What to Disclose to Family Members About Your Addiction - a podcast by Robert Weiss, PhD, MSW and Tami VerHelst
from 2022-03-18T16:02:42
In this episode, Dr. Rob and Tami answer questions about what to disclose to family members, what dissociations are, and how to get to telling the truth faster. They also highlight that despite the fact that they enjoy answering these questions, their treatment programs can really help someone in active addiction get unstuck.
TAKEAWAYS:
[:25] I’m in the early hypersexual stage of my journey. Am I postponing his recovery by continuing to have regular sex with my SA husband?
[1:30] Dr. Rob has a message for every spouse that has been cheated on.
[2:50] Tami also asks what the husband is doing for his own recovery. Being a substitute for his fantasy does not help.
[4:30] Can you share some best practices of who and what can we disclose to our family and friends for emotional support?
[5:40] Dr. Rob advises against talking about this to family members. He shares why and some best practices.
[9:30] He also talks about their treatment programs online. He asks listeners to be fair with their expertise and level of experience.
[11:40] Dr. Rob adds two things about treatment centers: many of them are focused on the addictive piece and the larger programs tend to be a cookie cutter.
[14:00] We would love to hear Dr. Rob’s opinion on dissociations.
[13:35] To act out itself is dissociation. Dr. Rob explains further.
[17:30] With the holidays coming up, how do we face spending time with family and loved ones without feeling like a facade?
[18:15] Tami shares her thoughts of how to deflect family members from her own experience.
[19:40] Dr. Rob shares what he does whenever he visits family.
[22:25] Can you speak about the emotional struggle that SAs have in early recovery?
[22:55] Tami talks about Dr. Rob’s book, Out of the Dog House and the workgroup they will start in January.
[25:10] Dr. Rob explains how you can be compassionate and empathetic to your spouse to win them back through his book.
[27:10] I’m a sex addict in recovery and my spouse found out about my slips before I could tell her. Any advice?
[28:00] Dr. Rob defines what slips are and how they can affect your sobriety period.
[30:20] Tami advises to tell the truth and tell it faster. You shouldn’t wait regardless if it’s a slip or not.
RESOURCES:
Email Tami: Tami@Seekingintegrity.com
Prodependence: Moving Beyond Codependency, by Robert Weiss
Sex Addiction 101: A Basic Guide to Healing from Sex, Porn, and Love Addiction, by Robert Weiss
Cruise Control: Understanding Sex Addiction in Gay Men, by Robert Weiss
Further episodes of Overcoming Betrayal
Further podcasts by Robert Weiss, PhD, MSW and Tami VerHelst
Website of Robert Weiss, PhD, MSW and Tami VerHelst