It’s possible to help them.
And it’s possible for you to feel better — even when they’re using.
It’s natural for parents to want to help a child who’s experiencing a serious health issue. But when it comes to substance use and addiction, parents are often told that helping-is-enabling and enabling-is-bad. This cautionary advice can contribute to suffering on the part of the parent who wishes to support their child during a period of vulnerability. The choice essentially becomes to go all in (and enable) or detach and watch from a distance. Thankfully, there is a different approach that falls between these two positions. I help parents discover this space within the framework of a model called Community Reinforcement and Family Training or CRAFT.