S14.E14: Justin; Kayne

[Tara Ariano]

A man hooked on opiates after he was run over by a truck and a man who turned to drugs to cope with his mother's death get help.

[Enero]

I was not moved by either addict or their families tonight. But I am glad that Justin seems to really be working hard to stay clean. I hope he continues to be successful.

Now on to Kanye I don't think I've ever seen anyone that messed up on the show. Granted I've not seen all the episodes of Intervention, but this guy was so wasted I don't even see how he was managing to even function at 10%. I don't believe for one second that he went from this recreational drug user to being stoned out of his mind every single day due to his mom dying. I think he was already abusing before her death. I also think there might've been more to his story than meets the eye. When his hypocrite of a wife call herself begging him to get clean for her and their daughters, I knew Kanye would fail. She needed to be going to treatment herself considering she outright admitted that she would be still getting high with him and supplying him with the drugs.

Thankfully someone in the family had the good sense to take those kids away and are keeping them from Kanye and his wife. They didn't even participate in the intervention which was so refreshing for this show. Too many times we see children right in the mix with their addict parents seeing God only knows what and being scarred for life.

Was I the only one who thought Kanye's cooking didn't look very good and honestly the way he looked and behaved, being stoned out of his mind 24/7, I would not want to eat any of his cooking for fear of what may be in it, much less let him near a stove.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Enero

[candall]

Sometimes I give the "sad story" portion half my attention and then zero in when the interventionist arrives.  But I was SO shocked at Kayne's ex-wife bringing him drugs on his 99th day in treatment, I went all the way back to the beginning of the show to try to suss out who these people were.

 

I'd really like to know more about that incident.  Did he ask her to do that or is she really just that miserable?

 

.

[justjen]

Justin looked super very familiar to me. Did he say he had been in and out of treatment (maybe I saw him somewhere)? I was so distracted by how familiar  he looked that I couldn't watch and will need to re-watch. Everything about Kayne made me want to kick him in the face. I'm not a violent person, but my leg was just itching to swing and my foot was dying to make contact with his face.

[Primetimer]

The Int-R-Ven-Tron takes on the opiate dependency and partial nudity of Kayne and Justin in the season finale.

Read the story

[pasdetrois]

 

I was SO shocked at Kayne's ex-wife bringing him drugs on his 99th day in treatment

 

Unbelievable. Either she started using again, and needed Kayne's street hustle income and drug supply, or she's the Queen of Co-dependence.

 

ETA: I watched this episode after Fear the Walking Dead. So when the two brothers came staggering into the house, hunched over and mumbling, my mind went to ZOMBIES.

 

Justin was surrounded by well-educated (but smug) family members, and he seemed to have a native intelligence, despite his lack of higher education. Maybe that awareness will empower his drive to succeed.

 

Yay for Josh for keeping off a lot of weight. I recall how much I HATED his bullying father, who taunted Josh with fattening food. I think in an earlier update Josh came out of the closet.

Edited August 31, 2015 by pasdetrois

[JennB]

I think Amy's sister has custody of the kids, not Kayne's sister. And let's hope it stays that way, because...freaking A. Amy is a wreck.

I was really impressed with the way Justin turned things around. I was also really happy that he and Jason are on such good terms, because that could have easily gone south.

Yay, Josh! I also remember a follow-up a few years ago where he came out. I bet that helped him, too.

Edited August 31, 2015 by JennB

[farmgal4]

Justin looked super very familiar to me. Did he say he had been in and out of treatment (maybe I saw him somewhere)? I was so distracted by how familiar  he looked that I couldn't watch and will need to re-watch. Everything about Kayne made me want to kick him in the face. I'm not a violent person, but my leg was just itching to swing and my foot was dying to make contact with his face.

Yes, Justin had been in and out of MANY different rehabs. His mom said they had even sent him to church rehab, which made me wonder if he was in the same rehab that Josh Duggar is in. I'm gonna say it again: If he has been using opiates FOR DECADES, like me, chances are slim to none that he'll achieve long term sobriety. I'm not sure exactly what it is about opiates (they change the brain chemistry?) but they are just really, really difficult to stay off of, but I really hope that Justin is one of the few that does. I liked him and his family.

[farmgal4]

All I have to say about Justin is, stealing the AlaNon money? Wow, that was a new low!

I'm very, very, VERY surprised that Kayne (which I keep seeing as 'Kanye' lol) was still alive. When that boy got f'ed up, he REALLY got f'ed up! Benzo's by themselves are nothing to fool around with, but to mix them with something else is playing Russian roulette! I know a lot of addicts who have died from mixing Xanax with other substances. And Amy...really, bitch? You need YOUR drug addicted ass whipped for taking him drugs! You sabotaged his entire recovery, and if I were a family member, I would turn heaven and earth to make sure you NEVER see those kids again. You are lower than low and when Kayne OD's and dies (which he will, it's just a matter of time), HIS blood will be on YOUR hands, you lowlife loser!

Can y'all tell that I'm furious with Amy? Lol

[Toaster Strudel]

What bugged me about this episode about Kayne is that he blamed his addiction on his kids having been taken away (and rightly so!), to the point of making it as if he was poisoning himself on purpose because the loss was so painful.  But the kids were taken away because of drugs.  From both the parents.

 

And he was sober for 99 days... he knew that and Amy knew that... so even when there is no worry about withdrawals anymore, he (they) still chose to use over their daughters.  May they never see their children again.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Toaster Strudel

[Chaos Theory]

I haven't had the chance to watch this episode yet but I looks like a winner.<br /><br />Quick question: who brings drugs to rehab? Ok stupid question.

[Toaster Strudel]

Loved, loved, loved the PTV recap, I am a cretin for not figuring out Amy is a lady of the night.

[meisje]

Sometimes I give the "sad story" portion half my attention and then zero in when the interventionist arrives.  But I was SO shocked at Kayne's ex-wife bringing him drugs on his 99th day in treatment, I went all the way back to the beginning of the show to try to suss out who these people were.

 

I had to do the same thing, this one required some straight sussin.' I thought it was pretty clear that she was using based on her speech, appearance and everything else she was up to. It left me wondering: why be involved in the intervention at all you dummy? All I can think -- especially based on her comment that she had to divorce Kayne to even get visitation with the children -- is that she was earning some good will with CPS & the courts for participating. It appears that whatever rights she had/does have were earned by throwing Kayne under the bus. She's a regular Nurse Jackie, that one.

 

I wish we could have seen some update of Kayne during his 99 days in treatment because it might have been educational just to see him at some level other than on the verge of death (and 99 days is a significant period of time). Maybe they didn't want to mistakenly give anyone tuning in the impression that he had completed treatment and was now sober? 

 

Was I the only one who thought Kanye's cooking didn't look very good and honestly he way he looked and behaved, being stoned out of his mind 24/7, I would not want to eat any of his cooking for fear of what may be in it, much less let him near a stove.

 

Not the only one...! I'm not super familiar with heroin, but the product he was snorting looked wretched, just by the standard of what I usually see on the show. By virtue of snorting it and taking a gram a day, he would be literally dusted in it and sniffling it out all over the place, creating fried steak rolled first in a light heroin batter.

 

ETA: I watched this episode after Fear the Walking Dead. So when the two brothers came staggering into the house, hunched over and mumbling, my mind went to ZOMBIES.

Justin was surrounded by well-educated (but smug) family members, and he seemed to have a native intelligence, despite his lack of higher education. Maybe that awareness will empower his drive to succeed.

 

I had a couple of hours between FtWD and Intervention, but you are 'dead' on IMO, and Kayne's behavior was actually terrifying. I totally agree about his "smug" family as well, at least the brother (and I'm not saying that because of his job or threats about the police), but really the entire lot and their "he's been to every kind of rehab... even Texas rehab!" (I may not have quoted that exactly, but I'm pretty sure after all the other programs were listed, those words were uttered.) If the education and legal systems for those most in need of help are indicative of the state-based/funded rehab, I doubt we're talking about anything terribly progressive. And yeah, I'm sure there was a Duggar-style labor-camp rehab in there too, the type with no counseling that turns out so well for the participants, urgh... "Native intelligence" is an excellent way to describe Justin, but I had trouble connecting with his story given the origins, at least at first.

 

I'm glad Candy addressed how complicated Justin's situation was due to the expectations and just overall importance of achievement in his family, I can see how that would make the likelihood of any kind of recovery very low since just being sober would probably only fly for a very short time before the "congratulations, so what's next?" questions start rolling in.

[Sarah D. Bunting]

@Toaster, I can't swear to it, obviously. But I have a feeling she's a stripper, at least.

[jenh526]

Wasn't Justin using methadone? I always thought that methadone was used to help with withdrawal from heroin, but doesn't get you high.

[justjen]

It does get you high. :-(

[candall]

To Meisje:

 

I can't stop snickering about "chicken fried steak dusted in a light heroin batter."

[Chaos Theory]

To Meisje:

I can't stop snickering about "chicken fried steak dusted in a light heroin batter."

Its not just good....its addictive!

I can see how at least Justin fell as far as he did. Being the black sheep of the family even without drugs is tough. "Yeah hey my dad is a successful lawyer, my mom ran a non profit, by brother is a lawyer? And my sister is a teacher." "Oh and what do you do?" "......." The big thing for him will be staying clean and maybe even accepting that he might never be as successful as his siblings but if he stays Dover he is in no way a failure."

As for Kayne. 99 days and the ex wife brings you drugs. The ex reminds me of a story I heard once. (Not sure where). But after years of taking care of her alcoholic husband a wife had no clue what do do with her life when her hubby finally got sober. He was addicted to booze. She was addicted to chaos. Not sure if it's the same situation or if the ex was just looking for a excuse to use again and Ksyne was a convent one. Or maybe she failed to get custody of the kids and said fuck it!

Edited September 1, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Toaster Strudel]

Did the show try to make it look like Amy wasn't using anymore?  Were they going along with it so that she shows up?  No way she was sober.

[jenh526]

He was addicted to booze. She was addicted to chaos. 

 

Can we start have interventions for people addicted to chaos? I know several of those... In fact, maybe *I'm* one, because this season doesn't seem to have enough drama compared to previous seasons. I miss the alcoholics and the anorexics/bulimics/overeaters.

[grumpypanda]

Did the show try to make it look like Amy wasn't using anymore? Were they going along with it so that she shows up? No way she was sober.

I was confused about this as well because it was pretty obvious that she was still using. There is zero possibility that a former heroin addict can be around heroin and not use. If she were really clean and wanted to get her children back there is no way that she would she be around that shit. What I really don't understand is why Jeff didn't call her out on her bullshit.

[vic]

Never been so angry at the Intervention summary at the end as I was for this show. That Amy took drugs to Kayne after 99 days in rehab made me so mad I could spit. She should be arrested for that. And after watching this show, you can bet CPS will never let her see her kids again. She's just evil. I hate her more than I do the addict.

[pasdetrois]

It's weird how there was no reference to Amy using, other than her own statements about past use. Maybe they offered her help and she refused and denied her use? Or, aren't there people who use off and on? Maybe she really was sober for a little while, during the intervention.

 

We have had other episodes where family members are using, but usually they are confronted or offered help.

[ktwo]

Echoing everything said here about Kayne. I have seen almost every episode of the show - only drunk Betsy eludes me - and he is the most messed up person that I can remember. Out of all of the opiate addicts, he's the only one who had the trademark heroin "lean" that I'm familiar with seeing all over Baltimore. Guy has less than six months to live and I wish there was a hell that Amy could burn in.

[cynicat]

It's weird how there was no reference to Amy using, other than her own statements about past use. Maybe they offered her help and she refused and denied her use?

 

I wondered why she wasn't offered a stint in rehab as well.  Perhaps it's what you said, that she denied she was using and refused help.  Maybe I need to watch again because I could have sworn she was doing drugs with Kayne in the car.  Damn, I keep wanting to type and say Kanye. He should get a pass just for having his parents give him that ridiculous name.

[MissMel]

I thought I wandered into the wrong thread by accident. I just saw "Justin; Kanye" at first.

[TaxNerd]

I didn't buy Amy being clean either. She seems to have the heavy eyelids in her interviews. They didn't say what she took, so maybe she just liked pills rather than heroin.

I can't image her being clean and still not getting her kids back. Maybe it's just all the horror stories I hear from teachers, but usually once the parent, and especially the Mom, tests clean, they usually get their kids back quickly, or so it seems.

How does she hand over $130+ on a regular basis, drive him to the deal, pay for his phone to call the dealer, etc. and say she wants her kids back?

Maybe I'm too much of a tightwad, but the amount of money the enablers spend on supporting the drug habits of their loved ones astonishes me.

[gardendiva]

I am so mad that Kayne's story ended the way it did. Don't they search people coming in to visit a patient in rehab? I mean, I know it is voluntary and not jail, but one would hope that every precaution would be taken to protect the patient's sobriety.

Amy was so clearly not clean and sober. During the intervention I noticed that her hair looked like it was combed with an eggbeater.

Even if the family was unaware of her drug use, I am sure the camera crew must have witnessed her doing drugs with Kayne at some point. This storyline left me feeling so frustrated. 99 days I s quite a long time to stay clean.

[farmgal4]

I am so mad that Kayne's story ended the way it did. Don't they search people coming in to visit a patient in rehab? I mean, I know it is voluntary and not jail, but one would hope that every precaution would be taken to protect the patient's sobriety.

Amy was so clearly not clean and sober. During the intervention I noticed that her hair looked like it was combed with an eggbeater.

Even if the family was unaware of her drug use, I am sure the camera crew must have witnessed her doing drugs with Kayne at some point. This storyline left me feeling so frustrated. 99 days I s quite a long time to stay clean.

I've been to rehab twice and know a helluva lot of other addicts who've been to rehab, and I've never heard of family/visitors being searched. However, I've seen several patients that got caught using while they were in rehab, so they had to get it somewhere, because they do search the patient/patient's belongings when they enter rehab. The last rehab I was in did random searches of the patient's belongings.

[Elizabeth9]

http://m.maysville-online.com/news/local/local-man-feature-on-season-finale-of-intervention/article_3ecf5b2d-9a28-57f1-86d0-0072facce4e0.html?mobile_touch=true

Hopefully he stays far away from Amy

Justin, glad to see he's doing well. I hope he's in college because HE wants to be, not because of family pressures. I know it's hard to live with a family member with addiction, but the brother was starting to irritate me. Like, he said how proud he was of Justin for deciding to go to rehab and he had to immediately counter it with "I don't know how long it's been since I was proud of him." I hope he softens and realizes people can change- I'm sure he only sees the worst of it in his line of work.