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In this podcast, the producer of our podcast series, Tony, asks the following question:

Why is my loved one like this?

1. Addiction often isn't recognised until it's too late to prevent it from taking hold. By the time it rears its ugly head, it has already caused confusion and anxiety.
2. Family members will often attribute their loved one's behaviour to causes that they can relate to other than the addiction itself. They will cite stress, a new job, a troubled marriage and so on as underlying causes.
3. Further, addiction is often not recognised as a compulsive disease that the addicted person has no control over. Instead, it is seen as a moral weakness that can be corrected.
4. Irrational and self-destructive behaviour needs to be addressed as a sign of addiction and not be dismissed. The sooner the family recognises that truth with the help of a trained counsellor, the sooner they can help the addict get the help they need.

Shame and denial are companions that prevent a family from taking the action needed to make progress against an addictive disorder. Education on the nature of addiction is therefore the first step in healing.