Compassion vs. Enabling: Where’s The Line?

Busting Addiction and Its Myths

In this podcast, we discuss the subtle difference between compassion and enabling.

We learn that:

1. The disease is so slick and subtle that we can’t tell that addiction is starting its infiltration into our family - the whole family.
2. As parents or spouses of addicts, we will be compelled to be compassionate, but our innocent compassion morphs into enabling, and we can’t tell the difference.
3. We cannot stand the thought that our kid is an addict, so we will avoid the issue or cover it up vigorously for fear of what others think.
4. Then there is the business of desperate enabling which some people get caught up in. They will sacrifice everything, including their self-respect, to shield their loved ones from any serious consequences.
5. Even the savvy recovering person can miss the signs of addiction in a loved one. That said, once one is educated about the disease, and joins a support group like Al-Anon, one can let go in peace.