Struggling to get a family member in to an addiction program in Los Angeles? It’s time to consider that your enabling may be standing in their way. Enabling is simply the act of providing resources or opportunity to make living in the disease simpler for the addict.
Often, when family and friends believe they are “helping” an addict, they are actually allowing the disease to take firmer hold. So, what’s the difference between “helping” and “enabling?” Helping is simply doing something for someone that he or she incapable of doing themselves. Enabling is doing stuff for another person that they can and should be doing themselves . Enabling means one thing – that is the addict ultimately avoiding the consequences of his or her actions. As long as the addict knows that no matter how badly she or he screws up, someone will be standing by to pick up the pieces, it is quite easy to deny that a problem even exists. Only when the addict is forced to face consequences, will the addict realize that they have a serious problem which requires drug or alcohol addiction help.
Enabling includes things such as paying bills, excusing behavior and providing them with shelter and food. Ask yourself the following questions, to learn if you’ve been unknowingly contributing to the addict’s problem:
Have you ever called in sick on behalf of the addict.
Do you avoid conversations about the addicts behavior because you’re afraid you’ll “upset” him or her?
Have you ever bailed the addict out of jail?
Have you ever paid the addict’s household bills or loaned him or her money?
Have you finished a project, job or homework for the addict?
If you answer “yes” to any of the questions, you’ve been enabling your loved ones addiction. Preventing a person from the consequences of their actions is not helpful to that person in the long run. Allowing an addict to hit rock bottom may ultimately save their life. Standing firm and no longer enabling the user won’t be easy. Read recovery testimonials California, and lean about how former addicts have overcome their addictions and are leading happy, healthy lives thanks to California rehab centers. The sooner you stop enabling, the sooner they’ll know they have a problem that needs to be faced.