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The Power of Empathy Over Punishment #recoveryjourney #addictionrecovery #jodihildebrandt

10 Feb 2025 · 1 min

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Amber Hollingsworth argues that empathy and providing space (when needed) give people the best chance to overcome addiction. She contrasts this approach with alienation, punishment, and humiliation, which she says hinder recovery; she allows that removing oneself for safety is sometimes necessary but distinguishes that from punitive isolation.

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If you give them empathy and space, that is what gives them the best chances of overcoming addiction. Not alienating them, not punishing them, not humiliating them. All of those things. If what you're really trying to do is help someone with an addiction, do the absolute opposite. Now, sometimes someone who has an addiction is so dangerous and unsafe, you need to get space from them, Right? But that's what you need and that's okay. But that's different than pushing someone away basically, as a punishment and isolation, thinking that that is what is going to help get better. It doesn't.