Our Side of Addiction

There are a lot of terms in the addiction world and on this episode we explore DRY DRUNK. We talk about what it is, how to tell if your loved one is dry drunk, and why learning these terms is an assets when you love an addict. For more info visit ⁠Kinly Society⁠ Get your copy of Amanda's memoir, Living in My Sister's Shadow, ⁠HERE⁠ Join the Kinly Society Collective, an exclusive community...

It is common for the loved ones of addicts to sabotage them. This is true whether or not they are in active addiction. Sabotaging them to stay addicted or sabotaging their recovery so that they return to their addiction. We take a look at whey loved ones sabotage and how it looks. For more info visit Kinly Society Get your copy of Amanda's memoir, Living in My Sister's Shadow, HERE Join th...

Ever wonder how influential environment actually is on addiction? Is it only genetic? Is it only environmental? We take a look at the Rat Park study findings and explore what it means for you and your loved one. Rat Park study was conducted in the late 1970s by Bruce K. Alexander and colleagues at Simon Fraser University in British Colombia, Canada. For more info and resources visit HERE To get yo...

Enabling is an intense and complex topic. What is it exactly and what price do you pay for engaging in enabling behaviors? In this episode, we take a look at this topic. For more information and resources, visit HERE Get your copy of my memoir, Living in My sister's Shadow, HERE

Being in denial feels a lot better than accepting a loved ones addiction. This is because when we are in denial, we don't need to take action. Nothing needs to change. Nothing needs to be confronted. A lot of loved ones of addict struggle with being in denial. Sometimes is temporary and other times it's long-lasting. In this episode, we explore why denial feels like the better option, how...

Summer is the time for fun and lots of activities. We can get caught up in our usual routines of family outings, beach trips, BBQs and summer vacations. The question is: how do we support addiction recovery while still enjoying our usual activities? We explore this topic and apply it to both active addiction and recovery because no matter where your loved one is at, you can support a healthy lifes...

Loving an addict causes lots or resentment. You sacrifice a lot and bring yourself to the edge of your own survival. All for the sake of saving them. For helping them. For making their addiction go away. Yet, nothing works and your efforts are never even acknowledged let alone appreciated. In this episode, we explore resentment. What it is, why you feel it, and what to do about it. For more info v...

Accepting that some one you love has an addiction is jarring and life-changing. Whether that acceptance is slowly developed or all in an instant. It changes you and the way you see them and the future. In this episode, we talk about what it means to accept their addiction and how that impacts you. For more info visit ⁠Kinly Society⁠ Get your copy of Amanda's memoir, Living in My Sister's S...

It's easy to get lured into the chaos of an addict, especially when you love them. Where exactly do they end and you begin? It's starts getting difficult to determine. In this episode, we explore that topic of detaching with love and how to do it without feeling like a horrible person. For more information and resources, visit HERE To get a copy of my memoir, Living in My Sister's Shad...

Is addiction really a disease? In this episode we explore the concept of addiction as a disease rather than a behavior. Why people might consider it under that category and why. For more information and resources visit HERE To get a copy of my memoir, Living in My Sister's Shadow, HERE

There are several treatment options for addiction recovery and there is a process to it. In this episode, we take a look at detox, rehab and outpatient options. The more informed the loved one's of addicts are, the better supported you can feel. For more information and resources visit HERE Get your copy of my memoir, Living in My Sister's Shadow, HERE

As a loved one of an addict, it's easy to feel left out. This is especially true when it comes to the recovery process. What exactly is going on? What should you expect? What should you be looking for? What changes are normal? We take a look at the first 90 days of recovery and answer your questions. For more information and resources, visit HERE Get your copy of my memoir, Living in My Sister...

Trauma is the root of addiction. It's easy to desire to bypass this as a loved one of an addict. However, if the root isn't addressed, the problem can never begin to heal. In this episode, we take a look at why it's important to understand, how it influences addiction, and what we can do to move through it to move forward. For more information and resources, visit HERE Get your copy of...

Addiction and mental health disorders are common dual diagnoses. Mental health disorders can cause an addiction to develop. Addiction can also cause mental health disorders to develop. The issue is that treating one isn't going to address the other. They both need to be treated separately in order for addiction recovery to be successful. For more resources on addiction and support for the love...

The loved ones of addicts often feel out of the loop as it pertains to an addicts recovery process. It can feel frustrating to not know what's going on, what you should be doing, or how your loved one should be behaving. In this episode, we take a look at the first 90 days of recovery. To ensure that you are more informed, more regulated, and connected to the process. For more, visit Kinly Soc...

Self-care? What, are you crazy or something? My loved one is practically dying and you are talking about SELF-CARE?!! Well, that's exactly how I thought when my sister was alive and in her active addiction. It feels impossible and also, wrong to practice self-care during such awful times in life. There is only so much that you are going to be able to do for someone. There is also a breaking po...

Relapse is a terrifying word for the loved ones of addicts. It's one of your top nightmare scenarios. Depending on the addiction, up to 92% of addicts will relapse within the first year of sobriety. Even though it's petrifying to think about, as the loved ones of addicts, it's vital that we start having conversations around the subject. Especially since it's so prolific and conside...

Boundaries is a complicated topic. Not because it's complex but rather because it's difficult. Boundaries itself is straight forward. However, it can feel as though you are punishing or abandoning your loved one with an addiction. It can feel as though you are a bad person for even thinking about boundaries. You stay stuck in a loop for this exact reason. Boundaries are a stability and gui...

Loving an addict means living in a state of chaos and dysfunction. This creates unsafe environments but it also causes the loved ones to abandon their own safety for the sake of addicts. This usually occurs gradually and from a place of self-sacrifice. You think that it is necessary to do this because your loved one is sick right now. They need you to do this for them and you are happy to do so. A...

Communication is challenging for the majority of us. It is especially uncomfortable when you are having to communicate with a loved one who has an addiction. Not only do they intentionally deter you from communicating but it often leads to conflict or pressure that can cause enabling behaviors. In this episode, we take a look at communication with an addict and how to start implementing it without...

What happens when your loved one with an addiction refuses to get help? You offer to get them into treatment but they don't actually go. Even if they initially agree, they evade it in one way or another. This is a difficult and frustrating experience. It can even border infuriating. Let's explore this topic to understand why it happens and what you can actually do in response. For more, vi...

Loving an addict is traumatic. It can also be dangerous. That means physically but also mentally and emotionally. As loved ones of addicts, it's important that we remember to put our safety as a priority. This episode explores the concept of stepping back for the sake of safety, common barriers that you might face, why it's common to ignore the red flags, and how to do it successfully. For...

Alan Marlatt was a clinical psychologist who pioneered relapse prevention and gave us a cognitive behavioral model that differentiates a lapse from a relapse. The difference determines how quickly someone will or will not return to sobriety. Learning about this model helps the loved ones of addicts understand how relapse occurs and how responses determine the length of time spent in active use. Al...

Codependency is prolific when it comes to addiction. The majority of addicts participate in these types of relationship dynamics. Which happen to be highly dysfunctional and dangerous. If there is any change for your loved one to get sober, they HAVE to release codependency. Let's take a look at what it is and what it isn't. For more visit Kinly Society Get your copy of Amanda's memoir...

Guilt, shame and anger are commonly experienced by the loved ones of addicts. We can often feel like these emotions aren't allowed because someone else is going through a difficult time. We can also feel guilty for feeling angry which compounds everything and makes it worse. So, what are you supposed to do? Ignore it? Stuff it down? Stay in a guilt loop? Let’s get into it to not only normalize...