It’s easy to think of dependence and addiction as synonymous terms. After all, they are both used to describe someone who struggles with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). But the truth of the matter is that these terms are distinctive and it’s important to know the difference. Let’s review these terms and go over some quick self-assessments to gauge where you stand.
Tag: alchohol addiction
Generational Addiction and Epigenetics—How Family History Affects Substance Use
Genealogy and epigenetics both play a substantial role in a person’s relationship with addiction. Researchers are discovering that the age-old saying “nature versus nurture” is more accurately “nature and nurture.” The two concepts work simultaneously to create who we are as people both consciously and on a molecular level. Generational addiction and epigenetics not only account for proclivities people are born with but proclivities towards substance use that people develop in their upbringing. An individual may be predisposed to addiction at birth or it may be ingrained in them through their environment or how they were raised. Let’s discuss how these two concepts relate to addiction—sometimes in tandem.
5 Signs You’re Enabling a Loved One and Their Addiction
An enabler is someone who encourages or otherwise supports negative behavior. Some may do this willingly or unknowingly with good intentions. After all, enabling someone can look a lot like empowering them, and it can even start off that way. But empowering someone without giving them the room to build the skills for independence can quickly become a situation of enablement. Let’s discuss some of the ways unyielding support can become a problem of unhealthy enablement.