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351 Burley Ave Lexington, KY 40503 Phone: 859-681-7823 Email: admissions@lexingtonaddictioncenter.com

Signs of Enabling a Loved One’s Addiction

Enabling an addiction can lead to devastating results. Loved ones of people who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse can be unaware. They often don’t know they are exhibiting behaviors that could be harming their loved ones. These behaviors can lead to furthering their addiction, making it difficult for them to begin a life of recovery.

It can also lead to deterioration of health and wellness for the person trying to help the individual who is struggling. There is a fine line between helping and contributing to the addiction. Learning how to be helpful is crucial for friends and family of individuals struggling with addiction.

Recognizing When A Loved One Needs Rehab

Rehab can be a beneficial starting point for people who struggle with addiction to begin their recovery journey. Enabling an addiction only prolongs the pain all parties are experiencing. Identifying and recognizing when a loved one needs rehab can help shorten the road of self-destruction.

Changes in mood, behavior, and overall well-being can be indicative of substance abuse problems, and potentially signify that the individual may need rehab. Encouraging them to get help can coax them in the right direction.

Approaching Them About Detox

Struggling with drug and alcohol addiction is extremely difficult. The individuals who struggle are often also struggling with feelings of shame and guilt that contribute to their continued substance use. Detox can be a crucial first step to them healing and learning to live life without using drugs and alcohol to cope.

Approaching a loved one who is struggling with addiction can be overwhelming. However, doing so lovingly and compassionately can help them to make a decision that can ultimately better their life. 

What is Enabling?

Enabling refers to a set of behaviors that can contribute to or perpetuate another person’s self-destructive behaviors. In the sense of substance abuse, it is common for parents, wives, siblings, or other loved ones to unknowingly enable an addiction within their loved one. This can occur by providing for them financially, bailing them out of trouble, or ignoring problem warning signs. 

Signs of Enabling

The signs that someone may be enabling an addiction include making excuses for inappropriate behaviors or actions, covering up failures and mistakes, providing financial or material support, and helping them to avoid consequences.

Enablers often place the needs of the individual using drugs like opiates and cocaine above their own and avoid needed yet difficult conversations. Setting boundaries may also prove to be extremely difficult. Recognizing these patterns of behavior is crucial for breaking the cycle, and promoting a healthier relationship between the different parties. 

What Are the Effects?

The effects of enabling an addiction can be extremely detrimental to those on both sides of addiction. Not only does it cause havoc and chaos in the life of the individual trying to help, but it also causes damage to the person who struggles with addiction.

These behaviors can perpetuate someone’s addiction by allowing the opportunity to continue self-destructive behaviors. Shielding someone from the consequences of their actions and behaviors can prevent them from seeing the true scope of the problem. This can also prevent them from seeking much-needed help and taking responsibility for their actions. 

Practicing Tough Love and Boundaries

Boundaries can only help promote healing and growth for all parties involved. They can protect the mental health of the person enabling an addiction, allowing them to learn healthy ways of helping their loved one. It is possible to help the person struggling without harming them; it just takes tough love and boundaries.

By standing up and saying that there will no longer be all of these behaviors, no more financial help, no more chaos, the individual using substances inevitably has to face the reality of their actions. 

Examples of Boundaries

Boundaries can be difficult. Therefore, it can be beneficial to know helpful ones to implement that can help create a path to recovery for both sides of addiction. Those struggling with enabling an addiction can begin by ending the financial responsibility they carry at the hands of the addicted loved one.

By not providing the money, paying the bills, or even just putting gas in their car, the person has an interruption in their substance use. 

Signs of Codependency

Codependency is common between those who struggle with addiction and those enabling an addiction. This term refers to a dysfunctional relationship. This occurs when 1 party persistently prioritizes the needs of the other party above their own.

Signs of codependency can include:

  • A deep need or desire for approval from others
  • Patterns of avoiding conflict
  • Excessive worries surrounding the behaviors of a loved one, and
  • An overwhelming fear of abandonment or rejection.

As a result, it can contribute to mental health concerns like depression and anxiety. Addressing the feelings and behaviors can be crucial to beginning the healing process.

Freedom is Possible

Substance abuse and addiction can wreak havoc on the lives of everyone involved. Often, loved ones unknowingly enable the individual’s behaviors. Enabling causes harm not only to the individual who is struggling but also their loved ones.

Encouraging detox can help them to learn to live free of drugs and alcohol. At Lexington Addiction Center we provide a safe and productive environment for people to heal and grow.

Call us and begin a path to a happy and healthy life.

Group or Individual Therapy: Which is Best?

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can occur in different forms. Group therapy and individual therapy are the two main types that can help an individual learn the positive coping skills that are necessary to live a healthy life. 

But which one is best? The answer to this question can be answered through a number of different factors. Each person’s specific needs generally take precedence, and which option is best will depend on the individual and what they aim to achieve. 

Individual Therapy Overview

Individual therapy is a form of talk therapy that takes place during a one-on-one session. A therapist can be a social worker, counselor, psychiatrist, or psychologist.

During sessions, the therapist helps the individual to work through emotions and feelings that may be distressing. It helps the person to learn positive and healthy coping skills to get through situations that could potentially lead to further complications. 

Exploring Therapy Types

There are different types of techniques used during individual therapy sessions that help the person learn these skills. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that helps individuals to identify and change poor thinking that results in negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of one one-on-one therapy that helps those who feel intense emotions to get through their feelings without self-sabotage. It helps teach them how to regulate their emotions. 

Often, individuals who struggle with substance use disorders have experienced some form of trauma in their lives. Whether it be physical or emotional abuse, or the sudden loss of a loved one, trauma can lead to severe impacts to someone’s life. Trauma therapy is a beneficial form of therapy for individuals who have experienced these situations. 

Group Therapy Overview

Group therapy can be beneficial to individuals who feel like they are alone. They provide a space to become educated on healthier ways of handling situational stress. Rather than turning to drugs and alcohol, the experience of peers in a group setting can help the individual to avoid these substances as they arise.

CBT and DBT are techniques that are often used during group sessions. These techniques help to provide group insights into how distressing situations can be handled, healthily, without further impacts to the individual’s lifestyle. 

Family therapy is a beneficial form of group therapy. This helps in situations where the family unit has been compromised. Often, when a loved one struggles with substance abuse and addiction, their actions can take a toll on the structure of the family. These individuals may feel like they’ve caused irreparable damage. However, a group family session can aid in preventing further damage, and help to heal the damage that has occurred.

Individual Therapy Costs

Individual therapy costs can vary greatly. Factors like location, credentials, and therapeutic approach can play a role in the cost of this much-needed help. The cost of individual sessions with a professional therapist can range from $75 to $200 or, sometimes, more. Sometimes, insurance can offset the costs associated with professional therapy. Other times, when insurance isn’t available, there are sliding scales that help offset some of the out-of-pocket costs. 

Group Therapy Costs

Similarly to individual sessions, group therapy costs can vary widely. Location, approach, qualifications, and the focus of the group sessions can play a role in the costs. Generally speaking, though, these sessions can cost between $30-$100 per session, sometimes more.

Again, insurance can help offset these costs, and sliding scales can also help to offset the out-of-pocket costs. These sessions are less personal, with more people, contributing to the lower cost.

Pros and Cons of Individual Therapy

Because individual therapy occurs on a one-on-one basis, the benefits can include the ability to explore deeply personal issues, with a professional, who can help guide an individual through the emotions that can arise. Focused attention provides the ability to create quicker progress.

However, the downside to this personalized attention is the cost. The success of this form of therapy depends on the dynamics and connection between the individual and their therapist. Having someone that can be connected with helps to make the individual feel comfortable enough to get into their deeper feelings and emotions.

Pros and Cons of Group Therapy

Group therapy can offer a form of connection with people who are experiencing similar struggles. It can provide a safe and neutral space to get guidance from others who have undergone a similar circumstance.

However, because it is a group setting, it can be more uncomfortable to share the situation. Those who struggle with drugs and alcohol place themselves in compromising situations that may be difficult to discuss in these settings. 

Find Therapy Today

Therapy is a vital component of the healing process. Individuals who struggle with substance abuse or mental health conditions often need to invest time in themselves and participate in a therapy program.

Individual or group therapy depends on the individual and their needs. If you or a loved one are struggling and need extra help, Lexington Addiction Center is available. We offer help to those individuals who find themselves struggling so that they can begin on a path to recovery.

Call us today and begin your journey to a better life.

Practicing Accountability In Rehab

Accountability is one of the most important parts of life in recovery. Beginning the practice of accountability during rehab can help to improve someone’s daily life. The person entering the recovery world can learn to take responsibility and begin working to change behaviors. Learning how to begin changing the thought processes that led to addiction is vital to living a successful life in recovery.

Accountability can encourage growth and responsibility. It can also repair relationships and recover trust and closeness. Understanding not only what it means to be accountable, but being accountable in recovery is an important part of living life in recovery and free of alcohol and drug addiction. Fortunately, we offer 12-Step programs that teach accountability and relationship repair.

What is Accountability?

But what is accountability, and how does accountability help in everyday life? Webster’s dictionary defines accountability as “the obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions”. Anyone in recovery can say that remaining teachable and accountable has gotten them to the point they’re at. It’s being able to admit wrongs and take responsibility for one’s actions.

Then working to prevent a repetition of those negative behaviors. These are crucial to avoiding negative impacts on someone’s life in recovery. Accountability during rehab can be the beginning step to someone learning how to maintain a level of accountability. As a result, this can be beneficial in recovery. Being able to identify behaviors that could potentially cause harm, or that have caused harm to loved ones, is important for relationship healing.

Accountability during recovery is not only taking responsibility, and apologizing for the behaviors but also changing those behaviors. This is what it means to be accountable, and it also shows loved ones that there is an intention to live a better life. 

What Does It Mean in Rehab?

Many people who suffer from addiction to drugs and alcohol have spent many years making excuses, apologizing, and then returning to the same hurtful, damaging behaviors. Sometimes it’s unintentional. Practicing accountability during rehab can seem futile, as oftentimes loved ones tend to feel like they’ve heard this before and there will be no change.

However, this is where the changed behaviors come in. Holding oneself accountable, taking responsibility, and then working to change the hurtful behaviors is what leads to healing. Accountability during rehab begins with recognizing the wrong and hurtful things that have been done. Identifying this can open the door to change. Accountability in recovery also has a more specific definition where the person becomes transparent with life’s struggles and when things are tough.

Having a support system to talk to and let them know when things are hard, and life is challenging is one way to maintain accountability in recovery. These friends and supports can help to point out where things are lacking and behaviors that could be indicative of relapse. Having a reliable support system in recovery can help to keep someone on a path to recovery and help to avoid relapses from occurring.

How Does Accountability Heal Relationships?

Taking responsibility for and changing behaviors is always the first step to healing relationships that have been impacted. When practicing accountability during rehab, keeping in mind that loved ones may not be very receptive is important. Because the behaviors leading to the damaged relationships caused harm, the pain may still be prevalent.

However, when taking responsibility and apologizing, remember that implementing a plan of action to change the behavior is crucial to begin to heal these fractured relationships. Accountability during rehab can be beneficial because if the loved ones don’t take well to the accountability, there is a buffer there to help as someone begins to process feelings toward the situation. Having a counselor there to be able to express frustration or hurt can be highly beneficial.

Going through the life changes of removing the substances is hard, and then having to address problems caused due to behaviors stemming from those substances can be taxing. However, addressing those things in a safe environment, with a professional who can help work through the negative feelings that may arise is one of the best options. 

Remaining accountable during rehab and after can help to maintain the healing of these relationships that may have been altered or broken during the addiction to drugs and alcohol. The longer someone stays clean and sober, and the more work they put into changing behaviors that could be detrimental to them and those who love them, the more likely they are to have a positive experience with healing relationships.

Begin Healing Today

Substance abuse is a main factor in many broken relationships, as well as feelings of low self-esteem and life problems. Becoming free of these substances and beginning a life of recovery can be one of the best decisions someone can make for themselves.

It can lead to healing relationships and healing the self. If you or a loved one are struggling with substances, Lexington Recovery Center is available to help begin the recovery process.

Call us today.

The Link Between Addiction and Divorce

Those who suffer from addiction to drugs and alcohol tend to have problems in all areas of their lives, and marriages do not go unscathed. The correlation between addiction and divorce can be pretty evident. Spouses tend to be on the receiving end of the addicted person’s frustrations, and this can take a toll on the marriage and potentially lead to divorce if proper help is not received and recovery is not achieved and maintained.

How Addiction Affects Marriages

Loving someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol can take a toll on a person. So can trying to maintain the relationship when it can be pretty apparent that the substances have such a strong hold on the spouse, and the family seemingly comes as a second to them. Feeling like drugs and alcohol come before you in a marriage can make it feel like you don’t matter, or that your spouse doesn’t love you. This can lead to serious arguments.

The longer that the drug and alcohol abuse goes on, the more of a toll it can take on the marriage. Oftentimes, someone who has been abusing drugs and alcohol prior to entering the marriage continues to abuse the substances after marrying. Something led the husband or wife to turning to drugs and alcohol in order to cope. Breaking that cycle can be difficult.

When these unhealthy coping mechanisms continue and progress, the spouse who isn’t suffering with the substance abuse problems can sometimes feel defeated. Resentments can begin to develop, and the marriage can begin to exhibit signs of trouble. Addiction and divorce correlation begins here. There are times when the sober husband or wife tries to stick by their spouse’s side, helping them as they try to get clean and sober. Then, if they relapse, or hide the fact that they are still using and drinking, it can lead to trust issues. There’s many different ways that a correlation between addiction and divorce can be seen.

There is also dissatisfaction in the relationship. If there are marital problems, often it is seen that one or both spouses can turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of coping with the feelings associated with the changes in the relationship. This will only add strain on the relationship, and could lead to both addiction and divorce.

Seeking some sort of counseling or support from people who are going through the same things can be highly beneficial in learning ways to cope with the effects of the addiction on the marriage.

How Addiction Related Divorce Can Affect Children

Unfortunately when addiction and divorce happen, there are often children caught in the middle of it all. They watch as their parents struggle to maintain a civil household, often for the childrens’ sake. This is a time of learning and change for all parties involved- including the kids. The effects of divorce on children can be long term. It can affect their academic performance, due to distraction and confusion surrounding the family dynamic. In such cases, family therapy may be necessary.

The addiction and divorce can also cause feelings of guilt. Oftentimes, children believe the divorce is as a result of something they did. It can be difficult for them to differentiate issues between their parents and issues involving them.

Those who grew up in a household with addiction and divorce also tend to turn to self destructive behaviors. This can mean they participate in criminal activities or abuse drugs and alcohol themselves, to cope coping with the unresolved trauma of divorce.

Can Divorce Lead to Drug and Alcohol Abuse?

Divorce is an emotionally trying experience for anyone going through it. Changes in family structure, the financial stress that comes with lawyers and relocation—they can really pile up. It is common or people to turn to drugs and alcohol to deal with their emotions during divorce. This uptake in substance use can often lead to abuse and dependence. When this happens, it is another problem for the person dealing with the divorce.

Using drugs and drinking can cause more problems, and lead to worse consequences. These unhealthy coping mechanisms often only add fuel to the fire, and make the emotional turmoil worse. In such cases,

Help for Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Lexington, KY

If addiction is affecting your marriage, and you want to change your life, there is help. Professionals are available at Lexington Addiction Center trained in helping you to learn to live life without drugs and alcohol. You don’t have to continue to suffer with addiction, and you can stop the self destructive cycle. Contact us today and let us help guide you to starting a new life.