Did anyone catch the re-run of this episode the other night? It is truly the most compelling thing I have ever seen on television. I know there have been a few Intervention threads, but this episode is just incredibly tragic and well-done.
It’s about Cristy, a 24-year-old who’s been addicted to meth for ten years. She lives in her dad’s guest house, which has basically been reduced to a sty. Though she’s drinking and smoking (crystal meth) herself to death, she’s still relatively attractive, and uses this to get guys to buy her booze– and, one assumes, in her job as a stripper. It’s also obvious her looks and charm are part of the reason she got away with so much with parents and authority figures as her addiction developed.
At first I thought she was sort of witty and affable, and felt sort of sorry that she’s clearly gone insane (she is writing a book and believes she is ‘a god’). But as the show progressed I couldn’t help but wish murder/suicide/a terminal disease on her. Even though, logically, I knew the drugs were making her a grade-A cunt, her disgusting narcissism during the intervention and her devolution in to feral child-ness (she’s naked and violent most of the time) just made me wish someone would smother her with a pillow. Still, compelling. Meth. What a fucking waste.
You can view the whole episode (well, in bits) here. Thoughts?
You know, it was this show that really brought it home for me that many times it’s as much the fault of the family that surrounds the abuser that they are in this situation than it is the fault of the abuser. What I mean is that if she would have been a part of a much more demanding family, who didn’t cater to her self destruction, she likely never would have gotten to such a low point. I know, this shouldn’t have been such a revelation for me, but there you go.
Does anyone know if the ‘cutter’ episode is on youtube? I was told I simply MUST see that one, but have not seen it re aired lately.
Maybe. But maybe not. Plenty of addicts have sunk to inconceivable depths despite tough love from their families & friends. And many got well despite constant enabling from theirs.
There seems to be an ‘enabler’ in every episode, usually an estranged parent or kind grandparent who supplies the addict with money (often so they don’t steal or sell their bodies, or so they can keep tabs on them). Sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether they’re helping or hurting, though they’re often the only ones who can convince the addict to go to rehab. Even in the ‘Cristy’ episode, she finally gave in after her father told her she was getting kicked out… though she could have just been afraid of jail.
You know, I really feel I have to disagree with this (full disclosure: I am not familiar with the TV show being discussed). For this to be true, then we are not responsible for our own choices. That cannot be right. I am a parent and I am responsible for teaching my children right from wrong. However, ultimately, they must make the correct choices themselves. If they choose poorly, it is their choice to make. When my children do make mistakes, I do feel badly and I search for where we “might have gone wrong.” However, I cannot take full responsibility for the choices they make.
The same is true for successes. When my children are successful, I beam with pride, but I do not take credit. They chose well and reap the benefits.
However, if the discussion is about enabling poor choices, then I agree. I am under no obligation to help my children do the wrong thing. Sometimes, however, I am tricked into contributing my resources to do the wrong thing. In those cases, I learn and move on.