When Cutting Off an Addicted Loved One Isn’t About Them Anymore

There’s a question families ask every single day when addiction enters their lives:

“Should I cut them off?”

It sounds simple, but underneath that question is fear, guilt, exhaustion, anger, grief, hope, and sometimes desperation. Families are often told that “tough love” is the answer — that if they finally stop helping, stop answering calls, stop rescuing, their loved one will finally hit rock bottom and choose recovery.

But what if that’s not actually true?

What if cutting someone off isn’t a recovery strategy at all?

What if it’s something entirely different?

This conversation matters because families dealing with addiction are often carrying impossible emotional weight. They’re trying to protect themselves while also wondering whether every decision they make could either save or destroy someone they love.

The Truth About “Tough Love” and Addiction

The biggest misconception around addiction recovery is the ...

Rebuilding Intimacy After Addiction: How to Restore Emotional and Physical Connection in Recovery

By Amber Hollingsworth
*Featuring Matt & Sherry Ali from the Intoxicated Podcast

Addiction doesn’t just impact the person struggling—it shakes the foundation of the relationship they’re in. One of the most common challenges couples face in recovery is figuring out how to restore emotional and physical intimacy after addiction has created distance, resentment, and mistrust.

Today, I’m thrilled to share insights from Matt and Sherry Ali, co-hosts of the Intoxicated Podcast, who have walked this path themselves. Matt is in long-term recovery from alcohol use disorder. Together, they’ve faced—and overcome—the unique challenges of rebuilding intimacy after addiction.

They’re here to talk openly about sexual desire discrepancies, emotional safety, and practical steps any couple can take to reconnect.

The Hidden Struggle: Sexual Desire Discrepancy in Recovery

According to Matt and Sherry’...

When Your Sibling is Addicted: A Different Kind of Heartbreak

Most discussions about addiction focus on the perspective of the person struggling or their immediate family—typically a parent or spouse. But today, we’re shifting the lens to an often-overlooked perspective: the sibling of an addicted person.

Having a brother or sister battling addiction is a completely different experience. Your response, emotions, and challenges are unique compared to those of a parent or spouse. Whether you grew up with an addicted sibling or their addiction emerged in adulthood, the impact on you is profound.

As a seasoned addiction counselor and someone who comes from a family with addiction, I understand this firsthand. I’ve avoided this topic for a long time because of its deeply personal nature, but today, we're diving in.

The Unique Challenges of Having an Addicted Sibling

Every sibling relationship is different, but addiction throws in additional layers of complexity. Your experience may b...