Love, caring, and compassion are beautiful things. Watching a loved one struggle with something difficult in their life, be it a traumatic experience, an addiction to drugs and alcohol, or related mental health issues, is difficult to do. Caring deeply, we want to try and help our loved one as much as possible. We want to take the pain away, show them hope, put them on the right path, and teach them how to live in a different way. Some of us are capable of doing that only because our loved one allowed us to and chose to change on their own. The rest of us find ourselves having to draw a line at some point. How far are we willing to go to try and help? How helpful are we being? Most importantly, are we being hurt in the process? Simply watching a loved one struggle hurts. However, our hurting loved one might hurt us as well. At some point we have to draw a line between having relentless compassion for our struggling loved one and enabling their behaviors. More specifically, enabling our loved one to continue hurting us in any way. That line is called a boundary.
Can we set boundaries with people who are struggling? The answer is yes. Sometimes, setting boundaries are necessary. People, even our most treasured loved ones, can get lost in their suffering. Either they flat out refuse or lose their capacity to recognize that another way of living is possible- that healing and recovery is possible. We may set boundaries in a general way which helps us maintain our relationship with our loved one. In other circumstances, we may have to set boundaries with our loved one in a way that eliminates a relationship with our loved one until they agree to seek treatment to get help. Boundaries are the way that we create differences in space- that space that is our life, the space our loved one takes up in our life, and the space we fill in their life as well.
Setting boundaries with a struggling loved one, whether those boundaries are flexible or rigid, can be difficult. Treatment programs like the ones offered at The Guest House Ocala provide opportunities for family therapy and family recovery, giving everyone the chance to heal together. If you or a loved one are struggling to cope with trauma, associated addictions, and/or related mental health issues, help is available. Call us today for information on our private treatment programs: 1-855-483-7800