If you were watching television in the 1980s or ‘90s, you probably remember at least one of the many “very special episodes” that were popular on sitcoms. Typically, the show would shoehorn in some hot button topic like racism or drug use, and over the course of one episode they’d attempt to show us why it was bad. The laugh tracks would disappear, the music would turn somber, the studio audience would remain silent, and sometimes one of the starts would appear on screen before the episode to let us know what was coming. The drug-related programs were part of the general trend of trying to convince kids to just say no as part of the war on drugs. No one has done studies on whether these programs were effective at all, but one thing that’s for certain is that they didn’t portray drug use or addiction in the most realistic light.
In 1990, during the second season of the sitcom Saved by the Bell, the character Jessie Spano, an overachieving high school student, is overcome by the pressures of trying to get into Stanford University while trying to keep up with school activities. She starts using caffeine pills, and within a matter of a few days becomes addicted, has a complete meltdown, and miraculously recovers. This despite the fact that in reality, it takes longer than a couple days to become addicted, and caffeine withdrawal symptoms can last for a week. Interestingly, part of this could be attributed to the fact that in the original script, Jessie was hooked on speed, not caffeine pills. Standards and Practices, the censors at NBC, vetoed it, saying speed was too serious for Saturday mornings.
Another popular television show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, also devoted an episode to caffeine pills. Similar to the Saved by the Bell episode, Will Smith’s character is drowning under his school obligations and hides the pills in a vitamin bottle that he stashes in his school locker. His cousin Carlton takes one, believing that they are vitamins, and has a manic episode after which he collapses in the middle of prom. It’s hard to imagine a single caffeine pill having this kind of effect on anyone, considering that your average caffeine pill contains 100 milligrams, which is about the same as you’d get from a cup of coffee.
In another example of the warp speed addiction and recovery trope, a character on Boy Meets World becomes an alcoholic over the course of a week. His friends intervene, and he’s cured by the end of the episode. Even putting aside disbelief about becoming addicted to alcohol that quickly. The character would’ve spent at least a few days suffering from withdrawal symptoms, rather than returning to his usual self as soon as he stopped drinking.
Perhaps these television shows tell us something about why “just say no” ended up being a failure. They wanted us to have a visceral reaction to our favorite characters’ drug use, but in the absence of facts or anything approaching reality, they got at best 30 minutes of emotion and at worst a bit of scathing laughter.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
