We all know how rampant addiction has become – we see it all around us and hear about it in our news nearly every day. Mostly, our society focuses on mind-altering addiction, consisting of drugs and alcohol. There are also many other kinds of mood-altering or process addictions, which are more behavioural in nature such as gambling, smoking, overspending, eating disorders, and sex addiction of various types.
Millions of families all over the world are grappling with some sort of addiction these … [Read more...] about Family Addiction Counselling:
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Helping vs. Enabling
Family Addiction Counselling:
Denial and Addiction: Becoming Aware of the Inner Voice that Leads to Self-Destruction
Anyone who has been around 12-Step programs for any length of time has inevitably heard the old saying “Denial is more than a river in Egypt.” Indeed, when it comes to addictive behaviours of any sort, denial is definitely a whole lot more than a slogan. It is often the underlying dynamic that keeps an addiction active, even when the addict really wants to stop the behaviour. In this newsletter, I will discuss the role of denial in addiction, and the staggering impact it can have when someone … [Read more...] about Denial and Addiction: Becoming Aware of the Inner Voice that Leads to Self-Destruction
Coming Out of Our Comfort Zones: Recovery From Addiction
I believe that every person on this planet, without exception, uses at least one addictive behavior designed to distract them from having to deal with difficult feelings and painful situations. As controversial as that statement may be for some people, I stand by it. The Most Common “Comfort Zones” In my experience, both personal and professional, I have seen this over and over again. There are a great many options we can select from in order to cover up our discomfort; the most common in our … [Read more...] about Coming Out of Our Comfort Zones: Recovery From Addiction
How to Support Your Addict in Healthy Ways
It’s important to be able to distinguish between unhealthy messages you may be giving the addict in your life (enabling) and healthier messages (helping). Otherwise, we can run the risk of keeping the addicts we love stuck in their addiction. … [Read more...] about How to Support Your Addict in Healthy Ways
Holding the Addict in Your Life Accountable
When we don’t hold an addict accountable for their unhealthy behaviours, we prepare them for a world that doesn’t exist. They begin to believe that they can act in whatever ways they choose and get away with that. It can be a huge shock when they are held accountable by the societal systems that are in place – for example, being fired, arrested or incarcerated. We can actually love the addicts in our lives by setting – and maintaining – appropriate, respectful boundaries, so they can see that … [Read more...] about Holding the Addict in Your Life Accountable
