I think that the show makes it seem like these people are getting that fucked up daily. Now I am not questioning that these people may need some help, especially if they have not discovered bluelight :D but they are definitely not going that hard/balls to the wall, on a daily basis. Everybody has their days when they merely maintain, or in the case of people that are physically dependent, they just take enough to not be sick. Now this of course is not a fun way to live, and people should get help if they are like this.
The problem I see with interventions is that when people relapse, they feel so guilty that they return to their old ways. That is part of my problem with the 12 step and recovery model. People can learn on their own to have some sort of balance in their lives, and as things get better, drug use may get less. Believe it or not, people can grow out of it on their own.