So, I gave the A&E television show "Intervention" another try last night. It documented the troubles of "Tina" a mother addicted to both Vicodin and Gambling. I thought they did a reasonable job of portraying the priorities in her life, but compared to earlier episodes of the show they seemed to show only the "softer" side of things. This could have been that others around the addict did not give consent, but they barely touched on some of the things I know Tina must have been doing to feed the addictions she has. We inadvertently found out from her brother that she had tried rehab in the past late in the show, and frankly as with many of the episodes I was thoroughly unconvinced that her family and friends were willing to stop enabling her no matter what she did at this session. I understand that it is hard for the family, but for me, UNTIL others around me really did stop enabling me, I was never going to get the help I desperately needed.
Also, at the end of the show they interviewed the "Oasis Treatment Center" director who indicated that when Tina left rehab the first time she was very angry. We saw none of this in the show. My experience for myself, and many I have met since is that when we are unable to fuel our addiction anger absolutely surfaces to the top of our emotional chain. Yet, Tina seems to calmly accept the fact at the end of her horse racing day that she did not have enough money to buy more pills. I would have expected something more. Tina may have been reacting differently "for the camera" so to speak, but if true, what is the point of the show? Where is the "reality"?
Finally, once again they fail to do ANY follow-up as to the success or failure of the treatment, which allows viewers to assume any outcome they wish. The only thing I can hope is that if the show survives, they will do a follow up special or something.
A&E the network did at least have a Public Service Announcement on addiction thrown in this time. Hey, its something.
John
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