Continued from article posted February 24th. Click here to read Reasons 10 to 6.#5 – Others around you are watching what you’re doing.When we deal with an addict of any kind, there are always ripple effects that occur—positive or negative.Consider a scenario such as this: Your teen or adult child is actively using drugs or other addictive behaviours. If you are enabling this person and you have other children, they will be watching as you ‘favour’ the addict, even while the others are trying to … [Read more...] about Addiction and Codependency: The Top 10 Reasons to Stop Enabling the Addict You Love, Part 2
Addiction
Addiction and Codependency: The Top 10 Reasons to Stop Enabling the Addict You Love, Part 1
We all know that addiction is rampant—it’s a horrific problem for far too many people, all over the world. And even though ‘addiction’ can take many forms, from mind-altering substances to mood-altering behaviours, one thing is for sure: Most everyone on the planet today is either affected by addiction—their own or somebody else’s—or they know someone who is.These days, I work primarily with the loved ones of addicts because that is where the changes need to happen first—or at the very least, in … [Read more...] about Addiction and Codependency: The Top 10 Reasons to Stop Enabling the Addict You Love, Part 1
Sometimes Love Looks Like “No”: When to Set and Maintain Healthy Boundaries
This article was originally posted on October 2, 2013. Is it possible to have a healthy relationship with someone who is in active addiction? What needs to happen for that to occur?If you are in that situation, you have probably wondered about this many times.THE QUESTION OF THE DAYSeveral weeks ago I was interviewed on Talk Recovery radio, a new program on Vancouver’s Co-Op Radio station, dealing with addiction and recovery issues. I was honored to be chosen as their very first guest, and I had … [Read more...] about Sometimes Love Looks Like “No”: When to Set and Maintain Healthy Boundaries
Family Addiction: Are You Affected by Another Person’s Addictive Behaviours?
Are you the loved one of someone struggling with an addiction?Would you like to become part of the solution, instead of staying stuck in the problem?These days, addictive behaviours are so rampant that it’s virtually impossible to imagine how many people are affected by them. Having worked as an Addictions Therapist for over 25 years—with both addicts and their loved ones—what I know today is that for every one addict, there are generally at least 10-20 people directly affected by that person’s … [Read more...] about Family Addiction: Are You Affected by Another Person’s Addictive Behaviours?
Fentanyl – What We Can Do About It
Yesterday someone I know asked me why I wasn’t writing anything on my blog about fentanyl—which has become such a horrific problem lately. Although I had thought a few times about perhaps addressing it, I would stop myself with this thought:“What could I say that hasn’t already been covered in the news? What could I possibly add that would be of any value?”I’m glad my friend challenged me about this, because today I see that I’ve made a mistake by thinking that way. So I’m writing about it … [Read more...] about Fentanyl – What We Can Do About It
