We’re going to break down what is enabling behavior for an addiction and how it builds up and how it can be avoided. Enabling behavior for any addiction either of your partner or your child is any kind of behavior that pushes and encourages them more into that addiction. Experts believe addiction to be a symptom and not a problem. There is some cause or person behind an addiction that enables it.
How Can You Avoid It?
We will be addressing how you can avoid enabling behavior and assist your partner or your child in recovery. In relationships where the recovering patient is your child the dynamics of recovery and enabling behavior differ from that of a partner. It is considered a parent’s duty to appeal to the adult in a child and assist in recovery whereas it is not so in case of a romantic relationship. Recovery differs from person to person and required efforts from all sides, the patient and their partner or family. If they believe it to be the task of the person only, they are more likely to relapse without emotional and mental support.
Enabling behavior that usually goes unnoticed is clinging to an old family dynamic. Questioning the patient’s actions, acting suspicious and making them feel untrustworthy are some of the forms of disguised enabling behavior. These only go away when each member of the family or the partner introspects themselves and not just the person recovering from an addiction.
Enabling behavior could be anything like lack of empathy, lack of support for the person recovering and of course the old behavior from the time the person was addicted. Sometimes habits like arguing, rude comments stick around even after the person is no longer addicted. When these habits come up again during sobriety, they may be perceived as enabling behavior and may cause relapse. Being supportive is as essential and being open to change.
Get Expert Help From Mallard Lake Detox
When it comes to helping in your child’s or partner’s recovery from any addiction, experts believe the most important factor is being flexible, accommodating and open to change. Old behaviors and norms of the family will need to change as the person under recovery is no longer the same as the one under addiction. It must be recognized that they are making a effort for a healthier life and with realistic expectations and a healthy environment, relapses are cut to a minimum.