Loving someone with an addiction is incredibly difficult and heartbreaking. Of course, you want to help them, but you also have to protect yourself. And as you probably already know, that can be very, very challenging.Ā Keep reading to discoverĀ crucial tips on avoiding the top three most common boundary mistakesāand what to do instead.
These top three boundary mistakes might not be what youāre expecting, so stay with meāthereās logic behind them.
When you love someone with an addiction, their substance use impacts not just them but you, too. Itās completely natural to want to control their behavior in an attempt to shield yourself from the chaos. This often leads to setting too many boundariesārules about what they can and cannot do, expecting them to comply.
But hereās the catch:Ā boundaries are about what you will and wonāt accept, not a...
Loving an addict or alcoholic can make you feel like you're losing your mind. While "crazy" may not be a clinical term, it's the only word that captures the emotional chaos so many of us experience in these situations. You lose yourself, your sense of stability, and sometimes, even your identity. If this resonates with you, know you're not aloneāand you're in the right place.
Iām Amber Hollingsworth, a master addiction counselor with over 20 years of experience. On my YouTube channel, I aim to help families navigate the impact of addiction. We will unpack the emotional toll of loving someone with addiction, the mental rollercoaster youāre on, andāmost importantlyāhow to start reclaiming your sanity.
When you're closely connected to someone struggling with addiction, your emotional brain (your limbic system) syncs up with theirs. It's almost magnetic. Ever notice how being around anxiou...
Addiction isnāt a one-size-fits-all situation. It exists on a spectrum, with a gray area between casual use and full-blown addiction. This "gray area thinking" is where many people find themselvesānot sure if their substance use is problematic, yet not identifying as an addict or alcoholic. If that resonates with you, youāre in the right place.
In todayās blog, weāll explore gray area thinking, how it differs from gray area drinking, and what you can do if youāre navigating this confusing middle ground.
Gray area thinking often involves conflicting feelings about your substance use. You may:
Youāve probably heard all the buzz about Ozempic, hailed by many as a breakthrough weight-loss drug. But did you know its active ingredient, semaglutide, might also hold promise in a completely different areaāaddiction? Thatās right, folks are buzzing about its potential to curb addictive behaviors, and while thereās no published research on it just yet, the anecdotal evidence is piling up. Letās dive in.
Semaglutide works by mimicking a hormone that helps you feel full faster, which is why itās so effective for weight loss. But hereās where things get interesting: countless users on platforms like Reddit are claiming that the drug has unexpectedly helped them reduce or eliminate other behaviors, from drinking and smoking to compulsive shopping and even skin-picking.
While these are just personal stories (not hard science), the consistency of these experiences is enough to make you wonderācou...
Ā
Supporting someone struggling with addiction is one of the toughest roads to walk. You love them, you care for them, and you want to help them through this dark journey. But letās be real: youāre exhausted, anxious, and maybe even resentful. You're running on fumes, and then you stumble upon advice to āstay positiveā or ālisten more patiently.ā And you think to yourself, "How am I supposed to do that when Iāve got nothing left to give?"
Youāve probably heard the saying: āYou canāt pour from an empty cup.ā And right now, your cup is bone dry. In this guide, weāre going to talk about how to refill your emotional reserves so you can continue being the supportive, loving person you want to be. Your needs matter, too.
Iām Amber Hollingsworth, a Master Addiction Counselor, and on my YouTube channel, Put The Shovel Down, I focus on both perspectives: the person dealing with addic...
Too often, we move through our days on autopilot, never stopping to reflect on the motivations behind our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. But what if you took a few moments each day to pause, reflect, and ask yourself three transformational questions? These questions can unlock self-awareness, help you grow personally, and strengthen your relationships.
Whether you're on a personal recovery journey or navigating family recovery, self-awareness and self-honesty are essential for lasting change. These daily reflections will challenge you to get honest with yourself and build the habit of integrity over time.
Here are the three powerful questions to ask yourself every night.
Resentment can quietly build, turning into self-pity and leading to poor decisions. Itās like a low-level anger that simmers under the surface. Identifying resentment is critical for personal growth and recovery ...
5 Signs You Might Be Enabling Your Loved Oneās Addiction
Enabling goes beyond simply paying someoneās bills or letting them stay under your roof. Itās a deeper, more complex dynamic that can keep your loved one stuck in unhealthy patterns. In this post, weāll walk through five major signs that you might be enabling someone struggling with addiction. Think about each sign as you readādoes it resonate with your experience?
If you're here, you're likely concerned that you might be enabling someone you care about.Ā
So, letās explore the five signs that you might be enabling:
1. Shielding Them from Natural Consequences
If your loved one isnāt facing the natural outcomes of their actions, they might not see a reason to change. Natural consequences happen when someoneās actions lead to logical results, like missing work and getting fired. On the other hand, punishment is something you impose in response to bad behavior. By stepping in and fixing their problems, they might feel like every...
50% Complete
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.