TUESDAYS 10|9c
Season 5
PRIVATE PRACTICE - "The Breaking Point" - In the second hour or a special two-hour edition of ABC's "Private Practice," THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), entitled "The Breaking Point," Amelia makes the hard decision to enter a rehab facility, and finds strength in an 18 year-old girl, as they both go through the painful detox process. Meanwhile, Cooper's strengthening bond with his son is tested by his allegiance to a patient in need, Pete and Violet's marriage reaches a tipping point, and Addison collapses from her rigorous fertility treatments. (ABC/VIVIAN ZINK)DEBBY RYAN, CATERINA SCORSONE
The Breaking Point
Season 5 | Episode 9 | Aired 11/17/11

Amelia is scared as she walks through the front door of the rehab facility. Addison is right by her side as her friend takes the first step on her 50-day journey to getting clean and sober. Amelia rooms with a young girl named Hailey. The two of them go through the painful detox process together. They bond in the days that follow. Amelia seems to be making progress, but still doesn't want to face her friends when they come to visit.

As Hailey nears the end of her rehab run, she calls out Amelia about her lack of sharing during group. It's an intense scene as Hailey tells Amelia that she didn't kill Ryan. The guy made his own decision to take the drugs. When Amelia bursts out in tears, Hailey knows that it's okay to leave. These two new friends say goodbye. Amelia's parting words to Hailey are "don't use drugs." Haley's last words to Amelia are "let your friends in."

On Day 32 of her rehab stay, Amelia finally lets Sheldon visit her. It's awkward, but Sheldon points out a sign that has a message that's as good as any advice he could ever give. It reads: One Day at a Time. Nine days later, Amelia sits in a room with all of her friends—her family. She doesn't know how to apologize to them, but she does say she wants to try to move forward. She'll also try to never hurt any of them ever again.

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  • The Scourge of Oxycodone Addiction By Noah Evslin, Director of Medical Research  If you watch our show closely, you'll realize it's not the medical treatments that make Private Practice different than other shows on television; rather, it's the ethical debates surrounding the myriad decisions our doctors need to make every week.  I'm going to depart from my regular blog format to talk about the subject that's at the heart of "Who We Are" -- Shonda Rhimes' riveting episode about oxycodone addiction.   A lot of thought (and by thought I mean: discussion, argument, consternation, bickering, and heartbreaking research) went into the creation of this episode because oxycodone addiction is such a crippling epidemic, and it's only getting worse every year.     In 2010, about 12 million Americans (age 12 or older) reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers.  One in 20 Americans (age 12 and older) have used prescription painkillers in a nonmedical manner.  That year, the number of new nonmedical users of Oxycodone aged 12 or older was 598,000, with an average age at first use of 22.8 years among those aged 12 to 49.  The numbers are staggering. And tragic. They are growing larger every year, and they affect all walks of life.  I had a big argument with one of the doctors who consult with the show over having one of our main characters get hooked (and almost die) by using such a potentially dangerous drug (when used incorrectly).  The consultant wasn't upset that a character used drugs on our show, rather, she was upset because that person happened to be a doctor.  A medical professional.  Somebody who should definitely know better.    But, isn't that kind of the point?  Although Amelia's a great doctor, she's no different than anybody else when it comes to the powerfully addictive nature of oxycodone.  And by showing her battle with addiction, as well as her subsequent intervention and treatment, we're showing that it can happen to anybody.    Even you.
  • PRIVATE PRACTICE - "The Breaking Point" - In the second hour or a special two-hour edition of ABC's "Private Practice," THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), entitled "The Breaking Point," Amelia makes the hard decision to enter a rehab facility, and finds strength in an 18 year-old girl, as they both go through the painful detox process. Meanwhile, Cooper's strengthening bond with his son is tested by his allegiance to a patient in need, Pete and Violet's marriage reaches a tipping point, and Addison collapses from her rigorous fertility treatments. (ABC/JORDIN ALTHAUS) CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: GRIFFIN GLUCK, A.J. LANGER, TIM DALY, AMY BRENNEMAN, BENJAMIN BRATT, CATERINA SCORSONE, BRIAN BENBEN, KADEE STRICKLAND, PAUL ADELSTEIN
  • PRIVATE PRACTICE - "Who We Are" -  In the first hour or a special two-hour edition of ABC's "Private Practice," THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) -- entitled "Who We Are" -- the Seaside Wellness group stages an intervention for a defensive and volatile Amelia, who has resurfaced after disappearing on a 12-day drug binge with her boyfriend, Ryan. During the intervention, Amelia mercilessly attacks her friends one-by-one, and Addison, in particular, has trouble seeing her sister-in-law in her present condition. (ABC/MATT KENNEDY) PAUL ADELSTEIN, TAYE DIGGS, AMY BRENNEMAN, KADEE STRICKLAND, BENJAMIN BRATT, CATERINA SCORSONE, TIM DALY
  • PRIVATE PRACTICE - "Who We Are" -  In the first hour or a special two-hour edition of ABC's "Private Practice," THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) -- entitled "Who We Are" -- the Seaside Wellness group stages an intervention for a defensive and volatile Amelia, who has resurfaced after disappearing on a 12-day drug binge with her boyfriend, Ryan. During the intervention, Amelia mercilessly attacks her friends one-by-one, and Addison, in particular, has trouble seeing her sister-in-law in her present condition. (ABC/MATT KENNEDY) TAYE DIGGS, PAUL ADELSTEIN, KADEE STRICKLAND