Has anyone here watched "Intervention" on A+E?

[chrissyk]

DH and I just caught this show for the first time last night. I can honestly say that I don't get it. What is the point of sensationalizing the act of trying to force someone into rehab The 2 people that were on the show last night didn't want to go to rehab at all. The producers/family had to hunt one guy down and convince him to enter "treatment" by bribing him with getting his dog back (the only thing that he seemed to care about). The treatment center said that he was the toughest kind of addict to treat, because he wanted to keep drinking. What a waste of resources...the guy was not ready to get help yet. He came out 60 days later and went right to the store to buy beer. He's still apparently happily homeless and is still drinking. The other guy just didn't seem to be convincingly clean of his painkiller addiction...it almost seemed like he was spouting the party line to save face after rehab.

Granted, I haven't seen any other episodes, so it might have just been this particular one...still, though, does this show serve any other purpose than to publically expose a family's pain and embarrassment due to addiction

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I've watched this show, and I think it really shows the sad and horrible reality of addiction. The show pays for the rehab, and the family signs up to be on the show. I think it's shocking, but something that needs to be shown.

 

[Free4Life11]

The families choose to go on it. I've seen it a few times and I like it. A lot of times they really do get help -- one girl on there was a cutter (would cut her arms and body with a razor) and it helped her a lot.

 

[chrissyk]

Apparently the addicts don't know what they're agreeing to be on TV for in reality, though. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It does showcase the horrors of addiction no doubt, but last night it looked more like it was showcasing humiliation. At least the show is honest in that not every addict is ready for rehab and that rehab doesn't help every addict.

 

[iwantahemi]

The show is staged. I watched and episode the other day where in the same scene the intervene was wearing a hoop eyebrow earring and the next shot of supposedly the same scene is wearing a stud eyebrow earring. I don't think its all real!!

 

[eclectics]

The show is staged. I watched and episode the other day where in the same scene the intervene was wearing a hoop eyebrow earring and the next shot of supposedly the same scene is wearing a stud eyebrow earring. I don't think its all real!!

I thought some were a little staged also. They certainly know the camera is on. But, if the end result is them getting the help they need, it shouldn't matter how they get there. Good luck to them all.

 

[drgnfly30]

I watch it, it hits a bit close to home sometimes with an alcoholic loved one in my life. For the purposes of exposing the horrors of addiction it is appropriate.. However, Interventions as a whole have the recovery community split... many (including me) believe that basically 'forcing' someone into Rehab that isn't ready is useless. Even when the addict is ready to go into recovery the success rate is only about 17%. I'm sure the success rate is much lower for those that go through an Intervention...
While some of the segments may be edited for the show, let me tell you that there is NO WAY the addict his/herself would knowingly participate in any staging of the intervention.