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S15.E13: Brittany

Tara Ariano

By Tara Ariano
in Intervention

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Tara Ariano

Tara Ariano

Quote

A woman abuses heroin and meth due to several traumatic events, including sexual assault and divorce, and her family fear her life is in imminent danger and that her habits have spread to other family members.

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ratgirlagogo

ratgirlagogo

As an ex-addict I generally stay out of commenting in this thread or threads like it since, I'm not going to argue with anybody's recovery method - good luck to all of them.

But don't you think it's weird to START on hallucinogens? REALLY? which ones? and in which way did you become "addicted" to them? Even back in the 60s and 70s hallucinogens were not considered a "gateway" drug.

And then to switch to the extremely different intoxication experience of pain pills?
Again I'm not arguing since I don't know what actually happened - but I think what's being shown isn't what actually happened.
Which is OK by me since it's none of my business really - but how are others with addiction issues going to benefit from watching this if (as I suspect) it isn't quite exactly true?

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Sarah D. Bunting

Sarah D. Bunting

@ratgirl, I found that striking as well -- I do think we've seen that before, on the show, but it's unusual enough that I had to stop and think about it. And they were kind of vague re: the felony possession charge too.

I've felt/noted several times this season that a whole whack of story got left in the editing bay; same thing here.

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Redcookie

Redcookie

(edited)

Dear Intervention,

you have let me down. Talk about an episode that was put together by writers. Every single thing that happened and was said in this episode was nothing more than a conclomeration of things from almost every Intervention episode. Especially things that came out of Brittany's own mouth. I didn't buy a single moment in this very stilted episode. 

Sincerely,

soon to be former viewer

Edited by Redcookie
Edited because by isn't buy
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jabinlbc

jabinlbc

There was something really "off" with this episode. It sounded like they were reading from a script most of the time, so I am not sure I believed most of it... And, what was with the dad's hair in the photos???

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candall

candall

(edited)

I've been watching this show forevah and I still can't tell exactly when they're going to haul out the "consequences."  I know they go from the carrot to the stick when the addict digs in, but this girl was practically crawling toward the airport van.  They had to hurry to squeeze in the Rules of Disengagement before she bolted for rehab.

 

Too bad they no longer treat the family to Betty Ford time.  Sister Whitney could use some professional assistance with her boil of resentment--I think she secretly had her fingers crossed for Consequences!

 

Dad was right with his "AA lingo" (hee) that they each had to be responsible for their own sobriety, but I could understand that he might be hoping to shrug off the tricky additional pressure of being a role model.  Forget it, Dad--she'll be watching. 

If he falls off the wagon, it would be so easy for her to take that as her cue to fling herself on the nearest pipe.

Edited by candall
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Enero

Enero

21 hours ago, Toaster Strudel said:

The sober sister really freaked out when they tried to send dad to rehab too.  My gut said, she's also on some drugs.

I agree. Maybe it's normal for a co-dependent in denial to act this way but I just thought her response to them simply hinting at the possibility that the dad might be still using was bizarre. I also wondered if this was due to her own experimentation with drugs. 

Like others, I thought this episode was completely staged. Perhaps that explains the daughter's bizarre behavior? This show is really starting to miss the mark. Some episodes do still seem real, but lately more times than not the episodes come off as fake. 

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IvySpice

IvySpice

Quote

I just thought her response to them simply hinting at the possibility that the dad might be still using was bizarre.

Yeah, or sleeping with Dad, or something. It seemed like maybe she was terrified of him leaving for rehab for some reason. Or maybe she just utterly couldn't confront the truth that he'd lied to them about being clean since doing his first sober stretch.

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pasdetrois

pasdetrois

(edited)

I didn't get an incest vibe myself, but Brittany did comment that when she began partying with her father, their relationship became more like friends. However - and this is weird - I swear when I was trying to find Jonel's episode online about 10 days ago, I stumbled upon random ads for Brittany's episode that used the word incest. I can't find the ads now.

ETA: maybe that was another Brittany's episode?

Edited by pasdetrois
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mythoughtis

mythoughtis

(edited)

Typed as I was watching...

These people seem driven by status.  They had 'the perfect family. Brittany was perfect... The fathers' addiction ruined his life, and THEN ruined the family' (or so they said).   Only the brother seemed honest and aware.   The Mom and Dad still seem to be clueless, speaking as if they were still the perfect family, or as if Brittany was a distant relative instead of a daughter.   Sitting around the dinner table calmly discussing her meth addiction and her teeth. Who does that? Then discussing it all again when the entire family is over for dinner?

One thing I have noticed about this season is that they seem to be featuring addicts that hide among the middle class rather than the ones that were living, on the street or on a friends couch.  It makes things seem off somehow. That may be why people feel this season is scripted.

The Dad seemed high at the gas station.   what was he cursing about as he shut the car door?

The sister not wanting to admit that Dad is an addict?  Another sign that this family doesn't really understand addiction, nor want to admit that they have addicts in the family.

Edited by mythoughtis
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PityFree

PityFree

When I realized compressed air was Britney's drug of choice, I had hopes for an "I'm walking on sunshine!" moment. I was disappointed. 

I got dry heaves watching Britney leave the car where she gave a BJ for money and then just walk around spitting.

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Earl Is Dead

Earl Is Dead

16 minutes ago, PityFree said:

When I realized compressed air was Britney's drug of choice, I had hopes for an "I'm walking on sunshine!" moment. I was disappointed. 

I got dry heaves watching Britney leave the car where she gave a BJ for money and then just walk around spitting.

PityFree I came here looking for this week's episode as well.  Her name was Megan and I guess the episode didn't air in all areas?  It appeared to be one of the Canadian productions so maybe that screwed things up.  According to A&E's site it was S15, E18.

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candall

candall

5 minutes ago, Earl Is Dead said:

PityFree I came here looking for this week's episode as well.  Her name was Megan and I guess the episode didn't air in all areas?  It appeared to be one of the Canadian productions so maybe that screwed things up.  According to A&E's site it was S15, E18.

I wanted to talk about Megan, too, because that girl, as well as everyone else in her life:  fucked UP.

We need a thread for "Is This A Repeat or Canadian?  All Talk."

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azshadowwalker

azshadowwalker

(edited)
On 8/7/2016 at 9:22 PM, ratgirlagogo said:

As an ex-addict I generally stay out of commenting in this thread or threads like it since, I'm not going to argue with anybody's recovery method - good luck to all of them.

But don't you think it's weird to START on hallucinogens? REALLY? which ones? and in which way did you become "addicted" to them? Even back in the 60s and 70s hallucinogens were not considered a "gateway" drug.

And then to switch to the extremely different intoxication experience of pain pills?
Again I'm not arguing since I don't know what actually happened - but I think what's being shown isn't what actually happened.
Which is OK by me since it's none of my business really - but how are others with addiction issues going to benefit from watching this if (as I suspect) it isn't quite exactly true?

I think there are a number of things going on. As far as addiction, I think the word is terribly over used. Very few recreational drugs are addictive, in my experience. Some people may develop emotional or psychological dependence on them, but that's not addiction. It's not of lesser importance, because I actually believe that the compulsion of emotional/psychological dependence is worse than the withdrawal of addiction. I don't consider coke, meth, pot or hallucinogens to be addictive. (I have read that PCP is an addictive hallucinogen, but I have only been exposed to it once, and that was unwittingly.) Opiates, alcohol, benzos and nicotine are addictive, on the other hand. 

As far as so-called gateways, LSD (and, to a lesser degree, mushrooms)  was very much that when I started using in the mid-1980s. It was considered a high school drug, like alcohol, pot and nicotine. All of us who went on to use meth, coke and heroin started with pot and acid. 

Also, when it comes to different experiences, I have never considered that uncommon. Going from tripping to tweaking to shooting dope was fairly typical in my circle. Since heroin was just life, dropping acid would be the party. As a teenager, I started with coke and meth before I found heroin. Even after, it was not unheard of to occasionally do stimulants. Mixing coke and heroin is a "treat" that many junkies like. With the kind of gallows humor of addicts, it was commonly referred to as a Belushi, since he died shooting speedballs.  Many people in my social group moved exclusively to shooting coke after getting on methadone, because they still wanted to shoot up and it was something they could feel over the methadone. (Truth is that it's much less damaging to the body and the pocketbook to shoot heroin than cocaine, so this usually led to horrible infections and an even worse social situation.)

So, yeah. I find that part of the story entirely reasonable to believe. 

Edited by azshadowwalker
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Scorpiosunshine

Scorpiosunshine

(edited)
On 8/22/2016 at 10:54 PM, Court said:

I just watched this and this site says she passed away August 20 and had been in the hospital. How sad.

http://intervention-directory.com/2016/08/episode-217-brittany/#comments

As far as the sister goes, I think that she was jealous of her dad's relationship with the sister. She wanted his attention and likely didn't get much of it. I bet she has done drugs as well. 

Damn! :(   That is so sad to hear. My heart goes out to her family. 

 

ps The "like" is for the information, of course, not the tragic content. I'm sure everyone gets that, but it just seems weird to "like" a comment announcing someone's death. :(

Edited by Scorpiosunshine
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mythoughtis

mythoughtis

I don't remember Brittany the addict having that good of a relationship with  her parents, other than having drug conversations across the dinner table.  Dad, like a lot of parents, enabled her by giving her money. I don't remember the sister, other than the meltdown when Dad was proven to still be an addict, himself. 

 

Now, Megan, the addict had a sister Brittany... who although not jealous of Megan's relationship with her Dad, seemed the only family member that truly tried to stop Megan from doing drugs.

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Bentbar

Bentbar

Hello this is Leslie Alexander Howard, Brittany Christine's dad.  Need to clear up a few things for anyone that does care I think that there might be confusion amongst a few episodes we do not have a daughter named Megan. And at the time when the intervention was found I had an 11-day slip I have been clean since May 23rd of 2016. My 90 day sobriety date was tarnished, Brittany was home from her treatment and two days later on August 20th she overdosed. I miss her so much she was a really really caring and loving person regardless of her addiction. And as of today which is September 30th 2016 I am still clean. And as far as the rest of the family no one has any addiction issues at all it was just me and Brittany. And I have been in contact with the producers and I do want to do a follow-up and I never want this to happen to another parent or anyone to lose a loved one in this manner. She was my oldest baby and I can't take anything back. I have to accept the things that have happened now this does not mean that I agree with them or like them but I have to accept so I can move on. Thank you to all who have said kind words and sympathy I do greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,

L. Alex Howard

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