OddSpot80

There is a weekly documentary done by A&E called Intervention. If you haven't heard of it and are interested they air a new episode every Monday on Hulu.com. Here's a link to the pilot episode
Hulu - Intervention: Alyson - Watch the full episode now.
It can be very graphic at times, just to let you know.
When I first found this I was very desperate and lost. Watching these gave me as close to an objective view as I could get of what I was doing to myself and the people who love me. It was the push I needed to acknowledge the problem was out of control and to reach out for help.
I still watch every Monday. It's a good reminder.

smacked

It's a very different show now that I'm sober. I used to sit there and drink and/or drug while watching it thinking "well at least I'm not that bad..."

Then I got 'that bad'.. and I got sober.

Now I watch it and I just feel sorry for people. I don't always watch... horrible triggers sometimes for me, but that was mostly in the first few months I was sober. They usually go to rehab, but typically fall afterwards, or die.

Sad stuff, for sure. Very happy to never have to face anything like that again.

OddSpot80

It's amazing how strong denial can be. Even when a mirror is held up to our face we still don't see our reflection.

jamdls

I just started watching that show recently and what gets me every time is the way the families/friends are such enablers! I was alone as a drunk and I'm alone in sobriety so I just can't relate to anyone enabling me and I can't imagine ever enabling someone else. Yes by the time they've gotten to the show they are ready to stop enabling but they've done so for years and years, it makes me angry.

Philly

I too try to watch it every week just as reinforcement of how bad it can get. One of the worse ones I saw was "Brett". I think that one should be shown in rehabs. I also saw it while I was still actively drinking. I didn't watch it while I drank it was always on hangover Monday ( I was a weekend binge drinker ). I too thought I was not as bad as those on the show. In hind site now I really wasn't anywhere near as bad as those on the show but I was much worse than I thought.

OddSpot80

I hear you. I was never as much of a burden nor was I enabled to the extent that these people were. I could, however, see how close things were to getting that bad.
I'm a solitary drinker too. I am able to control my drinking and myself when I'm around others. I save the over the top stuff for when I am alone. (getting close to that never happening again, though )
No one knew how bad it was, if they even knew there was a problem. My bank account was empty, I was racking up credit card debt, I was probably about to lose my job and I didn't have the energy to keep up the act anymore. I was very close to having to make the choice between homelessness or asking for help.
So even if you can't relate 100% I think it can still hit home.

smacked

Drives me nuts too..

I think it's a lot easier to see tho, from the other side of a tv screen than when you're in that twisted mess of an addict/enabler relationship. Crazy stuff.

NewBeginning010

A good show for alcoholics, enablers & family members of. You can watch the full episodes here A&E TV - Schedules, Shows, Videos, Full Episodes

The Cleaner is also a good show about addiction (also on that site).

Aysha

There have been several threads about thaty show. Mixed feelings about it. I Have watched it since it came on years ago. I began watching it because I related to it. Then I began watching it just to see them get high. Then I would watch and connect with how they affected their family. That aspect of it really opened my eyes to how my family felt with me. It looks alot different seeing it from a different perspective.
I have to be really careful watchin git sometimes tho. I have had a few of them trigger me. I remember I woke up on my birthday in 2007. I was by myself. Everyone was at camp. I was alone on my birthday. Just got home from being out of town for 2 weeks training for a new job. I had fallen asleep and woken up to of all shows that could have been on..It was a crack episode with Tim. That one was very graphic. I just remember waking up and seein ghim hitting the pipe. I really dont even remember much after that until Iw as almost in the city. It was like I was on auto pilot.
Some people think the show is exploiting the addicts. Some think they need to tone down how much they show.
And I can totally relate to the enablers. Thats why seeing how it affects them hits so close. I had the biggest enabler there could be. Just like those on the show..If not worse.
I have it set to DVR.
The one that disturbed me the most was one that was on not too long ago. He was an alcoholic. A business owner of tanning salons. Very successful. Taking care of everyone. He would work from home and drink 24/7. He had bruises all over him from scorosis. He died. I cried so hard on that one. Another one that got me was the girl huffing that duster in a can. She was a huge mess.
Such a waste of life all of them. I really like seeing them at the end all cleaned up.
My fav was Herbert. The homeless alcoholic from Hawaii. He was just awesome.
I will be watching tonight.

Lindsay

I can also relate to having mixed feelings about this show. When I was drinking I used to love watching it. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was to make myself feel better, I don't know. My favorite part has always been the "after" segment though...when they're sober and just...LOOK so much better. That part of the show was always very motivational.

There is a part of me that doesn't necessarily agree with the whole idea of an intervention, though. In some cases it does work out...but in many cases the individual is simply not ready. Until someone is ready to change, they wont. You can't be FORCED into recovery. There were many, many times while I was drinking that family members would say things to me, suggesting that I stop drinking, etc. It just went in one ear and out the other. There was no point. It wasn't until I made the personal decision that I had had enough that I successfully began recovery.

I don't know...sometimes I just feel like the interventions are useless when the individual is so obviously not ready to change.

OddSpot80

I agree, no one can be forced to recover. An intervention isn't just for the person with the problem, though. It's for both the enablers and the addict/alcoholic. The enablers need to recover too. When people are having major problems there usually needs to be an equally major reaction to the problem in order for there to be a positive change for both parties. An intervention isn't an ultimatum for the addict/alcoholic. The people in their life hit their bottom, so to speak. The enablers are 'quiting' the addict/alcoholic. If the a/a decides to get help that's up to them. I hope that made sense.

I also agree with the people who were on the fence because the show caused triggers. It is very graphic so I definitely do not recommend someone who would be susceptible to watch. If I were in a good place with my drinking then I probably might not want to watch it either. Right now it's encouragement. It did help me make the toughest decision I have ever had to make and that was to admit to someone I had a problem, talk about it at length and get help.
Cheers.

Lindsay

That made sense! I guess I never really thought about it from the perspective that the intervention is also for the enablers. I'm more okay with the whole idea if I view it like that...it's almost like the enablers are saying "we're done doing what we've been doing and supporting your problem, do with this what you will."

I just know that me, personally, being the incredibly stubborn and hard headed person I am...would have FLIPPED OUT and been so mad if my family had staged an intervention that I wouldn't have even been able to think about the possibility of going into recovery. Not towards the end of my drinking, but in the prime. I probably would have ended up self destructing afterwards out of anger. I'm definitely the kind of person that likes to do things on my own terms, and sobriety happened to be one of those things. I guess for some people "their own terms" may come too late...which is when an intervention may be helpful...

OK, done rambling! Was last night episode good? I missed it...

Aysha

I agree that if someone isnt ready..They just arent ready. But I dont think alot of us were ever really ready until something MADE us want to change.
I know I would still be running the streets like a maniac if so many consequences didnt come with using. If I didnt relize how it was affecting my family. Myself.
And still I dont know the extent of that.
I often said the same thing. But I have also been told that sometimes, You never know what the addict may hear, see or learn while made to seek treatment.
Interventions from my POV go way beyond just forcing the addict into treatment. Like stated already I do believe it is for the enablers too. It forces the enablers to STOP enabling and at the same time shows the addict that your pretty much on your own from here on out.
That could go one of 2 ways as I see it. They could look at being cut off as something to motivate them to hang on to what they have left. But there are also some that may take that as a ticket to just go balls out and really self destruct.
I wish my family would have done one on me. Although I may have been mad. I know that the only thing that has helped me keep trying is the fact that I wont have my family in my life anymore. If my family ever turned their backs on me. That is the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I have had alot of reprecussions from using. And none compare to the thought of losing my family.
I know of stories where the addict was forced into treatment and came out some the best examples of recovery. My father is one of them. He was mandated into AA and treatment. And hasnt touched a drop since. Not one relapse not one time.
So you never know really.

jamdls

Now that makes sense! I hadn't thought of it that way either, that the intervention is for the enablers. I haven't watched that many of the shows but the ones I have seen the most of the people went right back to the drinking or drugs afterwards. I find myself holding my breath at the end when the words come up on the screen as to what happened after treatment. The one that made the angriest was these twin teenagers meth addicts I think, they did the drugs and sold them! from their parents house! I just can't imagine any parent allowing that, it seemed to me the parents were guilty of the crime of using and selling almost as much as the boys.

Tazman53

I watched one of the reunion shows where they bring back those who are willing to come back, every single one of them who had stayed sober and clean were going to AA or NA, they only had one guy who came back that was still drinking, he was a mess.

Boleo

I agree - I have come to believe in something I now call "Detached Diligence".
That is trying to make a difference but detaching from the outcome.

keen2bclean

I couldnt get to see using the link...praps its because I'm from across the pond hehe...managed to watch a couple off of Youtube tho...just watched the one about the homeless meth addict...be interesting to see the reunion...