Exposing Enabling Behaviors and 20 Tips for Providing Healthy Support
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Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes' presentation on supporting without enabling delves into the definition and consequences of enabling, its connection to codependency, and strategies to support without enabling, including the concept of scaffolding. Family dynamics in chaotic families often involve roles like the enabler, who denies problems and faces stress, leading to negative consequences for both parties. Enabling behaviors can stem from fear of losing someone, major depression, addiction, and attachment trauma, often seen in children from chaotic environments. Significant adult relationships, addiction, and suicide can trigger enabling behaviors, with enablers feeling powerless and driven by a need for approval. Enabling protects individuals from natural consequences, with enablers making excuses, keeping secrets, and bailing the person out of trouble, often feeling guilty for enforcing consequences. Codependents exhibit enabling characteristics, feeling responsible for others' actions and driven by fear of abandonment, struggling with boundaries, and often feeling guilt when setting them. Effective strategies include setting clear boundaries, encouraging responsibility, and focusing on self-care, while avoiding helicoptering and supporting self-sufficiency. Recovery efforts should balance personal interests, with enablers learning to say no, asking for help, and practicing mindfulness and radical acceptance to restore balance and support recovery without enabling.
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes' presentation on supporting without enabling delves into the definition and co