A&E "Intervention" Season 21 premieres Monday, July 20 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT on A&E. We've got all the details on the new season here.
Melanie is featured on the Season 21 premiere of Intervention, A&E’s Emmy-award winning series following addicts and their road to recovery. The new season airs Monday, July 20 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT on A&E.
Intervention has been on TV since 2005, and has helped more than 150 people find sobriety. The series documents “people whose uncontrollable addiction to drugs, alcohol or compulsive behavior has brought them to the brink of destruction and has devastated their family and friends,” according to the A&E description of the show.
Here’s what we know about Melanie ahead of Monday’s episode. (Warning: this article will explore some light spoilers for tonight’s episode of Intervention as we dissect the promos, so turn back now if you don’t want anything ruined for you!)
Melanie Started Smoking Crack Cocaine When She Was 14 & Was in Rehab By the Time She Was 15
There is little known about Melanie, the subject of Monday’s premiere episode, aside from what we could glean from the description of Episode 1. Melanie’s life began with tragedy – her father took his own life when she was just eight months old, and her mother struggled to cope with his death. Melanie started acting out at a young age to get attention and she was put on ADHD medications by the time she was 9 years old.
At 14, Melanie was introduced to crack cocaine by an older boyfriend, and by the time she turned 15, she was a full-blown addict. She entered into rehab and was beginning to turn her life around, but she got pregnant at 19 and fell into a deep depression shortly after her son was born, which led her back to drugs. Her family is now concerned that she will lose both her son and her life is she can’t find a way to kick her habit.
You can read the full description of Melanie’s episode below, courtesy of the A&E schedule:
“Melanie was just eight months old when her dad committed suicide. Her mother’s subsequent trauma went untreated, and she struggled raising her three kids. Melanie, the youngest, suffered the most. She began acting out and getting in trouble to gain attention. When she was nine, she was diagnosed and medicated for ADHD. Then, at 14, Melanie was introduced to crack cocaine by an older boyfriend. She was instantly hooked and ended up in rehab at 15. Melanie got clean and turned things around, going back to school and becoming a Personal Support Worker – a vocation that she loved. At 19, shortly after a breakup, Melanie found out she was pregnant and her ex-boyfriend wanted no part of being a father. She loved her son and was a good mother but, four months after birth she became depressed and started using crack cocaine again. Now, five years later, Melanie is saddled with a severe addiction. Without an intervention, Melanie will lose custody of her son, or worse, her life.
The New Season Promises to be One of the Most Emotional Yet
The new season, which promises to be one of the most “emotional” seasons yet, features everything from crack and heroin addiction to alcoholism and opioid dependency. According to the network’s press release, “Each episode ends with a surprise intervention that is staged by the family and friends of the addict,” although it’s never a guarantee that the intervention will take.
New episodes of Intervention air Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on A&E. In the meantime, you can keep up with all the latest in TV coverage and entertainment news here.
READ NEXT: Intervention Season 21 Premiere Date & Schedule: What Time Does it Air?