Season 8, Episode 2
Adam
Age: 28
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Addicted to: Alcohol (vodka)
What’s Memorable: How much he seems to hate himself and how much pain he’s in, his unwillingness to discuss what happened when he was serving in the war, the angry girlfriend who seems to have total control over him except when it comes to drinking.
Official synopsis:
Original Air Date: July 2010
Interventionist: Jeff
Poor Adam…he was such a lost soul (as shown in this episode). It didn’t end on a very positive note. I wonder if he was ever able to get back on the right track? My heart went out to his family, especially his father–who said some very wise things. The one that stuck with me was when he observed of his alcoholic, combat-scarred veteran son, “His secrets are what’s killing him”. He must have seen/done some awful things. It was also heartbreaking, listening to lost, confused Adam trying to figure out why he was where he was. “I’m nice!” he said to no one in particular. I hope Adam’s found his way and it would be wonderful to find out that his story has a happy ending (or middle!). Good luck, Adam!
This episode has always stuck in my head. I hope he has been able to open up and get his inner demons out.
Adam, I am a retired Special Forces officer with the army! The story I am currently watching, although it be reruns. Dictated that I contact you to stand in front of you and give you a professional salute!! I understand your demons and I deal with them myself everyday. I just don’t have anybody to care enough about me to do an intervention!! My oldest son was killed during a j o c overseas, when I saw his name on the casualty list that’s the day I resigned my commission.
Thank you for your service. I sincerely hope that Adam has received the help that he needs and reaches out to you too.
Shortly after the intervention, he and JD had a baby and got married in 2012 as far as I know they are still married and raising their daughter. We have mutual friends.
Thank you for the update, Adam was the most compelling person to be on intervention ever. Can you please update in 2021? I hope Adam and JD and baby are still doing well?
Adam’s episode was one of the most heartbreaking thing I’d ever seen. Seeing his best friend die at age 15, whatever trauma he suffered during the war, it’s painful to watch. This man has been irreparably destroyed through trauma and his illness is causing him to destroy his body and his life. Somehow, it wasn’t surprising he refused treatment. I always remember his final moments on the show, basically telling everybody he hates them. And then pointing to someone offscreen (most likely the producer or ‘documentary filmaker) and him saying “especially you- you lied to me.” Like there could’ve been a chance if he hadn’t been on the show. He may’ve been in the process of seeking help.
I don’t believe Adams demise was any fault of any producer or staff on the program when he said no to treatment (you lied to me etc. etc.) struggling with addiction myself I know it’s a scary thing to even get sober because you’re afraid of being sober and without your medicine which is a drug Of our choice. I would like to say to Adam thank you for your service you’re my hero
You know, as much as I am a huge fan of the show and I think the help they provide is fantastic…but this is one where I feel the very well-meaning family perhaps made a mistake with going on the show. Someone who is clearly so wounded and traumatized, with who knows what kind of trust issues from the war…this is not someone I would want to devieve, even if it is in his own interests. I feel awful for all of them, especially his heartbroken parents.
I agree, but I think they were desperate. It was like a last chance option. His girlfriend was the most insidious partner I’ve ever seen.
The vast majority of people on this show are dealing with an insane amount of trauma. Much of it sexual over a long period of time. They have PTSD too. Adam is not unique in that way. I think Adam just wasn’t in the right place. He’s also clearly very smart, which I think ironically makes it harder, not easier, to help the person.. I wish there was an update.
As of 2015 he and JB were married and they had a daughter. He also finished school and was working full-time. No word on his sobriety, but the most recent pics on his Facebook showed open beer cans in close proximity.
I wish there was a way that we could contact people who were interviewed on intervention I wish there was a way I could contact him because I can relate to him so much. at the end of the episode it says that he stopped drinking and that he and his girlfriend has a daughter which is amazing. I hope he’s still doing well.
At the end of his episode it states he is living with his GF JD and continues to drink. It doesn’t say he stopped.
On the other episode I just watched it said he had stopped drinking, graduated from college and now has a computer science job. Also a daughter with JD
I heard somewhere he did stop and had a baby with JD.
his episode stuck with a me a lot, I’ve been in similar situation and still somewhat am.
His girlfriend was just awful. Pure narcissist. I really hope they are not together for his sake even if they do have a daughter. I think her being rude to him made him drink more. Her attitude and voice just bothered me. So unsupportive. When Adam said “she’s angry everyday!” It was very telling.
Also I can say as someone with PTSD that threatening someone isn’t going to help. The intervention went the wrong way.
Also I love snowbird! That’s the resort he was skiing at in the beginning. I’m from the slc area so I recognized a lot of stuff.
Ok this episode was good I wish I could know how he is.
OMG I am watching this now and it’s absolutely heartbreaking. I can’t stop crying. I just wanted to hug this poor boy and make his pain go away. It is even more painful as I have been in a 4 year relationship withan alcoholic and it is the hardest thing I have ever done, including beating cancer at 23 years old. I realized watching his girlfriend and hearing the way she responded to him, is the way I have responded to him sometimes when he broke yet another promise to me not to drink again. Sometimes it is hard, when you’re in the midst of a relationship that involves you, your partner, and their addiction, to be completely your best person. There is much anger that you can’t just “fix” them, that you can’t just love them enough to make it better and cure their addiction. Despite him knowing he needs to quit, it isn’t easy. Almost all addiction starts because of some kind of trauma. My boyfriend’s is no exception. Too much pain and burying of emotions. A suicide of his sister. I hope this poor boy is safe, happy, and sober. He deserves it, as do they all. I am going to try to be a much better girlfriend and hope that one day we look back on these struggles and are happy we made it through until he won his battle. God bless, guys.
Hope you’re doing well too Deborah.
I happened to see this episode tonight. I tried to do some research to see if I could find anything more about Adam to see how he was doing, but my searches came up empty.
I sincerely hope he’s doing well.
I want to send Adam love and hugs and blessings from God. He is so tormented. I hope and pray he is well.
Last update that I read on him stated that he stopped drinking, finished college/obtained a degree in computer science, was working full time, and had a kid with that horrendous JD person.
The update is from 2011, so seeing that that is about 5 years ago there’s more than a strong possibility that he’s drinking again or even worse. I say that it’s a big possibility because neither the episode nor update stated that he ever went to treatment and simply stopped on his own, which is more than possible as many have done and do so on a daily basis. However, those like Adam that do succeed on their own have both come to terms/dealt with their traumatic past and are involved in 12-Step programs, and like I previously stated I saw no mention of Adam having done/being involved with either. Also, if he is still with that narcissistic, uncaring bitch then there’s an even bigger possibility that he relapsed.
I do hope that my assumptions are wrong and he has been living a happy, fulfilling and sober life!!!!!
I think you’re projecting a lot on JD. She did seem to want to help him and nothing she said to him actually sounded particularly manipulative or abusive.
All you saw was Adam’s dad’s perspective of her and he didn’t like her. You’re just taking his dad for his word. How many parents have been wrong or have a hate-boner for their kid’s partner? It happens all the time.
It seems like you’re making a lot of judgements / assumptions about the character of someone you can’t get a full picture of from the TV show
Well Darts, my impression of “JD” isn’t favorable either, & it has zero to do with any comments by his family (which were few + not so bad) & everything to do with JD herself. I found her cold, rude, controlling, & needy…& that is based solely on JD’s words & actions. If she TRULY cared about Adam, in a healthy, unselfish way, she would have been more receptive + supportive of ANY means of saving his life. You can call it judgment/assumption, but I call it intuition…for the most part based on the impression that JD chose to put out there. (And I can tell you, I’ve only been wrong once lol…I consider it a gift that’s served me well.)
Consider this the second time you have been wrong.
She was as supportive as a wet flannel. Dead eyes, selfish and the impression she gave as trying to be interviewed wasn’t great. But, you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. So who knows. Sometimes these situations can turn us into different people.
I know this comment is years old, but I also agree with you. If my partner agreed to have a film crew follow them, and we lived together, and I wasn’t 100% on board- I’d be cold as well. I’m not a nasty person, but I am painfully introverted, and it would be unbearable for me.
Oh,and need to add that on another site I came across a couple of posts from someone that served with Adam in Iraq, and he stated that both he and Adam were what is referred to as “Fobbits” (Marines/Soldiers/other persons stationed at a secure forward operating base (FOB) who are either reluctant/afraid/ordered not to leave the confines of FOB base).
That’s not fair, the guy that wrote that post probably only knew him a short while. Everything about military service in a war zone is fleeting and temporary, Adam could have been there resting up due to an injury, or in between assignments. The show said he’d been in a bodyguard detail but Adam would not talk about anything else! You can tell the PTSD affected service person by the stories they DON’T tell. And Adam doesn’t tell a whole lot.
What was the other site you are referring to? And I agree that JD was awful and a big part of the problem! Not bc she was an “escape” from rehab, but bc she was clearly not a nice, kind and sincere person. I am from Utah and unfortunately the JD personality/mentality is far too prevalent among females here. Either that or cookie cutter Mormon who is extremely sheltered and in denial that things like mental health problems and alcoholism even exist until it happens to someone in their immediate family. Then they still deny deny deny until it slaps them across the face. The culture here is not conducive to healing. Trust me I’ve be working on it for about 9 years….
Wow, thank you for that insight into the tendencies of women in the the Mormon/Utah culture. Perhaps Adam thinks that JD is a good girlfriend because he doesn’t see better options because her behavior is quite normal relative to peers. Very sad. I feel like Adam would thrive in a bigger, more progressive city, with more world-aware women.
I can’t stand his father, ‘The Marines make a man out of you’ and when Adam talks about being a kid, you can bet his Dad pushed the whole ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ ethos on him.
The final cherry is when he is disappointed that Adam stopped racing when his friends died. Poor kid probably had PTSD then. The military was probably a way for him to mask it and ‘man up’. A real tragedy.
Wow, that’s a really really good point. At the time of the Intervention, he had PTSD upon more PTSD… that kind of layered trauma is very difficult to untangle and deal with. This poor soul.
It looks like he was arrested for crack cocaine in 2006. A news clipping from the accident showed his last name, and a Salt Lake City man with the same name and correct age (based on the news article that said he was 15 in 1997 when the accident happened) was arrested.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=247029
I don’t think that was him. Firstly, he was 28 in 2010, unless he had turned 29 after filming which would still only make him 29 at the time the episode aired in July 2010, so it wouldn’t be possible he was 35 in 2006. He would’ve been 24 in 2006. Secondly, if the picture of the man in the car is on the article is the suspect, it definitely isn’t the same Adam. If he was 15 in 1997, then he would’ve been born in 1982, which sounds accurate to the ages on the show, not the age on the news article. He is probably 34-35 now, actually.
Thats not the correct spelling of his last name
Wow I realized that arrest though is right by my house lol I’m trying to find out if that guy is still around I’m in sobriety and I don’t think I’ve seen him although I’m not a stepper
Anyone know where/how he is?
I have mixed feelings about Adam’s episode as I am a veteran of Desert Storm but my reserve unit wasn’t overseas very long so I hadn’t heard if any of my former comrades have suffered PTSD as my unit was on although we were stationed at the Kobar Towers complex and not a primary combat unit. There has been significant changes in those lives I knew best from what I’ve heard possibly because of the disruption from our civilian lives. They may have had personal issues that were exacerbated by our activation.
Obviously I would need to walk in Adam’s shoes to understand his pain and difficulty in seeking therapy for his PTSD.
However, I hope his family went to their own therapy and because of his “macho” attitude have still cut off any relationship with him even if he has stopped drinking on his own (which I doubt that since he possibly avoided any getting any professional help) because of his unappreciative go it alone attitude.
His girlfriend (now wife) is a doozy and probably still “enables” him with her passive/aggressive persona. I’m sorry for his pain and proud he was engaged in combat as a Marine in answering his country’s call to duty.
Still he was a complete butt head the way he reacted to his intervention from his family and declining personal major therapy from the Intervention producers in sending him to a top notch wellness clinic.
I understand that Adam has a right to his privacy but if Intervention could update the information on previous episodes as his circumstances could be a beneficial morality story that could help another Iraqi Vet suffering with PTSD to identify with his situation.
I know I’m sounding holier than thou but I think his relationship with JD was another addiction along with his alcoholism as the way he treated his family during his intervention was very telling that he’s blaming them for his inner demons.
Hope with time he is having a healthy relationship with his family as I think JD could use some therapy as well.
I know this episode is roughly a decade old; however, I saw it for the first time last Wednesday. My heart breaks for Adam. Despite the violent behavior he exhibited toward himself I could tell that he was a gentle person. I wish I could hug him. I saw at the end (and it’s been mentioned on here as well) that he married JD, started a family, got an education and has stopped drinking. That was so good to see. Adam and I are the same age, and I hope wherever he is he’s happy and has found some sort of peace or way to cope. Again, I know this is an eight year old episode, but it’s new to me. I can see both sides of the fence as far as the actual intervention goes. I saw on the show that he has a loving family who thought this “tough love” method would be the best way to save him. I can’t imagine what Adam was thinking, but I’m guessing he thought he was being (for lack of better words) ganged up on and as he implied to someone off camera, the victim of deceit. Having cameras in his face for all of that probably made matters worse. Like all of you I didn’t get the best impression of JD. I’m really trying to give her the benefit of the doubt (trying!), and I hope her cold demeanor was simply because she felt defensive and put on the spot due to the cameras. If Adam is still with her then I hope for his sake she really is a warm, genuine person who just made a negative impression. Someone said in the episode that Adam didn’t think he was good enough to have a girlfriend. That is simply not true. We all saw him at his worst and yet saw through that to what a decent man he is inside. In one of the extended scenes on YouTube his stepmother mentions that he volunteered to camp outside one night for his little sister so that she and her friend could have a sleepover outdoors and that he once gave his stepmother a card telling her how much he appreciated her. It just stuck with me how sweet that was. I hope someone in his family, or a friend, reads this thread and relays to him all the kind messages he has received. Adam has people from all over who believe in him, and the fact that we’re still talking about him all these years later show that he’s touched a lot of hearts.
here the article of the accident: https://www.deseretnews.com/article/567368/Injuries-claim-Murray-teen-after-van-overturns-in-Idaho.html and here’s adam’s fb: https://www.facebook.com/adam.phillipps.1
Just watched this episode again, wondering how he is. I saw he is a dad now, hopefully a sober dad. Talk about PTSD upon PTSD! I pray he is doing well, of anyone has an update that would be great!
i saw it too…….hopefully he got help…..cause in THESE pics from his facebook page, he’s looking all doting on his daughter with empties in clear view:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150598867259552&set=ecnf.783869551&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150598866144552&set=ecnf.783869551&type=3&theater
Definitely not sober. Most pictures of him with his baby have beer containers in the background.
I really felt through seeing Adam more than once that this was an instance of he himself possibly having been the victim of a sexual assault vs he saw something, lost friends, or had to kill the enemy in combat. My 30years in DoD his issues felt different when i watched vs the episode portraying it as combat related.
I totally agree. I think he was a victim of sexual assault. I dated a Jughead and from what he talked about, killing someone was a proud moment for a Marine. My ex was a sharp shooter, and he LOVES describing his 1st kill. So I don’t think it was that. In reading bits and pieces, Adam wasn’t considered “one of the boys” and the weaker ones are always the ones who get targeted. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he was assaulted. You know if you act like a P*ssy you’re going to treated like one….not my words. Its sad. The military can be your best friend, or worst memory. I was USAF and couldn’t get out fast enough. I played the game and made lots of lifelong friends, but anyone with any sense of individuality, artistic sense, or out-of-the-box thinking, will of course HATE military life.
I hope Adam is doing well. It takes YEARS, if ever, to get out of that mind-bending thought process. I still fold my clothes like is taught in basic, and always slip up in calling people Ma’am and Sir. I wish him peace and love.
Found his LinkedIn. Seems like he’s doing really well. Really good to see, he was a smart kid! https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamphillipps
2022 update: Adam is doing well in his career, he is the Chief Technology Officer of an IT company. He has the personality to put in 1000% into whatever he puts his mind to. He didn’t goto rehab but cut down drinking on his own and ended up marrying his gf and having kids together. I do believe therapy would help greatly for the sake of his kids and family life.
That’s great to hear. Did he reconcile with his family?
Not the right guy according to the photo.
It’s for sure the right guy. Check out his fb and see how they match up together.
I still remember this episode and I don’t understand why the producers asked him what he saw when he was in the military. As someone whose boyfriend’s uncle is a Vietnam veteran, you don’t ask those kinds of questions to a veteran. The things veterans have seen when fighting for our country from what I’ve heard is pure nightmare fuel, enough to even make Satan weep. My boyfriend’s uncle fought in Vietnam for the 101st Airborne Division in the US Army and he says all the time, “that war was useless, nobody won that war.” Luckily, he’s part of a VA hospital that addressed his PTSD and gave him the right treatments for it. I wished Adam could’ve done that to get help with his PTSD. I hope he’s okay.
I also hear this all the time from family and from a friend who served in desert storm. I hope he’s doing well and has found some form of therapy… He definitely was a sweet soul!!! I really hope he reconciled with his family, his dad had so much pain. I don’t like how a couple people in previous comments were suggesting that he was a victim of sexual abuse! People deal with trauma different, just because you watch an episode for an hour and the way he acts you think he was sexually abused… You don’t know the real him… Plus like I said people deal with trauma different. Just because he may act like someone that you know or was on a different episode that has been sexually abused doesn’t mean that that’s what happened to him. And we don’t know what he saw in the military. I wish the best for him and his family!
A man serves in a war, and it destroys him. such a classic story, but so heartbreaking. this episode stuck with me even years after watching it. i really hope Adam has managed to find some peace in his life, especially since his fate seems rather nebulous.
Wow! His LinkedIn says that, as of last month, he’s VP of Product and Data Strategy at a successful startup and has been building his career in tech since the year the episode aired! Still married to JD I think. I am not willing to judge her because the producers will spin things when someone doesn’t agree with what they’re doing, and of course his family, who is biased, are more willing to take his side.
Wow, just finished this episode and even though it’s an older episode at this point in time, it was so hard to watch. My husband was a recon marine with him in Okinawa. JD is a textbook narcissist and she is his biggest danger to his sobriety.
I found the episode about Adam particularly hard to watch. He is a veteran of the Iraq war and having a rough time with civilian life. Obviously he’s traumatized by the war’s effect on him and he could be a poster boy for PTSD without a word being said, but he is at a point emotionally where he can’t even talk about it to close family. If anything Adam reminds me of a boiling pot with the lid welded on tight. Not a drop of anything inside will see the light of day even if it destroys itself.
I think Adam uses alcohol to self-medicate and shut off the memories. Alcohol does have quasi-amnesia as one of its effects, of course, but few drugs are as self-destructive to the user’s body, mind and mental state than alcohol. This so-called “solution” is as old as humanity itself but in the long run always kills the patient.
Last time I saw an update on Adam he and J.D. had a baby. Based on the images I saw, I don’t think the substance abuse had been dealt with either, not at all. But it’s impossible to force help on someone who doesn’t want it yet.
Where ever he is now, I hope Adam, and J.D., finally receive the therapy and treatment they need so desperately.