Each program follows participants, each of whom suffers from an addiction and believe that they are being filmed for a documentary on addictions. Their addictions are actually being documented in anticipation of an intervention by family and/or friends. Each participant has a choice: go into rehabilitation immediately, or risk losing all contact with the loved ones who instigated the intervention. Often, other tactics are used to persuade the addicted person into treatment, which vary depending on the situation. The producers usually follow up months later to monitor the addicted person's progress and film it for "follow up" episodes.