Season 5, Episode 1
Derek
Age: 35
Location: Ontario, Canada
Addiction: Alcohol
What’s memorable: Memorable to me as the only episode of Intervention that I turned off halfway through out of sheer annoyance and still can’t watch the whole thing. I don’t actually even know what happened to Derek in the end. Did he go to treatment? No idea. Why? Because Derek is portrayed here as one of the most insecure, selfish, inconsiderate, shallow people I’ve ever seen in my life. Maybe he’s not that bad in real life, I don’t know.
Update: Derek Muzyka was killed in a car accident on December 30, 2016. Obituary
Official Synopsis: He was once a championship bodybuilder and successful property owner. But when he turned 30, Derek felt he was over the hill and became severely depressed. He started drinking to cope with the pressures of marriage and the responsibilities of getting older. His beautiful wife left, and now Derek’s days are all the same–he sits in his dark basement, smoking and drinking and bemoaning the loss of his wife. He narrowly survived one suicide attempt and his family is worried he’ll try again. An intervention is their last hope.
Original Air Date: August 2008
Interventionist: Candy
I agree with the webmaster that this is a truly gross episode. At one point he *chews* and swallows a cigarette butt in a bizarre attempt to get a friend of his(family member?) to go buy him alcohol. Afterwards his reaction is half blacked-out as if he doesn’t remember… and half indignant about how important he is and how much he wants booze. The manipulative qualities he possessed turned my stomach as well as the sheer depths of depravity depicted.
All I see on display here is a person of very poor self-insight and character. Without sobriety, this man doesn’t have a prayer. Candy’s diagnosis was dead-on: Derek’s problems are not just from booze. That was the babbling of a desperately mentally-ill person—or was it? At times, he seemed to be putting on an act for the camera that I, too, found really hard to take. Though it was only touched upon, his terrible, aggressive behavior seemed–to me–to be the actions of a steroid abuser. I would think that steroids would certainly be a large part of his problem . He seemed to come from a solid foundation…and his family and friends seem devoted to him, despite the fact that his whole demeanor is so loathsome.
BTW, the final wrap-up notes said he was thrown out of rehab for bringing booze into the treatment center…moved back home and finally got sober in 2008. That was 6 years ago…wonder what happened after that? Speaking of Candy, she was especially great in this intervention…as usual!
He died yesterday from drinking and driving & he was so mentally ill he was abused so bad by his dad and it was mental & physical . His best friend died this past summer in a horrible accident and he didn’t recover he spiraled out of control . The accident was 2 mins from his parents house
I knew him when he was young – his dad was tough for sure. Which friend of his died?
Derek was sober for quite a while now and Friday December 30 2016 was killed in a head on collision. My condolences goes out to the entire family. He is finally at peace, sleep well BRO
Who knows if this was a suicide that was successful, or an ‘accident’ – even then, it wouldn’t be an accident since he was drunk behind the wheel – and hit TWO vehicles – and KILLED another man. I do feel for the family, I do – but I had to search HARD to find out the he was only one of TWO killed in the crash – and in one of THREE vehicles. My condolences go out to the other man’s family. I was travelling on the roads this same day with my family, as were many thousands of others in southern Ontario and NO ONE should be afraid to drive on the roads at ANY time for fear of drunk drivers – especially as I teach my two teen-aged sons to drive on our roads.
I think that a GREAT and helpful update – would be to use this as a lesson as to what can REALLY happen when one drinks and drives, whether they have been drunk often – or only driven their first time EVER after drinking.
http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7043890-two-killed-in-grimsby-crash-police/
Steroids are not addictive and “Roid Rage” has been blown out of proportion by the media. Watch the documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster.
Steroids are certainly a major part of body dysmorphia and mental illness. . This often leads to opiate addiction to dull the pain of grueling workouts. There are tens of thousands gym rats on gear and few manifest any psychological issues.
I’ve never commented on this site (but I love it, thanks Dizzy!), however, this comment made me want to.
Steroids are absolutely addictive and Roid Rage is not some overhyped phenomenon. Anabolic steroids wreak havoc on one’s body and brain, resulting in dependency after the steroids negatively impact GABA and dopamine receptors. According to the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Substance use disorders are defined by continued use despite adverse consequences; for steroid users, these may include physical or psychological problems such as breast growth (in men), sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure, excessive fats in the blood, heart disease, mood swings, severe irritability, or aggressiveness,” which means that many who overuse and misuse steroids are by medical definitions, addicted. How many anabolic steroid users just stop with no consequences? And yes, body dysmorphia and mental illness absolutely contribute to steroid use, and their perceived “improvement” of one’s mental state or body image keeps them coming back to using. Just because steroids don’t make someone nod out, fall down, or act like people who are drunk or doped up on opiates or stimulants, doesn’t mean that the addiction potential is not there.
Regarding “Roid Rage,” a primary side-effect of many (and perhaps all) steroids is aggression. This is well documented. That’s not to say that someone will experience aggression either intensely or at all, and experts do acknowledge that some of this may occur due to other existing mental illnesses or disorders. But the aggression can also be exacerbated by steroid misuse and data is limited due to lack of epidemiological studies (which in some cases may be unethical) so much of what we know comes from individual reported cases. And “the tens of thousands of gym rats” that don’t “manifest psychological issues” probably do in some way, or maybe already had pre-existing disorders (e.g. body dysmorphia, histrionic personality disorder, etc.) that other people don’t see unless you know them personally.
Speaking from personal experience, not with anabolic steroids but with prednisone, a corticosteroid, steroids can absolutely cause “roid rage.” I was on prednisone for a long period of time in early adolescence and developed an unbelievable temper and short fuse that has stuck with me, 20+ years later. As an example, a playmate was at my house and made fun of me, so I chased her out of the house with a butcher’s knife and threw it at her as she ran away. I thank God regularly that I missed and instead watched it sink blade down into the grass.
Steroid addiction is real, the consequences of steroid use and misuse are real, “roid rage” is real, and it’s something that needs to be acknowledged instead of dismissed.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/steroids-other-appearance-performance-enhancing-drugs-apeds/introduction
Albert speaks the total truth, not the story the government and media has fed to us.
As a life long fan of combat sports and professional wrestling as well as an amateurish boxer/judoka this is nonsense. I have been to enough competitions as an amateur to know exactly what PEDs are capable of doing to someone’s mind and body when they’re abused. Doors ripped off the hinges, idiots fighting over the most miniscule shit before, during and after the match, and of course massive cardiac events in your 30s while you have like 2% body fat but weigh in excess of 265 pounds at 5’8.
A small list of athletes/pro wrestlers who died prematurely or are permanently physically and mentally damaged due to years of steroid abuse.
Kevin Randleman UFC heavy weight champ
John Jones former UFC LHW champion
Mark Kerr UFC Tournament champ
Wanderlei Silva former pride FC middleweight champ
The British Bulldog and the Dynamite Kid WWE Tag champs
Ultimate Warrior WWE World champ
Macho Man Randy Savage WWE ICC
Chris Benoit WCW/WWE Tag champ, he killed his family and himself
Eddie Gurrero WWE champ best friend of Benoit who sold him PEDs
4/5 Von Erichs WCCW Champs the Vice episode on this is a God Damn Greek tragedy
Rick Rude WWE/WCW stand out
Test WWE prospect could have been Champ easily
Iron Sheik WWE star now a crippled crack addict with a hilarious Twitter account
The WWE itself, they have been forced at least twice to completely overhaul their entire company over steroids and illegal drugs.
I can go on but the point is steroids are extremely dangerous, very addictive and they enlarge your heart like they enlarge your other muscles. which is typically fatal.
The medical research on PED abuse is very damning
Wow this guy is the epitome of a difficult drunk. The only episode I couldn’t watch for a 2nd time.
Actually he did not grow up in a great house. They made it seem that way but the father was abusive to both brothers and the mother. The brother drinks also and a lot so does the father. He and his brother were and still are successful in property rentals. The brother takes care of most of it though now. He has tried several times to get sober and has been successfully a few times but falls off again after a variation of time. As far as I know he has not tried suicide again. He has been in the hospital a bunch of times for the drinking. From what I know now he is back to working out sorta but it’s like one addiction replaced another. He appeared to be faking it in the episode but honestly he was not. He has some serious mental illness to deal with. He truly at heart is a nice guy. Before drinking he would do anything for anyone. He seemed to be craving attention in the episode but it’s all in how they spin it. He had his license yanked so he couldn’t drive so he would have to act out to get some one to get him booze and believe me he could down a 26er no problem straight from the bottle. I’ve known him many years and he is lonely, mental ill, needs serious help, yes he craves attention but it’s really a cry for help. He has never been violent in his life. He honestly would give you the shirt off his back.
And yesterday dk aka Derek died because of drinking and driving 🙁 his dad was very abusive it was horrible
Cathy can u email me plz questions for you 🙂
Aaron … Derek died 30 of December 2016 impaired driving it’s so sad & he took another innocent life as well
Like the rest of you, I cant even watch the rest of this episode…I wish him all the best, but unless his mental health issues are addressed, he will never get well.
Man I hope hes gotten better since then. I have to say him and Mark from season 2 are the only episodes that I couldn’t watch a 2nd time. If I can remember correctly Derek was threatening to eat a ciggerettte if someone didn’t give him booze or something like that. What a mess.
This episode was clearly fake. I don’t mean that the Intervention crew was in on it, but this loser and his family were definitely putting on a show for the cameras.
In every scene Derek was just saying and doing things he thought looked and sounded cool or tough. Bragging about his “attempted suicides” and eating the end of his cigarette like some comic book villain?
Even in the end when he’s discussing his sobriety with the therapist in front of the cameras and he gives a brief proud re-cap of the previous violent, self-mutiliation he performed while in therapy?
He was bragging in front of the cameras like he was the cool, tough kid in grade school who lights ants on fire with a giant magnifying glass.
Then of course he washes out of therapy in spectacular fashion to give the “perfect ending” to this saga of a tortured soul.
Every minute of this episode was clearly just a poor performance by a bunch of bad actors.
Not fake at all and Derek died on the 30 th of dec 2016 still fighting his drinking , he was sober for a long time & than his best friend was killed & he slipped again . It’s so sad he wrecked his car & killed Himself & another guy driving impaired hit him head on
You didn’t know this family and your misjudgemnet is completely based on what the cameras permitted you to see. Sadly, just a few days ago Derek was killed in a tragic accident. I remember Derek, knew him and his brother from grade 5 til we graduated high school. His mother helped my family when my father was dying, small town where people still helped their neighbors. So go ahead and judge him based on the few minutes you seen on TV. But know this, you didn’t know him and now you never will. My prayers go out to his family, and hope that the tortured soul your spitefulness spews about has found his happiness. Test in Peace Derek…
So sad The demons finally got to Derek and he was killed in ahead on collision , because of his drinking , this wasn’t fake he despartely needed help . But refused to accept it and now he took his own life & another as well . Derek .., DK YOU HAD YOUR LIFE AHEAD OF YOU ????
Man, not to sound cruel, but I am more upset about the person he murdered in the drunk driving accident. I do feel awful for his family, but I don’t have very much sympathy for him unfortunately. He had a once in a lifetime opportunity, that many people would be so unspeakably grateful for, myself included. So many peoples lives have been crushed because of his actions. One of that saddest outcomes I have seen come of an intervention episode.
Agreed…His self centered focus on only his pain has ruined another family and group of friends lives by taking their loved one in an avoidable accident. Imagine the pain he’s inflicted on completely undeserving recipients.
You are not being insensitive. People need to remember that an innocent sober person was just living their normal life and had the misfortune of being killed by being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course I feel for Derek’s innocent family, but I’m more concerned for the victim and his family. That could be any one of us, or our loved ones on the road that day. May the true victim Rest In Peace, and I hope Derek has finally found peace. In the end, looks, money, and all superficial things don’t matter.
Heartbreaking conclusion. No offense but he was a really creepy guy. Sorry he took someone else’s life
Addiction and mental health issues can be very misunderstood. I understand that many of you don’t have insight in this area. Its easy to pass judgement through one’s own assupmtions. I was always happy to see Derek. He was a good hearted, kind man who was always willing to lend a hand. He had many challenges. But, he had the courage to continue to search for serenity through recovery.
Except for the part where he continued drinking and driving even after the episode. Relapse is part of recovery, but he didn’t just relapse, he killed someone. knowingly and recklessly endangered other people’s lives because he was too good to walk or ride a bicycle, or use some of the money he makes hand over fist to call a cab/car service.
I know three functional alcoholics who have been i in and out of treatment many times over the years. one thing they both have in common? they voluntarily surrendered their licenses sold their cars and got bus passes. No excuse for what DK did. None.
This man has no worries now, he passed away from a car accident, took a anothers life too.
http://www.chch.com/niagara-police-release-details-deadly-grimsby-crash/
very sad times in Grimsby for the innocent 62 yr old volunteering his services at the time and is now dead too.
I really don’t think people on this thread would be passing such negative judgment on Derek if he hadn’t killed another person while driving drunk. That’s sad, but completely understandable. Two too many lives were lost in this instance, and let’s just hope others can learn from his story and value not only their own life, but other lives as well.
Plenty of comments on here that were posted before he died and people were still disgusted with this one.
Yes indeed…he was a deeply unlikeable and stunted person. That said his suffering was still real.
I didn’t care for his attitude or behavior before he died tbh, but I still rooted for his success and felt empathy for his various psychological issues and trauma. He was obviously a sick person in a ton of pain I don’t judge him for relapsing that’s part of the recovery process. I, and others, are judging him for playing God with other people’s lives. Condolences to his friends and loved ones and the family of his victim but he was an entitled delusional brat while he was alive and drinking, he clearly had disdain for the people in his life trying to help him. I have no reason to conclude he had an ounce of self awareness or introspection after treatment. even less so now that he played Russian Roulette with six rounds in the chamber
i am sorry Derek passed away. I am just wondering if his best friend that passed away a few months before Derek, was the man who was featured on his episode.
This episode was so depressing to watch. It reminds me of where my husband currently is. He is 38 years old and has cirrhosis. He supposedly hasn’t had a drink in 4 months. He is occasionally eating marijuana edibles. I wish with my entire being my husband had the opportunity to go away to rehab for at least 90 days. Without help he will surely die sooner rather than later. He says he hasn’t had alcohol but I find it hard to believe sometimes.
All you haters make me sick. I met Derek right after his best friend passed and spoke to him until his own death. You have no idea how physically and mentally crippling depression really is. He was a good man with a horrible mind altering disease. Be careful. Karma is real. It may just teach you a good lesson by visiting someone you love one day.
Who was his best friend that passed away in an accident? The friend featured on the show?
sad that his demons killed him, but even more sad is that he took someone else with him, an innocent. if only he’d stopped being so competitive and comparing himself to others. btw, what an absolutely disgusting viewpoint, to not want his wife to have a baby bc it would “ruin” her body.
Don’t appreciate the judging comments nor the comment of the web master either.
It’s amazing how people can influence each other positively or negatively, especially when comments are made by the most influencial ones. I’ve never seen as much trash talk against an addict on Intervention. He’s dead, okay? Are you satistified? The fact that he killed other people in the accident must fuel your hate, right?
Dizzy, I love your website, I love to get updates from addicts and it’s because of your initiative. I find you super wise and sensitive and I hope that you’re still sober. But I think it’s kind of a responsibility that you have by not saying bad things about addicts cuz people look up to you and will get influenced by your comments cuz most people are followers. On the other hand, I understand that as humans we can’t sympathise with everybody and you have the right not to like everybody. I think I’m just disgusted by those idiots who get influenced when they read stuff made by leaders and start trash talking.
Yeah – That comment about his wife’s body was truly obnoxious.
Oh boy. This dude definitely had some level of co-occurrence. Who’s to say it was amplified by or a an injury from chronic alcohol abuse? I will say, with my experience of studying characteristics of toxic personality disorder, there’s a noticeable combination of self hatred, lack of empathy, and intense manipulation. Addicts don’t typically threaten to end their own life when demanding someone enable them. He sounded drunk during his “90 day check in” with his counselor at the treatment center, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that he was sneaking in alcohol. All that to say, chronic alcohol abuse causes some legit brain damage. Before he began to drink, he may have been a solid standup guy. We don’t know based on clips put together by editors and producers. It’s sad to know his life and another’s were taken due to his selfish choice to drive under the influence. My heart goes out to his family.
I wholeheartedly agree. He was manipulative and evil. My heart goes to his family. Something was profoundly toxic about him. I don’t know how any one could stand to be around him. I hope he didn’t hurt anyone else in that car accident. And if he did and survived, I doubt he’d have a morsel of sympathy. Once again, love to his family and friends but perhaps they are at peace now.
I meant remorse not sympathy ETA
I knew Derek personally. I used to talk to him at the gym. He was covered in face tattoos and everyone was scared of him. One of the nicest guys I ever met and super helpful. It’s a shame he couldn’t get better. RIP Derek
Very sad indeed and was difficult to watch as hell comes across so unlikeable.
Was it his friend Rob, who was on the show that died? I’m sorry if it was.
Brian was pretty self centered and angry and I am sure it had something to do with his steroid consumption in his body building days the boozing didn’t help but he was a mean dry k always saying he was going to kill himself or injure himself if he didn’t get his booze anyhow he passed away on December 30th 2016 he was 44 I don’t know if he got sober doesn’t say
I’m just curious as to why you keep commenting on multiple threads, restating the obvious about the addict. Particularly their date of death, etc. Like, yeah, we know.
My God Dizzy, you’re right. This is a very bad portrayal lol. I might have to turn it off too, though I think I can power thru…
In all Honesty, Derek’s intervention episode was so disturbing, I mean… he was chewing on cigarettes and was an emotional wreck after his wife left him. I mean this was such a hard to watch episode IMO. R.I.P Derek, You are now in a better place in heaven.