In this episode, I chat about the concept of "addiction autopilot"—a term I’ve coined to describe the ingrained, habitual behaviours many of us adopt when living with a loved one struggling with addiction. I discuss how these automatic responses and reactions, like checking a loved ones phone, snooping, yelling or walking on eggshells, may feel necessary but often do more harm than good.

I explain how these behaviours develop gradually over time and become so ingrained that we don’t even notice them, much like other life habits like brushing our teeth or putting our seatbelt on when we get in the car.

The key to breaking out of this cycle is awareness. By recognising these addiction autopilot habits, we can begin the process of unlearning them and replacing them with healthier, more constructive behaviours. While it’s easy to justify these actions in the moment, we need to ask ourselves if they’re truly helping us, our loved ones, or our relationships. I encourage you to show yourself compassion and take responsibility for your own well-being by cultivating new, healthy habits—just as we hope our loved ones will do in their own recovery and wellbeing journeys.

Tune in to learn how to identify and shift out of addiction autopilot and regain control of your life and see the ripple effect in those around you.

Show Notes:

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