I Just Bear To Watch My Fave TV Show Can You?
 

I was a nasty binge drinker for over a decade. Of course I LOVED the show called INTERVENTION. I would tell myself that I wasn't near off as bad and I didn't have that big of a problem. I wouldn't miss an episode in order to reinforce this obvious denial.

Now after relapsing during Day 19 last week. I discovered during my sobriety I could not bear to watch those poor souls. They were ME. It's just too much, like bringing up the guilt/remorse/shame. I'm too fragile!

Also, çant watch the news...is this weird? The world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket. So I'm shutting it off. Kinda concerned about my sanity. Am I being irrational??

I've never watched Intervention and most of my news comes from the net, so no, I don't think you're alone.

Making 'entertainment' from peoples misery is not my thing.

D

Hi TYG

That's quite weird, I had similar thoughts regarding TV, sitting with the remote flicking through constantly and not being happy with a single thing.

I think it may be a bit of an anxiety thing at this early point in sobriety.

The news just loves to focus on the negative and it becomes hard to stomach, so much verbal conflict and catastrophe. I made a decision to use the radio more. Music is peaceful and I think it personally calms my mind. Exercise I find calming also, the endorphins I think are helpful at this point. To free of some anger without directing it at anyone. Early sobriety is a tuff place and I don't want to vent around me so I use everything and anything to ensure this does not happen.
I am now back at day 16 and want this to be a very long sobriety.
Good luck to you with yours!

I can't stand much of tv anymore. Especially so called reality shows. Sometimes even the commercials are irritating showing more and more "things" that will make your life easier and make your life happier. Way too much emphasis on materialism for me!

No that's not weird. And acknowledging that its an issue for you in important.

I have a 17 year old that is pretty wrapped up in social media. To me its unreal. Its like some kind of strange bubble that everyone lives in based on their bias. So if you are liberal, google 'liberal' stuff, etc the only new flashes you'll be prompted to are of 'your' mind set. And the opposite is true for conservatives. Seems all I ever get prompted to look at are vacation spots and puppy videos. Not sure what that means.

The world won't change if you don't watch the news so don't sweat it :) And intervention is just entertainment and promotion of the recovery industry. Although, I have to say, I like watching it. Just haven't in years.

I used to like watching Intervention for the same reasons..until I saw one where the man died of alcoholism. That was too intense. So I stopped watching. It was a bit exploitative. Misery for ratings..not cool. TV has triggers as well. I have to be careful of what I do, what I watch, where I go, who I hang with, etc. It is called self preservation and it's OK.

Regarding Intervention - I plan to watch the new Season (18) because it features a local opiod recovery organization that is doing amazing things in the metro community, specifically Marietta (a large suburb of Atlanta). This county (Cobb) edges out the largest (Fulton) in opioid deaths and I am trying to learn more as I run a recovery group for the restaurant industry and while we generally focus on alcohol, pills etc are also rife in F&B.

One thing I detest is how AA is typically portrayed in tv and film. There are generally small pieces of truth that pale in comparison to the common misconceptions and such that are played out.

Hey TY,

I have not watched the news in 11 years, I am not about all the negativity.

I do watch intervention, for me, it reminds me why I am sober, what I could have been like and it is frightening.
I also call it "cry therapy" as I tend to cry during the actual intervention.

Blessings,
DC

I haven't watched Intervention in a while, probably because I didn't need to watch it as I felt like I was living parts of it. I do notice that the shows I watched when I was actively drinking are super boring and/or stupid now!

I messed around with meth in my teenage years and still find it uncomfortable to even watch the show Breaking Bad, so I can understand you not wanting to watch Intervention. But for me, seeing the alcoholics on Intervention help remind me of where I never want to be again!