S15.E01: Kaeleen

[Tara Ariano]

A woman who was sexually abused and self-medicates with opiates and alcohol gets help.

[pasdetrois]

I think this is season 18, not 15. At least, that's what my cable company tells me.

 

Speaking of which, there's apparently a new show called Intervention: Codependents. Can't tell if it will be compelling...or the most annoying show on television. Sometimes the whiny manipulative codependents infuriate me more than the addicts.

 

And there's also a "where are they now" series coming up.

 

So excited! Thanks for the notice.

Edited March 5, 2016 by pasdetrois

[Primetimer]

Kaeleen can't fall much further in the season premiere.

Read the story

[Tara Ariano]

I think this is season 18, not 15. At least, that's what my cable company tells me.

 

I went through a whole thing last season figuring out what was what and we settled on last season being 14. I forget why. But...trust me? I guess?

[AudreyHorne]

This episode slayed me. I was rooting so hard for Kaeleen. She was such a damaged soul. It hasn't been long but I hope her recovery is ongoing.

I say this as someone who loves men - I have a husband and two sons - this episode really showed the ways men can destroy women. First she was sexually abused as a kid and then because of that she develops an addiction. Then, due to the addiction, she is taken advantage of/ mocked/ abused/ raped by men. She was such a victim. She made me cry.

[yogi2014L]

I am so happy intervention is back! i missed it!

 

And this episode...wow. She was such a hot mess. Im glad she is doing well she deserves to be happy and safe

 

It just goes to show how damaging molestation can be. Her mom did all the right things. Therapy, pressed charges ect. At least her family seemed to get it. She has a strong support system I really hope she stays sober and has a happy life. 

[petalfrog]

I wish we'd heard more about her bipolar diagnosis. I think bipolar is very frequently misdiagnosed and an accurate diagnosis can be very clouded by things like substance use and even anorexia. To get disability for bipolar independent doctors would have had to agree with the diagnosis and show she couldn't work. They didn't say anything about her taking meds for bipolar... just the klonopin. I am hoping if she does indeed have bipolar she gets on a good regimen and sticks with it. She's at very high risk for relapse I think but glad to see she's getting trauma-focused therapy.

[Sarahendipity]

The BSOJ said she'd been sober since January 8, but the episode was on March 6, which was only 59 days from Jan 8. Did they film her 60 day update just before the episode? How are the sobriety days calculated? Why does this bother me??

[wait.what]

Ken's chin quivering during the letter reading made me a little teary.

[yogi2014L]

The BSOJ said she'd been sober since January 8, but the episode was on March 6, which was only 59 days from Jan 8. Did they film her 60 day update just before the episode? How are the sobriety days calculated? Why does this bother me??

Maybe she relapsed? She was in MT right? No way in hell she was running around in winter in Montana in those shorts, I was also confused by that as well...

[Pepper Mostly]

I was rooting so hard for this girl. Her poor mother. And her little brother made me tear up, what a great kid. The whole family was great, I thought. Her sisters were supportive and her mother and stepdad. No one blamed her or yelled at her. I loved them all and I hope Kaeleen finds the peace she seeks, she deserves it. She's so talented and has so much to share with the world.

 

Wait, there's a where are they now series?? When? Where? and most important, will we see more of Hubert?

[Chaos Theory]

It just goes to show how damaging molestation can be. Her mom did all the right things. Therapy, pressed charges ect. At least her family seemed to get it. She has a strong support system I really hope she stays sober and has a happy life.

I noticed that too. Her mother did all the right things and there was no one in her family that came off as insensitive and shady. I think a lot of the problem was that they person who molested her didn't go to jail. Her word wasn't enough so like her mother said. (I think it was her mother) she lost faith in justice.

[IvySpice]

 

Maybe she relapsed? She was in MT right? No way in hell she was running around in winter in Montana in those shorts

Yeah, she must have relapsed at least once. Most of the episode was clearly shot in July or August.

 

Color me surprised that Kaeleen went to treatment and is working on it. Alcoholics seem to have the hardest time, especially when they have an endless supply of enablers and don't really have to get well. Kaeleen's high-risk sexual behavior and clinging to men is classic survivor stuff. Hopefully they can help her with that.

[JenMcSnark]

This episode slayed me. I was rooting so hard for Kaeleen. She was such a damaged soul. It hasn't been long but I hope her recovery is ongoing.

I say this as someone who loves men - I have a husband and two sons - this episode really showed the ways men can destroy women. First she was sexually abused as a kid and then because of that she develops an addiction. Then, due to the addiction, she is taken advantage of/ mocked/ abused/ raped by men. She was such a victim. She made me cry.

 

Thanks for this post.  I was watching the episode last night and she was really bugging me.  But midway through, I saw your post and it prompted me to look at her with fresh eyes.  

 

I really did feel for her and what she had been through.  I also appreciated her family who seemed really awesome and loving, but just didn't know what to do to help her.  

[mythoughtis]

This was definitely filmed in the summer/fall.  The visit with her brother was 60 days into treatment, but that doesn't necessarily correlate to the date she last drank, or used.  If she truly has bi-polar disorder, she will have ups and downs. Manic episodes will be difficult for her to stay sober thru, just because of the nature of a manic episode. Poor impulse control is one of the symptoms of a manic episode. 

[Nena]

Something in the timeline on this one confused me.  At one point, her mother mentioned something about someone assaulting her, then a week later she was drinking again.  Later we see where police were called.  Was the mother referring to that same incident, and they showed it out of order, or was that two separate occasions?

[Indy]

Something in the timeline on this one confused me.  At one point, her mother mentioned something about someone assaulting her, then a week later she was drinking again.  Later we see where police were called.  Was the mother referring to that same incident, and they showed it out of order, or was that two separate occasions?

I'm pretty sure they were two separate incidents.  Kaeleen herself mentioned that she's got a bit of a reputation for being someone who can be taken advantage of while drunk so I imagine that she's probably been assaulted more than she remembers.  

[candall]

Thanks for this post.  I was watching the episode last night and she was really bugging me.  But midway through, I saw your post and it prompted me to look at her with fresh eyes.  

 

I really did feel for her and what she had been through.  I also appreciated her family who seemed really awesome and loving, but just didn't know what to do to help her.  

Same here.   I long ago met my quota of wasted energy, breath and logic on drunks who had no recollection the next morning.  Fresh eyes were in order.

 

Hello, mods?  We need some Intervention:Codependents threads.  That thing is Doublemint gum crazy--two addicts, two families, two times as many reasons to detonate your own recovery.  (Which is exactly what happened in Episode One.  My crazy DVR always cuts off the update placards, but it looks like "I'm going down and I'm taking you with me" is the soup of the day for this show.)

[hoosiermom]

I get enraged when a doctor prescribes benzodiazepines for an alcoholic. (Xanax,Ativan, Valium etc) it is basically booze in pill form. I've been clean and sober 19 years and I won't sponsor anyone taking them. There is no point. Benzo's will take someone down much quicker than alcohol. I was drinking and taking Xanax. Deadly combination and I am grateful I lived long enough to get help.

[slasherboy]

I went through a whole thing last season figuring out what was what and we settled on last season being 14. I forget why. But...trust me? I guess?

My Comcast TV Guide says Season 15.

[Red Bridey]

Yes, where is Codependents?  That show is a double dose of dysfunction, with a Crazy-Eyed Intervenionist!