Did anyone watch Intervention last night?
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I also watched the show I cried because I know my son was going through something like that when he died, but I wasn't their to help him wake up. I guess God had a different plan for him.
Maggiemac
Maggiemac
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I did watch last night and it was scary how the girl reminded me of myself at such a young age. It is so sad. I know how desperate and scared you feel at that time of once life. Most heron n addicts continue to use the drug because they are afraid to be sick, they are no longer even using for the high any longer. They use to be normal and function. It is very scary to have to come to terms with your real emotions and feelings that have been suppressed so long by the drug.
You have to figure a real hard core drug addict has lost everything or close to everything. Their home, belongings, cars, friends, family, children everything. So they have to pick themselves up from the rock bottom and climb out of this hole they got themselves into. To a drug addict this is a lot of work, it could take years to get trust back from your friends and family and years to get all your belongings back. Drug addicts are useto instant gradification. Working hard for something is not part of their lifestyle.
You have to figure a real hard core drug addict has lost everything or close to everything. Their home, belongings, cars, friends, family, children everything. So they have to pick themselves up from the rock bottom and climb out of this hole they got themselves into. To a drug addict this is a lot of work, it could take years to get trust back from your friends and family and years to get all your belongings back. Drug addicts are useto instant gradification. Working hard for something is not part of their lifestyle.
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Originally Posted by Impurrfect 
To this day, the one thing that makes me want to get numb is a codie flare-up.
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Originally Posted by serenityqueen
I have also wondered about Christy, isn't she the girl who lived in her Grandma's guest house or something, ran around naked and trashed the place?
Link here of part of her story
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Originally Posted by cynical one
I tried to watch the show a couple of times, but I’m just not into veiled infomercials for the purpose of selling interventions, and the exploitation of addicts.
Cristy, the meth addict.
I remember a guy who was an alcoholic and his parents kept his dog from him until he went into rehab. Five minutes after he got out and got his dog, he went and bought some booze and basically flipped the camera off.
I think that's the hardest part for me, watching. You really don't know if they will maintain recovery or if they will relapse. I've seen quite a few where they've relapsed. If they're "advertising" anything, seems like poor advertising.
I can understand the exploitation of addicts, though. But, I feel that more with shows like Celebrity Rehab/Dr. Drew than I do with this show.
lovin' life now
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I watch (haven't seen this week's episode yet, it's on my DVR) regularly. At first it was really hard, but I felt like I needed to watch it. It was like desensitizing myself to all of the horror and making it hurt less. I don't know how to explain it, but it makes me feel better and it makes me understand so much of what I experienced with my ex.
I don't know if it's really exploitation. I do think a lot of people that ill might not have a chance for change any other way.
I don't know if it's really exploitation. I do think a lot of people that ill might not have a chance for change any other way.
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Originally Posted by anvilhead
i'm still trying to figure out what rock the latest batch of addicts/alcoholics that agree to participate in these "documentaries on addiction" live under....such that they can't see the INTERVENTION TRAIN coming at them?????
If and when the addict agrees to rehab, the show picks up the tab for it.
That the show feels the need to show people using their DOC is exploitative. I avoid the show because I do need to go out of my way to focus on addiction.
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Originally Posted by anvilhead
i'm not sure ANYBODY needs to SEE people using drugs???? it's gotten all too graphic.....IMHO....
Are these reality shows today using it for entertainment value? What demographic are these shows geared towards? Have they consulted with the professionals about triggers?
I saw someone shoot heroin when I was 18 and, combined with my RAD's IV use, I don't need to see it on the TV, too.
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I dont like the graphic nature but that's more becuase i think we are teaching kids how to use drugs by showing these things. I also agree that its not really about the addict - its about the family but that's what i like about the show. I see these people and i know that they understand how i feel, that they have made the same mistakes as me, and that they are having to make the tough choices too. i do wish they would show some of the results of the rehabs after a year just to be realistic. some of these people were obviously not going to get it in one trip to rehab.
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I have trouble with this show. All it does is bring back bad memories of my addiction. To me, its almost entertainment for the sake of the addict and their family.
I remember a guy who was an alcoholic and his parents kept his dog from him until he went into rehab. Five minutes after he got out and got his dog, he went and bought some booze and basically flipped the camera off. I remember that one. It was one of two episodes my sister and I watched. We were so angry at the entire process. I felt the way they used the dog over his head was just wrong. I can understand the way the family felt it was not right for him to have the dog, but the way they dealt with the issue really made me angry. That was the last episode I watched.
Originally Posted by ZombieWife
I remember a guy who was an alcoholic and his parents kept his dog from him until he went into rehab. Five minutes after he got out and got his dog, he went and bought some booze and basically flipped the camera off.
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Originally Posted by cynical one
One difference is, on “reality shows” like Sober House or Celebrity Rehab, those entering the house know what they are getting themselves into. Instead of doing it privately as opposed to on TV, I’m sure they have their rea$on$. Same rea$on$ that Love Boat, and Celebrity Boxing were successful, a way to revive a dying career. Both the show and the participants are using one another for their own interests. (And, I am a fan of Dr. Drew the doctor, not the show).
On Intervention, the addicts are told they are part of a documentary (why they haven’t caught onto that by now, I don’t know), and then they are blindsided with an intervention. In the real world, that’s a really good way to totally break the trust or cut off any lines of communication between the family and the addict. Most addicts are just going to go further underground into the life, be very resentful and even more secretive.
The show preys on the families that are willing to do anything to ‘save’ their loved one, and who is that has the money to pay for interventions and rehabs…surely not the addict in most cases. The show itself is not the cash cow, it’s all the affiliated interventionists and rehabs that will reap the benefits. Since the show first aired there are now 62% more “professional interventionists” advertising their services. And, how successful can they be when one of their own professional interventionists relapsed himself.
Interventions and “tough love” are for the family and loved ones, not the addict. If they haven’t already, if the addict is a minor, and if funds are available, it’s an opportunity to offer the addict their one and only shot at a paid rehab. If they are an adult, or if funds have already been spent on rehab, it’s a way to give them a list of the numerous rehabs that they can go to for free. After that, it’s then about the family outlining boundaries that they will enforce, and practicing “tough love” on themselves to enforce their boundaries and to stop being enmeshed in the craziness. Most interventions fail, and not because of the addict, but because the family and loved ones do not have the courage to follow through on enforcing boundaries.
If an addict has ever once been to treatment, detox, jail, or attended meetings, they know where to go and what they have to do to reach out to the recovery community. They will not do that until they are done and want to find a better way.
Since 1999, I know of one real-world intervention that was a success. The thing that the family didn't know was the week she went missing and they thought she was out on a binge. She was actually in detox on her own. So, when they offered her rehab at a cushy center, she jumped on the opportunity. The family, to this day thinks they saved her, in actuality she saved herself, and that's really the only way.
On Intervention, the addicts are told they are part of a documentary (why they haven’t caught onto that by now, I don’t know), and then they are blindsided with an intervention. In the real world, that’s a really good way to totally break the trust or cut off any lines of communication between the family and the addict. Most addicts are just going to go further underground into the life, be very resentful and even more secretive.
The show preys on the families that are willing to do anything to ‘save’ their loved one, and who is that has the money to pay for interventions and rehabs…surely not the addict in most cases. The show itself is not the cash cow, it’s all the affiliated interventionists and rehabs that will reap the benefits. Since the show first aired there are now 62% more “professional interventionists” advertising their services. And, how successful can they be when one of their own professional interventionists relapsed himself.
Interventions and “tough love” are for the family and loved ones, not the addict. If they haven’t already, if the addict is a minor, and if funds are available, it’s an opportunity to offer the addict their one and only shot at a paid rehab. If they are an adult, or if funds have already been spent on rehab, it’s a way to give them a list of the numerous rehabs that they can go to for free. After that, it’s then about the family outlining boundaries that they will enforce, and practicing “tough love” on themselves to enforce their boundaries and to stop being enmeshed in the craziness. Most interventions fail, and not because of the addict, but because the family and loved ones do not have the courage to follow through on enforcing boundaries.
If an addict has ever once been to treatment, detox, jail, or attended meetings, they know where to go and what they have to do to reach out to the recovery community. They will not do that until they are done and want to find a better way.
Since 1999, I know of one real-world intervention that was a success. The thing that the family didn't know was the week she went missing and they thought she was out on a binge. She was actually in detox on her own. So, when they offered her rehab at a cushy center, she jumped on the opportunity. The family, to this day thinks they saved her, in actuality she saved herself, and that's really the only way.
I also agree that you think they would "smell" an intervention considering how long this has been on air, but maybe not? I don't know.
I can appreciate the "blind-sided" sentiment, but I really lack empathy for them, especially since they are so willing to casually hand over their lives, privacy and drug-usage over to the camera men.
Any intervention could be viewed as "sabatoge" if the person is not told the truth as to where he/she is going. But, I guess considering the fact that family members feel they have no other choice . . .
I get why people don't like it. It's just that some of this seems that some folks are made to feel as though they lack intelligence or must not know how "it really works."
I honestly don't care if it was wholly for financial gain. I think it does help people: addicts and family members/loved ones alike. And I think most of us can (to quote Shakespeare,) "see a church by daylight" when we're watching something manufactured for television viewing.
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Originally Posted by Alera
I have trouble with this show. All it does is bring back bad memories of my addiction. To me, its almost entertainment for the sake of the addict and their family.
I remember that one. It was one of two episodes my sister and I watched. We were so angry at the entire process. I felt the way they used the dog over his head was just wrong. I can understand the way the family felt it was not right for him to have the dog, but the way they dealt with the issue really made me angry. That was the last episode I watched.
I remember that one. It was one of two episodes my sister and I watched. We were so angry at the entire process. I felt the way they used the dog over his head was just wrong. I can understand the way the family felt it was not right for him to have the dog, but the way they dealt with the issue really made me angry. That was the last episode I watched.
That said, he was a total wanker, treated his family like crap and was really on a downward spiral. Chances are, his family didn't think they had any other options. They just wanted to get him started in rehab (even if he wasn't willing,) hoping he would "get it" during the whole process and magically be clean. If anything, the episode showed that the addict needs to come to this on his own, do it for himself.
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I saw an A&E follow-up on some of the successful people who went through the Interventions, rehabs and are sober today. They seemed quite sincere when they thanked their family and friends for loving them enough to help them in this way.
I can see a perspective of advertisement, and exploitation in a lesser degree.
Every day many people in our society are asked to take care of sick family, elderly relatives, physically/mentally challenged children and adults - yet when it comes to addiction -- we are told -- Let Go -- Let them find their bottom, etc.
Sometimes viewing and living with the destruction of mind, body and soul, is too much for people who love the addicts and they reach for whatever remedy is available.
(Rightly or Wrongly -- but out of hope and love)
I am sure in most of these cases the families have reached bottom
I can see a perspective of advertisement, and exploitation in a lesser degree.
Every day many people in our society are asked to take care of sick family, elderly relatives, physically/mentally challenged children and adults - yet when it comes to addiction -- we are told -- Let Go -- Let them find their bottom, etc.
Sometimes viewing and living with the destruction of mind, body and soul, is too much for people who love the addicts and they reach for whatever remedy is available.
(Rightly or Wrongly -- but out of hope and love)
I am sure in most of these cases the families have reached bottom
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