Janet
Series 5, Episode 1 14+
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At age 6, Janet was molested. She was also bullied by other kids, making her extremely self-conscious about her looks. At 18, she married a drug dealer who made her rich, but her husband was sent to prison, leaving her alone with two sons. She turned to drugs and alcohol, and had multiple affairs. Her husband discovered one of her affairs and divorced her. Janet remarried and had two more children, but she missed her old luxurious lifestyle and began drinking heavily. Now she frequently passes out, threatens suicide, and puts herself in life-threatening situations.
Nicole
Series 5, Episode 2 14+
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After being molested as a child, Nicole developed an unusual eating disorder--she was unable to swallow. By age 16, she weighed just 68 pounds, and doctors inserted a feeding tube into her stomach. The tube was supposed to be temporary, but 16 years later, Nicole still relies on the tube and can't swallow any food or liquids. She also abuses prescription drugs and neglects her two daughters. Her husband plans to divorce her if she continues to neglect their children.
Brittany
Series 5, Episode 3 14+
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Brittany was born five years after the brutal rape and murder of her 9-year-old sister, Terry. Brittany struggled with the pressure to live up to her mother's perfect image of Terry. At 12, Brittany was molested, and she began taking drugs and sneaking out at night--anything to get out from under Terry's shadow. Now she shoots up Dilaudid six times a day, begs family members for money and prostitutes herself. Brittany's mother scrambles to give Brittany enough money for her fix. Desperate and on the verge of bankruptcy, Brittany's family prepares for an intervention.
John C.
Series 5, Episode 4 14+
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John has type one diabetes but refuses to be diligent about checking his blood sugar, or taking his insulin. A social misfit and an outcast for many years, John wants to be considered a regular guy, and pretends to be one by eating whatever he wants without regard for his illness. He has been in a near-coma and hospitalized multiple times. His parents want to stop enabling his self-destructive behavior, but won't kick him out of the house because they fear he'll die without their supervision.
Tressa / Josh Follow-Up Show
Series 5, Episode 5 14+
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In this follow-up show, we check back in with Tressa and Josh. Tressa's meth addiction destroyed her promising Olympic career. Now eight months sober, she's working hard to stay on the right path and rekindle some of that lost potential. Going home for her mother's wedding, she encounters both the joy and the pain of her old lifestyle. Josh once weighed more than 500 pounds. Now 200 pounds lighter, Josh is planning a surprise visit to his family to bring them together for the first time since their intervention.
Casie
Series 5, Episode 6 14+
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Once a successful hairstylist, Casie now works in a small-town salon to fuel her $500-a-week meth habit. Casie's childhood was marred by her mother's drug addiction. Suffering from low self-esteem, Casie became bulimic and an addict. She lost her career, her life's savings, and her husband. Casie's mother now tries to make up for Casie's difficult childhood by enabling her, even at the cost of her own marriage. Casie's boyfriend, John, also an addict, is desperately trying to keep her alive. Casie's drug use is taking everyone down with her.
Anthony
Series 5, Episode 7 14+
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From an early age, Anthony's father made him feel worthless. His parents divorced, and his mother remarried, but she was still unhappy and turned to alcohol and drugs. It was little wonder, then, that Anthony began drinking at age 13. Another blow came when Anthony's younger brother died of leukemia. Anthony spiraled downward, and now he drinks half a gallon of vodka a day and takes whatever drugs he can find.
Lana
Series 5, Episode 8 14+
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Lana grew up in a family of 11 children, and her older sister introduced her to drinking at the age of seven. Despite this precarious start, Lana excelled in sports and was active in the church. But at 18, Lana began to enter into dangerous relationships with men and started abusing drugs and alcohol. She was in two near-fatal car accidents. And now, to make things even worse, she is in a relationship plagued by physical violence.
Angelina
Series 5, Episode 9 14+
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When Angelina was eight, her family grew apart over an argument about money. Her mother turned to prescription drugs and cocaine to deal with the stress. After graduating from high school, Angelina became her younger brother's legal guardian, but she was overwhelmed by the job of taking care of her brother and addict mother. Angelina became addicted to OxyContin and spent her trust fund of $350,000 on the drug. Then Angelina turned to cheaper drugs and heroin to support her habit.
Chris B.
Series 5, Episode 10 14+
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Born into a family with traditional Catholic values, Chris struggled with his sexuality until coming out at 18. Now, at 34, Chris feels that being gay has cheated him out of the things he wants most--marriage, children, and inclusion in his family. He drinks first thing in the morning to ward off tremors, he's abusive to his partner, and he can't keep a job. His father believes Chris should be able to stop drinking by sheer force of will, but his mother believes that genetics is to blame for his alcoholism. Can the family overcome its divisions and work together for Chris?
Nik and Tiffany
Series 5, Episode 11 14+
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Beloved by his five sisters and his teenage son, Nik 35, was the glue that holds his large family together. He was a proud college graduate who became the director of a multi-million-dollar casino chain at a young age. But now Nik is a homeless drug addict. Four years ago, after a debilitating back injury, he became addicted to OxyContin. When his addiction spiraled out of control, he turned to heroin. Now Nik has lost his job, his home, and custody of his son.
Sandy
Series 5, Episode 12 14+
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By her late 20's, Sandy had achieved the American Dream. She was married with four beautiful daughters and owned a home she and her husband built themselves. But today, Sandy's life is unrecognizable from what it once was. Her days consist of combining prescription drugs with a pint of vodka, and relying on her daughters to monitor both her diabetes and drinking. Her speech is slurred, and she's been hospitalized several times. Her family has only one option left--an intervention.
Sharon
Series 5, Episode 13 14+
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Sharon is a 51-year-old grandmother who loves children, dogs, and arts and crafts projects. However, her seemingly quaint life has a dark underbelly. For years, she has engaged in compulsive shopping sprees and has undergone numerous plastic surgeries to feel better about her appearance. But recently, she has reported that stress and anxiety make her feel like she is "broken in pieces" and the only thing that makes her feel whole again is hitting herself. Sharon has bruises on her thighs and stomach from punching herself and she will repeatedly hit herself in the head with a hairbrush. Her husband, friends and daughter are baffled by her behavior and don't know how to cope other than to tell her to "stop doing it." But things have only become worse. A few weeks ago, Sharon was seized with the urge to drown one of her beloved Chihuahuas in the toilet. She didn't harm the dog, but now Sharon's daughter Shannon is terrified that Sharon might try to harm her granddaughter. Although Sharon has a history of being physically and sexual abused, she has no explanation for her compulsive self-injury and does not believe therapy would help her. Her family fears that Sharon's compulsion will escalate to the point that Sharon will attempt suicide or seriously injure a loved one. They believe an intervention is their last chance to save her.
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