While it’s been quite a while since I’ve even logged into this blog, this post will keep with its predecessors and discuss Television.

The most compelling TV show ever might be Intervention. I’ve watched 3 in a row. Some are better than others, but overall this show is amazing. The last two that have been on have been incredibly sad. One was of a guy who had a drinking problem, to the point that his liver didn’t function and he was covered in gross bruises. His motor skills deteriorated because of the Grand Mal Seizures he had as a result of alcohol poisoning. The pictures of him as a healthy normal person were unrecognizable. After pretty much being coerced into going to rehab he was asked to leave after a month for not fully committing himself to treatment. He ended up dying at home a month later from esophageal bleeding.

I think that might be the first time I’ve seen someone die on the show.

The one that’s on right now is about a heroine addict. The shows involving IV drugs gross me out to no end. The dude is talking about how painful it is to inject the heroine into his butt. Really though – what is the guy expecting?

The thing I really don’t understand about this show is that most people have some sort of MAJOR issues from their past which ‘led them to’ abuse whatever substance. I’m fairly certain about 90% of the people I know have had some sort of legitimate dramatic ‘episode’ of some sort in life and (as far as I know) no one has resorted to hard drugs or felt that they have no where to turn to. This is not to say I don’t sympathize with any of the situations – I can’t really imagine such a level of despair that the only way to escape is something so extreme that it takes hold of your life and consumes you.

(Side note: If I NEVER see another E-Harmony commercial again in my life, it might be too soon)

I am curious to know how long a show like Intervention can keep working before people start catching on that they’re not actually in the type of documentary they think? Or is that part of the gimmick – hard core substance abusers are too busy and/or messed up to realize what’s going on and the show will prevail everytime.

I find it really bothersome when people refuse the treatment. They are getting spoon-fed a second chance in life and they can’t get over themselves long enough to realize how fortunate they are. Really, how many people would kill for the chance to get that kind of help but are so stuck in the disastrous rut that they don’t have any family (or anyone at all for that matter) to hook them up with a tv show for a chance at rehab. They WOULD get the help, but really how do you go about doing that when all you know is scoring your crack 8 times a day.

That’s one aspect of the show that bothers me. Why not find the crack-heads who don’t have anyone to help them out – no family support or friends to stage the intervention. I’m sure there are exponentially more addicts who don’t have a soul to help them. The majority of the time there’s a strange irony as family members are more or less enabling the person by giving them all the luxuries of living with family. While I don’t know if putting them out on the street would help any or send some sort of message, I certainly know that the perks of living ‘at home’ don’t help at all and seem to only encourage people.

Anyway, here’s hoping that the ‘intervention’ level of desperation never looms near.