Amber Hollingsworth argues that trying to reduce someone's substance use can backfire by making them think they don't have a problem. Instead, let them face the consequences of their use so they can recognize the issue themselves.
Stop trying to slow down their substance use. Okay, don't freak out, because I know you're thinking, what? That's the whole goal. No, it's not the goal. The goal is to get them to realize that they have a problem. And if you are doing things that it's getting it to sort of pull back a little bit, you're slowing down the process. The goal in this stage isn't to slow down the drinking, slow down the using, get it more under control. Because ultimately, you and I both know that the slowing it down and getting under control isn't going to work. And if for some reason you help someone to slow it down and get it under control for five minutes, then they're going to go backwards into the denial and they're going to say, okay, see if there's that problem. Like, I totally agree. All week long. So it is hard as a family member to say, I'm not trying to make it better in that way. But you're not. What you want to happen is you want to let them drink and use and do whatever they're going to do like they want to do.
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