Emmy-award winning "Intervention" - Credit: A&E Television Networks.
Two of television's most compelling series' return Monday, November 30th, with A&E's 'Intervention' airing at 9:00 PM ET/PT and 10:00PM ET/PT, followed by the season premiere of "Hoarders" at 10:00PM ET/PT.
"Intervention" documents the heartache and tragedy of addiction from the perspective of the addict and the family and friends around the addict
From the official A&E press release:
The eighth season premiere of "Intervention," features Linda, who after graduating from college found success working as an extra in Hollywood, achieving the glamorous life she always wanted. Linda's dreams died when she came down with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by joint dislocations. Linda started taking Fentanyl, a painkiller 100 times stronger than morphine. As her painkiller use escalated, she claimed that different sources were causing her pain, including electricity, energy, colors, and even specific people. Despite Linda's wild claims, her mother clings to the belief that Linda's pain is real and she must do everything to help her, including depleting the family's savings and sending her son to be Linda's caretaker. "Intervention" is a powerful and gripping series in which people confront their darkest demons and seek a route to redemption.
And, although there has been some criticism about the exploitative nature of the show, Dudley Saunders explains:
With the help of co-interventionists Candy Finnigan, Dr. Tara Fields, and VanVonderen, Intervention takes audiences from pre-intervention family counseling through intervention and long-term outcome. But by also giving a sometimes shockingly up-close look into the lives of practicing addicts-scoring drugs, taking drugs, even stealing them-the show lets viewers in on just how high the stakes are for the families who have often watched this downward spiral for years.
While the idea of inserting cameras into such an emotionally charged situation might strike some as exploitative, VanVonderen says that once issues of confidentiality are dealt with, opening up the addicts' stories to the world is actually good for them. "The truth is that denial is the hallmark symptom of this disease. So the more we talk about it out loud, the more it gives people permission to talk about it, and the more it breaks through denial. And denial is what's keeping them in bondage to this disease-and I don't just mean the addicts; I mean the families, too.
The series has conducted 143 interventions since its premiere in March of 2005, 111 individuals are currently sober.
"Intervention" is produced for A&E Network by GRB. Executive Producers are Dan Partland and Sam Mettler. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Colleen Conway.
Get the Widget!: Add the official A&E Intervention widget to your blog or website to keep up with the latest information from the show.
Also from A&E "Hoarders":
The second season premiere of "Hoarders," the number one freshman non-fiction series on cable among adults 25-54, will introduce Augustine, whose son Jason was removed from her home by Child Protective Services 14 years ago, because of her hoarding. She was never able to clean up enough to have him return. Now, as an adult living on the other side of the country, he is filled with shame and resentment, but unable to turn his back on her. Augustine's hoarding has become so severe that she has lived without water, gas, heat or appliances for the last four years -- bathing only once a week at her sister's house. Complaints from neighbors have instigated a court ordered clean-up and the city is threatening to condemn her house. Now, "Hoarders" follows Jason as he tries one last time to rescue his mother from the filth he escaped from years ago.
"Hoarders" explores the world of extreme hoarding; a mental disorder marked by an obsessive need to collect things, even if the items are worthless, hazardous or unsanitary. The series takes a fascinating look at the lives of people whose inability to part with their belongings is so out of control that they are on the verge of a personal crisis. Whether they're facing eviction, the loss of their children, jail time, or divorce, they are all desperately in need of help. The series captures the drama as experts work to put each hoarder on the road to recovery.
A&E Television Networks- "Hoarders" is produced for A&E by Screaming Flea Productions. Executive Producers are Jodi Flynn, Matt Chan and Dave Severson. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Andy Berg.
Comments
How do you come down with an inherited disease. You don't come down with something you were born with genetically. A very wrong choice of words. As someone who has this malady I can attest that it is painful and it is life long but handling through pain medications is futile. I cannot imagine what would make a physician with any kind of education in pain medications prescribing such a high dose of such a dangerous drug. Absolutely inexcusable.
I agree with Ella, you do not "come down" with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, it is a genetic disorder. I have suffered with the pain and dislocations from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome for 34 years, all of my life. Although there are some people out there that may not have daily symptoms of this disease or even symptoms at all they are always there - hence genetic disorder. Poor choice of words on A&E's part. Someone should have done a little better job on their research. This is a misunderstood and under diagnosed disease and A&E dropped the ball on this one.
Oh and any doctor that would prescribe Fentanyl to such a young person for this disease should be investigated
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