Our world is full of addicts. You or one of your loved ones surely fits the bill whether or not admission has crossed the mind much less the lips. Want to help?
The addict listens to his own voice no different than the affluent, the homeless, the young, or the very, very old. So, if you want to help your teen, your teammate, your parent, or your peer, remember, they don’t want to hear your persuasive speech as to why they ought to STOP. They listen to their internal reason for recovering something they sense is lost. Ask them some questions. Stir their thinking. Start hypothetically speaking.
And, remember most addictions are born and bred during the transitions of life. Tune in to your teen. Ask a ton of interested questions during Sunday suppers. Tune in to your peer struggling with his work or with his wife. Addictions are born and bred during times of transition because these times are filled with feelings we’de rather deaden instead of deal with. Addictions are a feelings disorder more than you and I tend to think. The world wants us to categorize addicts as people with a particular problem – a character disorder.
See your problem child as someone hurting and hiding. Change your mind about what is wrong with ’em. Tune in. Grab hold of your own emotions and get ready for some tough love a coming. And, lead with curious questions that cause them to think. Remember, the addict listens to his own ideas no different than you…
BUILT TO LEAD 