What To Do When Someone You Love Is an Addict

If someone you love is struggling with addiction, you already know how exhausting, confusing, and heartbreaking it can be. You want to help — but how do you know when helping becomes hurting?

In this episode of Reframed, Pastor Dan Jarms and Biblical Counselor Brian Sayers walk through a practical survival guide for caregivers, family members, and friends of addicts. They unpack what codependency and enabling actually look like, how to intervene in a way that's honest and loving, and why building your own support team isn't optional — it's essential.

Real love does what is best, not always what feels best.

In this episode:

• What codependency is and how to recognize it in yourself
• The difference between enabling and truly helping
• How to intervene — and what the Bible says about the process
• Why forgiveness and trust aren't the same thing
• How to build a team and survive the long road

Featured resource: 

• Divine Intervention by Mark Shaw
• Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed Welch

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If you are not in Spokane, find a gospel-centered church here.

Brian Sayers

Brian is the Pastor of Counseling & Equipping at Faith Bible Church. He is passionate about the local church, and equipping the saints to effectively serve one another. Before coming to Spokane, he spent 14 years serving God's people as a pastor in rural New England (Vermont & New Hampshire).

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Dan Jarms

Dr. Dan Jarms is lead pastor at Faith Bible Church in Spokane Washington, as well as associate dean at The Master's Seminary in Spokane. He has been married for over 30 years to Linda, and has three adult children. He earned his B.A. in English at the Master’s College, B.Ed. at Eastern Washington University, M.Div and D.Min in Expository Preaching at The Master’s Seminary. His other interests include NCAA basketball, woodworking, and art.

View Resources by Dan Jarms