During the intervention meeting, loved ones give the addict an ultimatum: go to an inpatient drug rehabilitation program immediately, or else risk losing contact, income, or other privileges.

It is a documentary of their addiction, including graphic substance abuse and its effect upon their lives, until a surprise intervention event is conducted with a professional interventionist.

In the intervention, the addict is given an ultimatum: either undergo a 90-day, fully covered treatment plan at a rehabilitation facility or risk losing contact, income or privileges from their relatives and friends.

[6] Jeff VanVonderen is a Certified Intervention Professional, also gives motivational speeches across the country, and has been highlighted in several publications.

[8] Sylvia Parsons, Interventionist, certified in MS, LCAS, CSAC, QSAP, QMHP with a Master of Science Addiction Counseling.

Travis Meeks, lead singer of the Alternative rock band Days of the New, appeared in season 1, episode 5, focusing on his methamphetamine addiction.

Antwahn Nance, a 6'10" former NBA power forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, was featured in season 2, episode 8, as he ended up homeless due to his crack cocaine addiction.

Tressa Thompson, a women's shot put champion, was featured in season 4, episode 7, as her Olympic dreams were ended by her methamphetamine drug abuse.

Aaron Brink, a porn star and once moderately successful mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, featured in season 6, episode 8, lost both of his careers due to his methamphetamine addiction.

Rocky Lockridge, a two-time Super Featherweight boxing champion, was featured in season 7, episode 13, due to his homelessness and drug addiction.

[1] Linda Li, an actress who played a Taresian woman in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Favorite Son" as well as appearing as an extra in TV shows and movies, was featured in season 7, episode 1, where she battles an addiction to Actiq, a transmucosal Fentanyl lozenge on a stick or "perc-a-pop".

[19] Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe, a critic of the show, argues that the program is exploitative and showcases individuals as they self-destruct.

[20] Melanie McFarland, another television critic, also laments that the show does little to educate on successful intervention and instead deceives the subjects of each episode in order to film them at their lowest point.

Each episode focuses on sober coaches' work with long-time addicts who have been unable to get clean after repeated attempts at treatment.

A Saturday Night Live sketch features an Intervention parody with guest host Jon Hamm crying in a similar fashion.