How to Support Someone With An Addiction – SoloCast with Ben Goresky – Episode #22

“How do I help my sister/uncle/friend with his/her addiction? How can I support them without ‘enabling’ them?”

I get this question all the time, and the answer isn’t simple, so I did a solocast to give this subject the long answer it deserves.

This podcast is for those of you who have a loved-one or a close friend who is struggling with an addiction.


Covered on this episode – How To Support Someone With An Addiction:

  • How to assess how ready someone is to change their behavior
  • Ways to support someone who isn’t yet contemplating quitting
  • How to support someone who is ready to quit and make a change
  • The balance of maintaining relationship while having boundaries
  • Addiction as a physical, emotional, and spiritual illness
  • Treating addiction from a “holistic” perspective
  • The power of environment and social group on an addiction
  • The power of “hitting bottom” and what it means and how it works
  • Interventions and sharing honestly about how someone’s behaviour affects you
  • Stacking factors in an intervention to create a breakthrough for an addict
  • Ego and its relationship to addiction
  • Group recovery and the power of recovering together
  • The power of 12 step programs – Fellowship + Structured Spiritual Program
  • Objections to the 12 step program and classic smoke-screens
  • The core of recovery: Community that supports recovery + spiritual principles
  • Healing trauma as a path to healing the addiction
  • Ayahuasca, Psilocybin, Ibogane and other psychedelics for treating addiction and healing trauma.
  • “The Environmental Cure” and changing location to start over
  • How to leverage your relationship with someone to help them in crucial moments

Resources to explore:

Dr. Gabor Mate’s work

Dr. McCauley’s presentation as addiction as a dis-ease

If you liked this episode, check out these related ones:

Recover from Addiction & THRIVE

The Addiction Doctor Using IV Therapy To Heal Addicts

If you’re dealing with an addiction and want help, reach out for coaching.