When family and friends try to help those with alcoholism, they might be making it easier for them to continue in progression of the disease and disorder that is alcoholism. Enabling takes many forms, but generally allows the person with alcoholism to avoid consequences. Learn more about enabling behaviors and how to heal.
What is Enabling
As long as a person with alcoholism is enabled, they will continue to drink because they deny a problem exists. Most problems are being solved by enablers around the individual so they don’t ever face real life consequences for their actions. It will finally sink in how deep the problem goes. Some choices are not easy for friends and families of alcoholics. If the person with alcoholism drinks away their money, then they are not the only one who lives with the ramifications. The rest of the family suffers right along with them.
Choices
The only option for families who are struggling with a loved one who has addiction is to not allow them to continue the behavior without consequences. Letting them face the hard parts of addiction is what is going to often lead to their making better choices. Detachment with love is hard but it is the best kind of love to offer a loved one with addiction. Unless the person with addiction faces consequences, they will never see the harm they cause them self and others.
Seeking Help
Those closest to a person with alcoholism believe if they can get them to stop drinking, it solves their problems. They may attempt a family intervention to ‘solve the problem.’ many families find even if a person with alcoholism or addiction quits and gets into recovery, the problem continues. For families dealing with either an active or recovering person with addiction, there are resources available. Treatment programs can help address issues of alcoholism that involve family counseling. The following are great ways to find help for addiction and enabling behaviors:
- Therapy, both alone and with family
- Support groups
- Community recovery groups with family
- Treatment centers with a holistic approach
- Medication for mental health issues alongside treatment for addiction
In partnership with a family, people can often begin to heal old wounds that may have lead to addiction and poor choices to begin with. The reality is that everyone needs love and support of family ad friends to begin healing from addiction. Nobody does it alone.
Oceanfront will help you kick addiction to the curb with our premier beachfront community in Laguna Beach. We are founded on the principle of providing the best in care and services at affordable prices. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 877-279-1777
