the show - I remembered her first meeting when she got back from treatment. The show is never brought up but it'd be interesting to ask her about it sometime.

Take care! Donna (PS......since I didn't name names I'm assuming that I did not break her annonymity)

You bet I watch it!! It is on every Sunday night, and I try not to miss an episode... My ex didn't like to watch it.... but now he is gone, the remote is mine....!!!
It really gives you an insight to an addicted person, kinda makes you "understand" what type of hold any certain drug can have on you if you let it. I do agree that they make it look easier than what it truly is, but afterall it is T.V. but I think it is a really great show, opens peoples eyes...who necessarily haven't been affected by a loved ones addiction

lots of love
Liz

The first time my AH and I went to the counselor, a little more than a month ago now, she recommended that I watch, "Intervention." It is one of my homework asignments, so to speak.
Watching is difficult for me, to say the least - I didn't know that my husband was an addict. He lived a seperate, secret, sort of double life that - I guess - "Intervention" is giving me a glimpse into.
The show is connecting things for me - I see where his addiction, if I hadn't been so clueless, was obvious.
Anyhow, when we went to the counselor for the first time, it was sort of like an intervention in that she spent 3 hours defining what an addict is, and what addiction does, how his behavior had to be the result of addiction rather than free will (I still struggle with that one and hope for more insight from you all and as I work on my own recovery), etc.
Just before my AH admitted that he was an addict, he asked to speak with me alone. I was scared to death. He did everything but put his hands on me - spewing, spitting, gritting, tensed up, etc. He viewed the event as another one of my control tactics. I responded that I'd learned more about our lives in the 3 hour session that I'd known in 13 years...I, as was apparent to me anyway, hadn't been in control of anything...he, on the other hand, had been in control of everything. I summoned any strength I had left and spoke to the questionaire he'd filled out upon our arrival. He'd written that home and family meant everything to him. I decided to "put it out there" - either he step up to the plate and work on getting well - if nothing else, for the home and family he reportedly treasured - or we were going to have a very different conversation.
You see, I'd learned alot in those 3 hours - the bottom line was that I couldn't cure or love him out of his addiction...I could love him to death, though. I wasn't willing to do that. I had to be willing to do whatever it took to save his life.
"Intervention," I think, sends that message loud and clear - you either do this, and maybe just because we see thing s a little more clearly than you do right now, or we do that.
When I made that appointment with the counselor, I was so broken, so desperate - I told her that I was willing to do whatever it took to help my AH to be okay...and, if we were so blessed to come out on the other side of treatment in one piece, I'd consider it a bonus. I just needed to know he'd be okay. The counselor told me that HE needed to be willing to do whatever it took.
Almost immediately after that session, I feared that my ultimatum forced a decision he wasn't ready to make - was he really ready to do whatever it took? If he didn't commit to it, what was I going to do? I had to make good on my ultimatum for him, for all of us.
God is so good, though. My husband chose life - he went to his first NA meeting the next day and liked it! He's honored the heavy meeting schedule and hit that 30 day milestone, kept the counseling appointments, has done his "homework" and, as I just found out last night at our second session as a couple, had a clean drug test!
Yes, "Intervention" does pack a lot into an hour. It doesn't imply, for me anyway, that turning addiction around will be short and sweet. Yes, so far so good for my husband - by His grace. The show does reveal that there can be a silver lining. I pray for it. I need to see some people that are doing okay and working to stay well.
Has the beginning of this journey been a cake walk for any of us? No...I'd seen no difference until a week ago - none. I called and called the counselor - patiently, she tried to let me know that addicts are cranky (to say the least) and addicts without their drugs are even worse. The inpatient/rehab option used on "Intervention" looked good to me...and I know that it may again.
I plan to keep watching the show. Sorry for the rambling - finally sharing a little bit!

Intevention (the show) is great! I have cried tears of joy and tears of sorrow. My AH actually used to watch it with me even during his active addiction. He never made it to watch it sober, because he relapsed right out of rehab. I hired an Interventionist. I also actually talked to Jeff Van Vonderen, who is one of the Interventionists on the show. He is a highly respected Interventionist known around the world. He returned my call on my cell phone and wanted to do the Intervention about 3 days later. At the time, it wasn't doable that soon. I was very impressed that he called. He also told me that he and all the other Interventionists that are on the show are in private practice themselves, and the producers of the show actually contact them for Interventions. He said they cut a lot out of the shows to get them into the time format that is permissable. It is advised by Interventionists that if you are considering an intervention, not to let your addict see the show. I believe if the support group sticks to their terms, then intervention is possible with a positive result. You HAVE to be willing to stick to what you say. Good luck to all. Pray.

New Here
 

Hello!

I am new here and wanted to share that I used to watch Intervention to understand the addict better; now I watch it to see how similar the families are and a how detrimental their denial is. Denial is a hard shell to crack, but now I see Intervention from a whole new perspective.

Choosey

Hi Choosey! Glad to see you here! Let me be the first to say Hi and welscome to Sober Recovery. Please take a look around and get comfy. Lots of wonderful people here. Im an addict but Im also a Codie too! These folks like me either way I come. Im glad to meet you. Maybe you can start a thread here of your own with a little about you and what brings you to us. We all need as many friends as we can get.

Thanks for the Welcome
 

Don't know about starting a new thread....that will take some courage, but thanks for the welcome.

Choosey

I think it would be a good idea to do a show on recovery....unfortunately, it's not a straight arrow. I like the intervention show, but not sure why. It's kind of like watching a car wreck. I have enough of my own car wrecks to deal with!
krhea

Check out HBO new series starting mar 15th
 

HBO Series starting Mar 15th covers much more than Intervention. You will see the Brain Disease, medication assisted recovery and insurance barriers. Very well done. I attended a premiere that was well worth it.

Nope..saw the commercials. Lookded interesting.
Had enough dramma in my life already.
plus i had to get up every morning at 4 a.m. and strap on my work boots.