How Families Enable Addiction

Drug and alcohol addiction has the ability to ruin family life from the inside out, in addition to a number of social, economic and legal issues. Though the impact on the individual and surrounding family differs with each situation, the problem does not discriminate according to race, class, or gender. In this entry, we will take a close look at some common enabling behaviors.

Financial

Any form of drug or alcohol addiction comes with a financial burden. Whether financial troubles stem from an inability to maintain employment or the diminished income due to excessive use, the problem remains the same. If an individual loses their job due to addiction, they may be required to seek financial aid from parents, siblings and friends. Though it is natural for loved ones to wish the addict success, continuing to bail them out will only serve to perpetuate the cycle.

Long story short: An addict without reason to quit using will not stop until they have one.

Silence

Some family members may enable addiction by hiding the issue from others within the family circle. A sister who is aware of her brother’s drug addiction but who neglects to inform her parents is enabling the abuse to continue. Choosing to hide or ignore the issue from those who may take action prohibits the issue from obtaining the attention in requires, but does nothing to solve the problem.

Your family member does not need time… They need HELP.

Denial

Many types of enabling are complicit or even overt and proactive, but denial is another characteristic of loved ones who enable addiction. By choosing to deny or ignore the issue, family members only fan the flames of addiction. Denial is both a trick and mechanism of the addict and/or codependents, used to divert attention from the issue at hand. 

Intervention Types

Intervention is a response to a person and situation that require exterior help. Common reasons for intervention include: extreme depression and suicidal tendencies; drug and alcohol abuse; eating disorders; and other serious life issues that pose negative influence on the individual in question. A variety of intervention strategies can be utilized, each of which we will cover in the entry below.

Emergency Intervention

A crisis or emergency intervention takes place when a person poses an immediate threat to themselves of others. This intervention type is typically performed without much planning by friends and family members. Loved ones of the subject understand the immediate danger, confront the person in a loving and time-efficient manner, and transport them to a treatment facility of hospital to begin recovery.

Family Intervention

Family interventions occur in cases where loved ones communicate their concerns to the subject in an honest and open manner. Unlike a crisis intervention, the loved ones plan exactly when, where and how to confront the individual about their behaviors. This confrontation involves communications in a loving and non-judgmental fashion, while making certain to convey a need for treatment.

Teen Intervention

Personality, maturity and age must all be taken into account when considering a teen intervention. These intervention types can prove more delicate than others due to the confrontational and rebellious nature of some adolescents. In many cases, you may consider seeking the aid of an interventionist to assist you throughout the intervention planning and implementation process to help ensure a positive experience. 

Family Intervention – A How-To Guide

Each and every family keeps its own unique dynamic; the specifics of which are largely dependent upon the personalities of the members within. When a single member is struggling with a particularly difficult obstacle, it is crucial to rally around that person to help ensure a positive and successful outcome. In this entry, we will discuss how to properly plan and implement a family requested intervention with a healthy dose of love, care and forethought.

Instructions

1 – Plan ahead. Get in touch with the individual’s close friends and family members well in advance to ensure they are able to attend the intervention. This will work to ensure that a strong and determined support system is in attendance once the intervention is unveiled.

2 – Contact a professional interventionist to organize and moderate the event. These individuals can help direct you throughout the planning process, while serving as an authoritarian figure during the actual intervention. Dealing with an intervention can be stressful enough without the burden of catering to everybody else’s concerns and questions. An interventionist will be able to ease these stresses, while asserting a dominant role outside of the family dynamic.

3 – Make certain that the individual in question will be at the designated meeting spot at the specified time. When requesting their attendance, you may be forced to be a little vague… but know that this serves only the greater good. Long story short, do not tell your loved one about the upcoming intervention!

4 – Hold the intervention. Provide each participant the opportunity to communicate their concerns with love, respect, and confidence. Avoid any blame, negativity or personal character attacks. Remember that the point of the intervention is to help, not hurt.

5 – Do your best to reach a positive outcome. Whether the individual agrees to treatment, rehab, or another serious lifestyle change, the goal should always be to leave the intervention in a better position than prior to it. 

Take the exit as a new opportunity!

Always remember there are options, and choice in life. And with the proper support system, and motivation you will find the exit!

You Will Be Okay

Simple words that mean soo much more -

 and sometimes we just need someone to tell us we will be okay