Intervention: A&E TV Series
Intervention is an American television program about the realities facing addicts of many kinds. Each program follows one or two participants, each of whom has an addiction or other mentally and/or physically damaging problem and believes that they are being filmed for a documentary on their problem. Their situations are actually being documented in anticipation of an intervention by family and/or friends. Each participant is given an ultimatum: go into rehabilitation immediately, or risk losing contact, income, or other privileges from the loved ones who instigated the intervention.
The addicts featured on the show are offered a chance to undergo a 90-day, all-expenses-paid treatment plan at one of a number of rehabilitation facilities. As in real life, not all interventions depicted in the episodes end well. Several addicts have walked out of the intervention, though almost all who initially balk at the offer eventually accept it. As of 2012, only five addicts — Alissa in Season 1, Marquel in Season 8, Adam in Season 9, John in Season 9, and Larry in Season 11 – have completely refused all offers of treatment. A sixth, Sean (Season 12), agreed to go to treatment but backed out during the drive to the facility.
As of 2011, six addicts profiled on the show later died of complications related to their addiction— Dillon from Season 3 (methamphetamine; committed suicide during a standoff with the police); Lawrence from Season 4 (alcoholic; bled to death from ruptured esophageal varices); Chris from Season 5 (alcoholic; committed suicide after relapsing); and Bret from Season 6 (alcoholic; diagnosed with Stage IV esophageal cancer 80 days into rehab, died 3 weeks later). Sandy, a Season 5 addict (alcohol/prescription drug abuse), completed treatment in 2009 and died in 2011. Austin, a season 10 addict (alcohol), completed treatment in 2010 and died of a presumed heroin overdose in 2011.
Occasionally, during the filming of an episode, the plight of another addict in the featured addict’s circle becomes apparent, and the show often makes additional plans to help the other addict find treatment as well. These secondary interventions, like the primary ones, have a mixed track record of success and failure. Additionally, the secondary addict sometimes promises to seek treatment in order to get the primary addict to agree to the show’s treatment offer, only to back out of their promise once the primary addict heads off for treatment (example: Paul, stepfather of OxyContin addict Ryan from Season 3, tells Ryan that he intends to seek help for his drinking problem, but later backs out of going to rehab himself, though he does quit drinking on his own).
In situations where the family/friends/other members of the addict’s circle have become co-dependents or are otherwise traumatized by the addict’s behavior, the interventionist usually recommends that the entire family seek counseling to enable them to move on with their own lives. This has led to some very happy family reunions (Coley, a serious meth addict, got clean while his family went through counseling, and his marriage to wife Francine was saved by the intervention), but has also led to complete dissolution of relationships (Leslie, a suburban housewife alcoholic, went through court-ordered rehab while her family received counseling at the Betty Ford Clinic; after both treatment programs ended, Leslie and her husband finalized their divorce). Some families will promise to attend counseling for their co-dependence in order to convince the addict to agree to the treatment plan, only to break that promise after the addict leaves for the treatment facility (example: Bulimic alcoholic Amber from Season 9 agrees to go to rehab only if her entire family signs a contract to attend the Betty Ford Clinic’s family counseling program; though everyone signs the contract in her presence, none of them followed through once she headed off to the treatment center).
Each episode ends with a series of black screens, upon which appear a short narrative discussing the addicts and their progress since the intervention (including a sobriety date, if known), followed by a screen that invites viewers to find out more information on addiction and recovery at the show’s official website. The black screens are updated with new information each time the show is re-aired on A&E, and some video updates are made available on the show’s website. Occasionally, a black screen update documents an outreach to the addict from fans of the series. The black screen update for drug addicted siblings Brooks and Ian’s follow-up episode that re-aired in early 2008 indicated that Brooks had met and married a fan of the show in 2007. At the end of the original episode featuring alcoholic banker and bar brawler Jacob, he stated that he was planning to enroll in college for the upcoming semester; the black screen update for his episode that re-aired in early 2008 indicated that a fan of the series had contacted the producers after the show’s airing and offered to pay for Jacob’s college education.
An occasional complication arises when the addict becomes suspicious that he/she is being set up for an intervention, having watched the show before, or recognizes one of the featured interventionists on sight upon being brought into the final meeting place.
In conjunction with interventions that involve strong drug addictions where sudden withdrawal can be dangerous, a nurse travels with the addict to the rehab center, providing medical assistance to keep the addict from suffering during the journey. Patients with addictions that could cause serious risk to their health upon cessation of the substance abuse usually spend time in a detox facility before entering the rehab phase of their recovery.
An intervention for but not limited to, alcoholism, compulsive gambling, drug abuse, compulsive eating and other eating disorders, bring families and friends together, educates those affected by a loved-one’s problem. Interventions allow everyone to understand the disorder itself and how to break the cycle of suffering.
Choose from the following to learn more about specific intervention needs, or call now.
Alcohol Intervention
Drug Intervention
Mental Health Intervention
Eating Disorder Intervention
Gambling Intervention
Sex Addiction Intervention
