Enabling
3 episodes tagged "Enabling".
Stop putting pillows at the bottom of their pit
Are you helping them, or are you just getting in God's way? Let's talk about the hard truth of the Prodigal Son. 🛑📖 Look at Luke 15. When the prodigal son squandered his life, his father didn't chase him down. He didn't send him a Venmo payment or negotiate with the pigs. He let him hit rock bottom. The text says he only "came to his senses" because he was starving. If the father had sent a care package, the son never would have come home. Sometimes, your "help" is the exact thing preventing their repentance. God is trying to use rock bottom to wake them up, but you keep putting pillows at the bottom of the pit. It's time to step back and let God do His work. 💬 Let me know in the comments: Have you ever had to let someone you love hit rock bottom? How hard was it? 👇 If you needed to hear this today, hit that LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE for more raw truth on faith, boundaries, and breaking toxic cycles.
Are You Accidentally Helping an Addict?
🚨 Enabling isn’t “helping”… it’s handing your addict a shovel so they can dig their own grave while you clap for them. In this episode of Sober Psychology, we’re tearing the mask off enabling—those “supportive” behaviors that really just shield addicts from the fallout they need to face. Covering your spouse’s hangovers, lying to your boss for them, even buying drugs so your kid doesn’t get ripped off? That’s not rescuing. That’s playing co-pilot in their crash landing. Pop psychology likes to dress this up as “rescuing.” Nah. Let’s call it what it is: a toxic tango where you’re holding your addicted loved one steady just enough so they can keep spiraling. And here’s the kicker—this isn’t just about them. Enabling is deeply tied to codependency, that vicious cycle Melody Beattie broke down in Codependent No More, where your entire sense of worth gets tangled up in “fixing” someone who doesn’t want to be fixed. If you’re feeling that sting in your chest right now, good. It means this episode is for you. Because until you see enabling for what it really is, you’re not helping them recover—you’re helping them relapse. 💬 Comment below if you’ve caught yourself enabling without realizing it.
Enabling: The Toxic 'Help' That's Hurting Your Loved One's Recovery | Episode 45
Hey, you beautiful people! It’s Michael, your Sober Psychology host, back with a gut-punch episode, "Enabling: The Toxic 'Help' That's Hurting Your Loved One's Recovery." We’re diving deep into what enabling really is—spoiler: it’s not love, it’s letting bad behavior slide, especially for alcoholics and addicts. From covering up their messes to bailing them out, I’m exposing why your "help" might be their downfall, backed by psych research and some Alcoholics Anonymous wisdom. Expect raw truths, a few dark laughs, and practical steps to stop enabling and start supporting for real. If you’re in recovery or love someone who is, this one’s a must-watch. Smash that like button, subscribe, and share with someone who needs this wake-up call. New episodes drop weekly on YouTube and Spotify—let’s break the cycle together! References Beattie, M. (1986). Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself. Hazelden Publishing. Thomas, E. J., et al. (2004). Enabling behavior in a clinical sample of alcohol-dependent clients and their partners. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 26(4), 269-276. Rotunda, R. J., & O'Farrell, T. J. (1997). Marital and family therapy of alcohol use disorders: Bridging the gap between research and practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28(3), 246-252. (Related to enabling review) Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. (2021). What Is Enabling? Retrieved from https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/enabling-fact-sheet Verywell Mind. (2024). Enabler Behavior: Motivations, Signs, Impact, and Strategies. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/enabler-behavior-motivations-signs-impact-8602260 WebMD. (2024). Signs You're Enabling a Loved One's Addiction. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/features/addiction-enabling-a-loved-one Healthline. (2019). Enabler: Definition, Behavior, Psychology, Recognizing One, More. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/enabler American Addiction Centers. (2025). How to Stop Enabling Your Loved One's Addictions. Retrieved from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/how-to-stop-enabling Resurgence Behavioral Health. (2024). How Enabling Affects Addiction Recovery. Retrieved from https://resurgencebehavioralhealth.com/blog/enabling/ St. Joseph Institute. (n.d.). Afraid to Love: The Enabling Dilemma. Retrieved from https://stjosephinstitute.com/blog/afraid-to-love-the-enabling-dilemma/ Al-Anon Family Groups. (2017). Mothering or Enabling? Retrieved from https://al-anon.org/blog/mothering-or-enabling/ English Mountain Recovery. (2025). Understanding the Difference Between Supporting and Enabling. Retrieved from https://englishmountain.com/blog/understanding-the-difference-between-supporting-and-enabling/ Addiction Center. (2025). What Is an Enabler? Retrieved from https://www.addictioncenter.com/treatment/stage-intervention/what-is-an-enabler/