One of the aspects of an addiction is with a person who may be enabling. No one really wants to think that they are enabling someone who is battling getting sober from drugs and alcohol, but it happens more than you think. The intention of someone who is enabling their loved one is not to do harm or keep them going down a destructive path. Most of the time someone who enables addictive behaviors has one thought in mind – to help save the life of the person who is suffering.

The question you must ask yourself is if you are really helping them or keeping them from getting the help that they need? There is a fine line in deciding what your role is within their addiction and what your actions could really be doing to prevent their recovery. An addiction affects everyone it comes into contact with and the thing you need to understand is that their addiction is not your fault by any means. You could, however, be an instrumental part of getting them to receive the help they need by looking at a few ways you may be unknowingly enabling them.

Are you giving them money to support their addiction?

You may think that giving them money keeps them safe although giving them money does not guarantee that. Giving them money to pay for their drugs and alcohol regardless of withdrawal or their incessant pleading means they are doing a good job of manipulating you. If they were to overdose or cause harm to someone else would you be able to live with yourself?

Are you downplaying the severity of their addition?

Denial of the situation only means that you are not ready to face the pain that lies ahead with accepting that your loved one has a problem with drugs and alcohol. To truly help them, you must willing to look at what is really going instead of thinking this is not happening to your family. Get real with their addiction and direct them into getting the help that they need.

Are you shielding them from the consequences of their actions in their addiction?

Lying to their employer when they are not showing up for work, taking up for them with other family members, or covering up dents in the car can all be ways that you are keeping them from reaching their bottom. By not comprehending what they are really doing when they are under the influence, you could be unnecessarily protecting them at their own expense. There will come a time when they will have to face the music and they may be blindsided if you continue to enable them.

Enabling a loved one who is unable to stop using drugs and alcohol on their own is never a good idea. Your best bet is to start healing from the effects that an addiction has on the family and that starts with understanding what enabling actually does.  

The Kimberly Center is a treatment center that uses evidence-based methods of recovery to focus on your individuality and inner strength to help you get sober from drugs and alcohol. Your plan of recovery will be customized to fit your background and experience with addiction.

Call us today to begin: 855-4-KCENTER (855-452-3683)