Addiction is often seen as a family disease, because it doesn’t only affect the health and wellbeing of the addict abusing drugs or alcohol but also the people closest to them as well. Despite this, family members may often unintentionally allow their loved ones addiction to continue and flourish. This is called enabling, which happens when an addicts partner, family member or even friend confuses the love they have for their individual by thinking they are helping them beat their addiction but in fact they are actually inadvertently encouraging it.
Addiction is a disease that will only get worse the longer it’s left untreated. Most times, the enabler might not even know that they are allowing their loved one’s drug and alcohol problem to become more severe than what it already is So, are you enabling your loved one’s addiction? Continue reading and let’s find out. There are various reasons why people become enablers of their loved one’s addiction. For example, they could be acting out of love or loyalty for the individual or they might even feel that they do not want to make the person upset by confronting them about the alcohol or drug use, especially if the addict acts violently.
If the drug addict or alcoholic is the breadwinner in the household, it makes it even tougher to intervene because of the financial importance they have for a family. Also, keeping it a secret from others due to the shame and embarrassment associated with it also keeps many addicts out of rehab. However, the two biggest reasons why people enable a loved one’s addiction the due to fear and denial that their loved one is addicted to drugs and alcohol. They simply don’t want to believe that this illness is happening to them.
The Signs of an Enabler
Here’s how you can tell if you are enabling your loved ones addiction or not:
- Do you control the addict and treat them like a child?
- Do you blame the problems in your relationship on the addict?
- Do you expect you loved one’s addiction to simply disappear by itself?
- Do you give your loved one money for drugs or alcohol?
- Do you allow the addict to use drugs or drink alcohol in your house?
- Do you avoid confronting your loved one about their addiction?
- Do you think that there is no problem present, despite seeing what drugs and alcohol is doing to your loved ones health and wellbeing?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then it could be a clear sign that you are enabling your loved ones addiction. Remember, it doesn’t matter if you think you are trying to help or not, the fact that your loved one hasn’t gotten any addiction treatment for their drug or alcohol problem is wrong. The best and safest way to treat any addiction is by admitting your loved one in to a rehab centre, where they will receive supervised medical care, counselling and therapy to help them overcome this and achieve long term recovery.
For access to the best private rehab centres in South Africa, we can provide you with immediate access into a addiction treatment centre near you.