Tanya and Jerry Gioia
Tanya Gioia
When is helping your addicted loved one harming them?
When is helping your addicted loved one harming them?
When is helping your addicted loved one harming them?
Monday 4th September 2023
Explore the fine line between helping and harming an addicted loved one with practical advice from Sober on Purpose.
11 minutes
Informative
Compassionate
Supportive
Honest
Engaging
About this podcast
Author:
Tanya and Jerry Gioia
Overview:
Categories:
Sobriety Toolkit
Family Recovery from Addiction
Navigating Challenges in Recovery
Sexual Empowerment & Identity
Creative Recovery Journeys
Links:
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Episodes:
318 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Are You Helping or Harming Your Addicted Loved One?
Episode Overview
- Understand the difference between helpful and unhelpful help.
- Evaluate whether your actions support or undermine your loved one's independence.
- Create open communication about family responsibilities.
- Consider the impact of your support on self-esteem.
- Gain practical strategies to improve family dynamics.
"Is this something they can do for themselves, or is it something they don't want done in the first place?"
When is helping your addicted loved one actually harming them? That's the tricky question tackled in this episode of Sober on Purpose. Hosts Jerry and Tanya, who have walked the rocky road of addiction and recovery themselves, bring a refreshing mix of empathy and experience to the table. They explore the fine line between offering support and inadvertently taking away someone's agency.
The episode is a thoughtful examination of what it means to provide 'unhelpful help'—those actions that might seem supportive but actually undermine a loved one's ability to manage their own life. Tanya shares her personal struggle with wanting to serve and care for her family, often through acts of service, and how she realised that sometimes, less is more. By recounting her own experiences, she highlights the importance of recognising when help turns into harm.
She discusses how making decisions for someone else can inadvertently communicate that they are not capable of handling their own affairs, thus stripping them of their independence. The episode offers practical advice, like creating a list of tasks where your help feels frustrating rather than rewarding, and evaluating whether these are things your loved ones can or should do themselves. It's a call to examine unspoken family rules and to foster open communication about responsibilities.
With humour and honesty, Tanya encourages listeners to consider the impact of their actions on their loved ones' self-esteem and independence. If you've ever wondered whether your support is truly helpful, this episode offers valuable perspectives and real-life strategies to rethink your approach. Tune in for insights that could transform how you relate to those struggling with addiction—and maybe even give you a few hours back in your week.