Season 19. Episode 8
Brett
Age: 20
Location: Fairdale, Kentucky
Addiction: Heroin and Meth
What’s Memorable: Well that was one of the more dramatic interventions. Yay for cousin Kayla getting straight in his face and speaking some hard truths to him. And how many times have we seen someone shooting up during the intervention? Not a lot. It seemed to all come down to the family telling him they wouldn’t support him any more, he wouldn’t have a place to live etc., that did the trick on this one. He was so far gone, and put up such a fight, I honestly didn’t think he was gonna go. He didn’t make it long but hopefully it’ll turn out to be the wake up call he needed to get his shit together because Heather was right, this kid was on the fast track to death or jail.
Official Synopsis: Brett was an only child when his alcoholic father abandoned him. Raised by his mother in her parents’ home, Brett was on his way to success despite their struggles. But when his mom moved them into a new home with her violent boyfriend, Brett’s addiction spiraled.
Date Aired: May 2019
Interventionist: Heather (Where have we seen her before? Was it the Heroin Triangle?)
I’m liking the subjects but the 2-hour running time of these episodes is realllly bloated, I wish they could cut it back to 60 or 90 mins.
I wouldn’t mind that but I don’t like the 1 hour episodes featuring two people. They feel way too abridged.
The show is 90 min on-demand. On the tv, 2 hours is a long time.
Just watched this episode. Man oh man I was praying this kid stuck it out but no such luck. Hopefully rehab put the thought in his head he can get sober and showed him there’s a different world out there. He needs longtime treatment obviously. Tough case this one.
I was so proud of his papaw for stepping up and telling him he had to go or get out… then so disappointed to see he relapsed and they let him come back and continue to use. Unfortunately I don’t think this kid will get it together. Life has been made too kushy for him with his grandparents.
We’re going be reading about this kid’s death pretty soon.
This was so hard to watch…my heart breaks for this kid. May God be with you Brett.
is it just me or does anyone think there was something else going on with Brett, ive seen many meth addicts irl and on tv, but none has ever acted they way he does. his behavior is bizarre, but not like a “meth addict bizarre”, to me it seems childlike, almost like he has a cognitive delay. anyone else think this
He definitely had some form of mental delay/illness, which may or may not have been cause by his drug use.
It’s incredibly common – it’s called “Meth Psychosis”. I’m a drug counselor and see it all-too-often.
I agree that it was likely meth psychosis. Remember Cristina, who had the sweet dad who sang to her, and she was drawing out maps and theories in her bedroom? I’m sure you do. She had that same “wild” quality that Brett demonstrates. There have been a few others in the midst of meth psychosis, but she’s the one who immediately came to mind. Now that I think about it, there was a young man on there who was explosively angry. He ended up shooting himself in the years that followed… 🙁
I agree – not a good combo.
Also, there’s a chance he has bipolar disorder as well (genetic pre-disposition) or even schizoaffective disorder. Both are aggravated by drug use, and some use it to self-medicate and during rehab, those mental illnesses are discovered.
Check out Clint from Intervention Canada
I watched this episode very carefully and while there may or may not be some cognitive deficits there are some HUGE developmental gaps that have basically kept Brett in a very infantile place. Any kind of successful treatment for him would need to cover A LOT of ground. I think a huge part of the problem is that he has been fairly isolated and not had meaningful relationships outside of the family unit and his role WITHIN the unit is very much “the baby”. I hate to say it but I don’t see it ending well.
Why do people move their kid in with an abuser and think it’s going to end wel?
It could be cognitive delay. It could also be the residual neurodevelopmental impact of trauma on his brain. I’m sure he’s had to endure a lot more than what was mentioned on the show. Seeing your mother severely beaten and not having the power to stop it or do anything would be extremely damaging and a lifelong struggle to overcome. It’s common for trauma survivors to “revert” back to the age they were at the time of their trauma(s).
Exactly what I was thinking.
Brett did leave rehab and continue to over dose several more times but I am happy to say he has been in sober living now for over a month. I can only pray he doesn’t decide to leave. I think this program had a dramatic immact on his life. He just had to do it in his own time and way.
If you have any contact with him tell him there are a lot of people out here praying for him and wishing him well. Took me a while to finally get it and he can too if he keeps on keeping on. Thanks for the update. It sucks not knowing what’s happening with the various people on Intervention after the show has aired.
Well I heard he died.
As you can see in another comment he‘s alive – not dead like Öindsay said.
Dizzy, I really feel you should delete these wrong „person is dead“ comments. Sometimes people write that and I feel it’s really mean and disrespectfull if it’s not true.
Thanks! And thanks for this side-love it!
Thank you for this update, Millie. My husband and I always root for these folks, but Brett’s story really broke our hearts. So glad he’s still trying. Everyone deserves a life.
Millie, I don’t know if you remember me. I watched the show and of course being from Fairdale, knowing Michelle, her being such a strong person, myself being a mother and just couldn’t imagine. I had tears in my eyes. My heart aches for the family. I’m so glad to hear Brett picked up rehab again. He can do this, he’s got a large cheering section. Lots of hugs and prayers to him and the family. He can do this!!!
Very sad situation, hurt deeply to watch this episode. Only a few years ago i was absolutely like Brett. I was worse, j had been using like him for about 7 years straight. He has a very very limited time before he is dead or looses his mind permanently. I was one of the lucky ones and had an INCREDIBLY supportive bunch of people who didn’t give up on me and helped me get my life back. I pray that Brett makes a real change soon.
Congratulations that is no small task. As many of us know it’s a lifetime struggle. I pray for all who suffer as well as those who love and care for them. Great job may God continue to bless you!
Dizzy – yes, we saw Heather in the Heroin Triangle episodes. I just love her.
Couldn’t agree more. I think she does a great job as do all of them. I wonder where Jeff Van Vonderen has been lately…..
I think the last time we saw him was Sam and Brad’s intervention last summer.
it really frustrates me when the family doesn’t hold their bottom line grrrrr! and not just in this episode, but any of them. and when the treatment center asked morgan’s mother to have her stay longer and she said no. luckily morgan continued to do well thankfully, although it’s early on, but lets hope she isn’t wishing at some point that she had listened and they don’t end up right back where they started. sometimes i think these families don’t want their loved ones to get better, but of course i know that’s not true and it’s just the frustration talking. it’s easy to say what people should do from the outside looking in. i know it’s much more difficult and complex when you’re actually in the situation.
Hahah this is crazy.. I was in rehab in Austin Texas when this kid showed up. He looked bad man. He only made it 3 days before he discharged.
Brett’s been arrested 4 times as of April 2018 with the most recent being June 2019.
How is Brett now?
According to his most recent mugshot he violated an order of protection on October 12, 2019.
Absolutely love Heather, she’s got a very warm and knowledgable approach. Whew Brett was hard to watch, he’s REALLY deep in this addiction, I’m surprised he hasn’t got some serious heath issues but mentally I definitely think there’s been some damage there. Sadly I don’t see him getting clean, for an addict he’s got the “perfect” life, he’s got comfortable home with his grandparents looking after him and driving him around. Bless them both though, lovely people. It’s a real shame..
Hey everyone who was touched by this episode, I found bretts FB and his cousin kaylas. I didn’t reach out to them personally.
Brett: https://www.facebook.com/brett.mcintosh.737
cousin: https://www.facebook.com/kayla.newman.9?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDo1NDQyNjkxMTU2MzgwMDNfNDY0OTEwMg%3D%3D
It really hurt me to see this one. I’m 25 and it feels like brett could’ve been my little brother. Had a lot of abandonment problems myself, and was addicted to drugs for a while, but I got sober finally but it took me many attempts. I hope he’s doing alright, it’s a rough world out there.
Rico was arrested today for breaking and entering
Isn’t Heather from Intervention Canada?
I really think that Brett’s mother was on some substance as well. There’s just no way. I suffer from mental illness, and although she does as well, there is some type of drug involved. Weather prescribed or not legal or not. I believe she’s abusing something
whether*
I totally agree. I think her addiction is the same as Brett’s 🙁
YES!!! I said the same thing first time I saw her. I’m an old school heroin addict been through it all and now in recovery for 5 years , but we can spot a fellow user right off the rip. That crap about she buys him Suboxone some times…bs. I wanted to smack her and I’m patient with people who struggle with mental illness as I’m a bit whacky myself. She did not help the situation when she called the police. She just ramped things up. I pray for this poor boy and mamaw and papaw. Shit will hit the fan for this boy if he outlives grandparents and still using.
http://kool.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/Details/498859
I was really rooting for Brett. I was really sad to see he relapsed and wasn’t successful in treatment.
Did I somehow miss a part where they discuss what happened to his dad ?? Bc it seems that he passed away and that’s def traumatic for Brett as well.
It also seems as though Brett went to rehab in 2013
His moms FB
https://www.facebook.com/cootsmcintosh
Here’s an update on him
http://kool.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/Details/498859
doesn’t lead to anything
Virus link don’t click
My heart broke for Brett the way his mom talked to him and everything if his mom is bi polor chances are so is Brett nobody should make fun of this boy I saw a comment where some guy was laughing about being in the same rehab as Brett he has been arrested several times because of his drug problem I pray he eventually gets better
Not sure if anyone has posted this but is this the same Brett? https://the-riotact.com/knife-brandishing-roofer-brett-mcintosh-stabs-at-man-causes-woman-to-flee-out-window/542861 It says he stabbed a man?
I don’t think so- the article is from an Australian site.
ETA: could this be him? https://wslmradio.com/2024/02/11/scott-county-inmate-roster-2-9-24/
Posession of meth arrest from Feb.
That’s 100% him. I’m trying to remember if the family member below was in his episode.